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What area of the world can challenge DCI corps?


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This is a HIGH SCHOOL marching band in Japan?

Wow- - great to see that drum corps truly is INTERNATIONAL! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rybi4dM3SgQ (Shondai H.S. White Shooting Stars -- gold medal performance in 2010 JMBA championships)

Oh, my! They may be called a marching band, but that's drum corps in my book. All brass, and no amplification. A bit too short (8 min.) and a small playing area (indoors), but otherwise this seems to be at least at the level of the best DCI Open Class corps.

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Oh, my! They may be called a marching band, but that's drum corps in my book. All brass, and no amplification. A bit too short (8 min.) and a small playing area (indoors), but otherwise this seems to be at least at the level of the best DCI Open Class corps.

The small playing area is due to the lack of available space. As you can see from the video this is a fundamentally sound group. They could very quickly adapt to playing on a football field. I have seen this group several times and am always impressed by them especially. Their progress has been extraordinary. The band corps was less than half this size ten years ago.

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...and in 2002? I met Inspires when they arrived. I watched them warm up the first time... before they were done warming up, I was on the cell phone with Mickey Petrone... All he said was "WELL?"

My response, "Holy SH.....t! A whole bunch of DCA corps have a BIG problem and that problem just flew in from Japan... These guys KNOW how to do drum corps and do it VERY WELL!" and all I had seen at that time was warm ups...

I remember you coming up to us after we had warmed up in sections but before we got together for ensemble. Your words were something like "If you march half as good as you play some corps are in trouble."

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So I was checking out the Aimachi video that Boo posted,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJe84VeOIs

Since I saw them live at DCA, I've been watching the Kidgrove Scouts too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM-Pum1CEM0

Finally, I saw Patria from Guatemala because of the BD trip there

I know there are groups in Indonesia, Europe, and other places in the world.

It's great to see Drum Corps and the marching arts in general in so many countries around the world.

Still the question remains... What part of the world can rival the US, or at least come the closest to rivaling us in quality?

Are there groups in China that could compete here? What about Brazil?

My guess is that Japan is the closest, followed by Europe. What do you guys think? I know many of you are very knowledgeable about the marching arts around the world.

Is there a region or even a country that can rival us? Where is it? Who comes the closest? satisfied.gif

I seriously dobut many, if any, foreign corps would pose a major threat to very few of the DCI Top 23. Granted, some of these corps from outside the U.S. are quite impressive and march and sound like an American corps. However, once on the field of competition it would show a major difference between the corps score wise. And yes, Japan would probably lead the pack with the UK a close second. Beyond that..........

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I don't believe there is any infrastructure in place to support DCI, but culturally, I believe Russia would definitely be able to challenge American corps if they did have the right infrastructure.

There are several reasons I believe this. For one, they have a rich military history and tradition like we do (drum corps, after all, did originally spring out of that tradition). But more importantly, when you look at the Olympic events that most resemble the pageantry arts, no country touches Russia -- from rhythmic gymnastics, to figure skating (we compete well in this area, but how much of this has to do with Russian coaches and skaters who have emigrated?), to synchronized swimming. While synch swimming may be often ridiculed, it is absolutely amazing what Russian designers have come up with over the past several Olympics, leaving the U.S. and other teams in the dust.

Russia also has a phenomenal classical, ballet, and modern dance tradition that could easily carry over to drum corps designers in that country. What often separates good drum corps from great drum corps is design, and I believe Russian designers would be able to craft shows that could compete with the U.S. It also does not hurt that Russian coaches tend to be sticklers about technique. Rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, synch swimming and all forms of dance rely very heavily on proper technique for success. Attention to proper technique would obviously be crucial to success in music captions as well. Furthermore, Russian Olympic coaches know how to play the score sheets to their advantage better than anyone. We invented synchro swimming, but once they studied the sport and analyzed the scoring sheets, they figured out how to beat us at our own game.

They obviously don't right now, but if Russia did have the right infrastructure in place to support drum corps, they could easily challenge us imo.

Edited by ordsw24
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I don't believe there is any infrastructure in place to support DCI, but culturally, I believe Russia would definitely be able to challenge American corps if they did have the right infrastructure.

There are several reasons I believe this. For one, they have a rich military history and tradition like we do (drum corps, after all, did originally spring out of that tradition). But more importantly, when you look at the Olympic events that most resemble the pageantry arts, no country touches Russia -- from rhythmic gymnastics, to figure skating (we compete well in this area, but how much of this has to do with Russian coaches and skaters who have emigrated?), to synchronized swimming. While synch swimming may be often ridiculed, it is absolutely amazing what Russian designers have come up with over the past several Olympics, leaving the U.S. and other teams in the dust.

Russia also has a phenomenal classical, ballet, and modern dance tradition that could easily carry over to drum corps designers in that country. What often separates good drum corps from great drum corps is design, and I believe Russian designers would be able to craft shows that could compete with the U.S. It also does not hurt that Russian coaches tend to be sticklers about technique. Rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, synch swimming and all forms of dance rely very heavily on proper technique for success. Attention to proper technique would obviously be crucial to success in music captions as well. Furthermore, Russian Olympic coaches know how to play the score sheets to their advantage better than anyone. We invented synchro swimming, but once they studied the sport and analyzed the scoring sheets, they figured out how to beat us at our own game.

They obviously don't right now, but if Russia did have the right infrastructure in place to support drum corps, they could easily challenge us imo.

Interesting insight. Do you know of any Russian corps or even marching bands that are out and do things competitively? I'd like to find a video of them.

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Just reading that Juliana a Dutch Drum Corps will be competing in DCI Open Class in 2013.

Hope it's true.

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Just reading that Juliana, a Dutch drum corps, will be competing in DCI Open Class in 2013.

Hope it's true.

Me too. I watched the prelim performances of the top five Premier Class corps (1. The Company; 2. Kidsgrove Scous; 3. Black Knights; 4. Jubal; 5. Juliana) and enjoyed them all -- although I liked the winner the least! Jubal competed in Open Class in 2011 (but on International sheets, whatever those are). They finished 33rd in World Class Prelims, between Music City and Legends, with a show that I found much less entertaining than this year's. Maybe because they opened with more than a minute of sampled music. (Historical recordings -- it was an anniversary year for them.)

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Me too. I watched the prelim performances of the top five Premier Class corps (1. The Company; 2. Kidsgrove Scous; 3. Black Knights; 4. Jubal; 5. Juliana) and enjoyed them all -- although I liked the winner the least! Jubal competed in Open Class in 2011 (but on International sheets, whatever those are). They finished 33rd in World Class Prelims, between Music City and Legends, with a show that I found much less entertaining than this year's. Maybe because they opened with more than a minute of sampled music. (Historical recordings -- it was an anniversary year for them.)

The Company are cutting edge with regard to show design so not everybody's cup of tea... electronics etc. I also think The Company are all age so DCI would be out for them. A shame because I'd love to see how they'd do at DCI finals... top 20 perhaps.

Kidsgrove looked every inch the top end DCA Corps, very entertaining.

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