DCA, The Savior of Drum and Bugle Corps

[JimF-LowBari]

Can you explain what that means?  Do you have to have marched in a jr. corps to march in your corps?  Be over a certain age? What differentiates you from an all age corps?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depends on the corps Lisa. I started at age 16 in a Senior corps that a few years before very seldom let in any under 21 year olds. Then the corps went inactive and the only way to get back on the field was to take in anyone who could play and (kind of) stay in step regardless of age. And man, did having a corps half made up of minors scare the crap out of the BoD.

Think All Age vs Senior is an age thing (and I don't mean being over 21) :P . I can't get used to the All Age moniker either. Jr and Sr just seem to go together better than Jr and All Age. And I don't see where the Sr/All Age age make up has changed any.

As for the last sentence - Da T'boids :P last competed when "Senior" was in use. On the back of one of my shirts the Lancers are listed as an "Senior Almuni" corps, for probably the same reason.

Edited August 15, 2005 by JimF-xWSMBari

[77kingsmensnare]

DCI is not dying. It is changing, there are less corps that can sustain the DCI lifestyle, and the average kid from a small town has less chance of joining these corps than ever before, but the money coming in is astronomical, the fan-base is ginormous, and the number of competitions is mind blowing. DCI is far from dying.

DCA is not traditional drum corps. It changes as much as DCI does, but a little less radically. The tradition of senior corps lies in the American Flag Squad only. If you don't believe me, watch a tape from DCA from twenty years ago, then tell me DCA is traditional. Drum corps in all form is always changing.

The future of DCI and DCA will be different. The DCI corps are going to a more all-star drum corps situation with members migrating from around the globe to march in corps in all three divisions. DCA will still be a weekend warrior club that has the advantage of tons of experience throughout its participants. Both are beautiful organizations promoting their own versions of the drum corps evolution tree. Both are doing what there organizations need to, respectively.

I, personally, love drum corps and would appreciate those who don't love it or have stopped loving the evolution of drum corps to take their lame prognostications and stupid biased observations to take a flying leap.

Viva la drum corps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't stand too close to the edge or you might be the one taking that flying leap!

[JimF-LowBari]

Lisa........just spent about 10 minutes addressing your questions and my answers are somewhere out there in Cyberland and I didn't save it. I'll try to condense it and I'm those more knowledgeable will jump in. Senior corps' I believe, as well as Drum Corps' as a whole is an evolution created primarily by the returning veterans of WW II. In order to participate in contests, which were primarily a function of either the American Legion and/or the VFW a certain percentage of corps' members had to be a member of one of those groups. Chances of a veteran being under the age of 21 were slim and none. This is how I have come to understand it. I could be wrong but I think I'm pretty close.

    Stay tuned...........I'm sure a better explanation is on the way.

Having said that...........when I joined.........I wasn't aware that anything like a junior corps' existed. (at least in my area).  Oh yea..........I was 15.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great question and timing Gene as my wife is out of the house for the next few nights helping her sister get her elementary school classroom ready for the new year. Now I can dig out my History of DC book and try to figure out when "Senior" and "Junior" started being used with corps.

I remember reading that AL Posts really kick started Drum Corps after WWI when the vets came back and the local posts were started. These corps were all vets so they were"Senior corps" without using the term. Then the AL started the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) groups which included "Junior" corps.

As for when "Senior" and "Junior" terms were first used ??????????????

[Jeff Ream]

Savior of drum and bugle corps?

The activity has changed so much over the last several years (DCI&DCA) that I'm afraid that category of marching music no longer exists in EITHER circuit, but I know where you're coming from.  A name change is very much in order, particularly for Drum Corps International.

I don't see DCI as dying.  It has evolved into something so different from the definition I grew up with that I am no longer interested, but there are plenty of new enthusiasts out there to take my place.  As long as the DCI organization has young impressionable kids and willing, supportive families, there will always be a market for whatever they decide to put out there for consumption.

If DCI's current product works for you,  have at it, and enjoy!

Because of the path the DCI directors have chosen to take,  I DO believe DCA is now presented with huge opportunity to expand its appeal.  Anyone who believes there is not an incredible amount of "classic" fans out there who have been deserted by the bigger organization (DCI) is kidding themselves. 

There is a HUGE market out there that, for now, can be better served by DCA.

We both know the upcoming DCA Championship weekend will be full of feel-good, lung-clearing, hand-hurting moments, and that most people will go away from the show feeling they got their money's worth in terms of entertainment. Hopefully,  more and more "long-term" spectators of our beloved activity will discover that such feelings are still available, and will make the trip to Scranton.

For me, therein lies the challenge for DCA.  Their current championship venues provide no room for growth.  Sitting at the goal line (in any city) doesn't cut it for DCI, or DCA. I'm afraid DCA could be limiting itself by facility.  If not this year, certainly soon. 

Be it Hartford, Meadowlands, Piscataway, or Winston-Salem, a bigger venue could be what's needed soon.

Well . . . let's hope so.

:)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually, I see DCAgrowing like never before. not that long ago, 16 corps was a good prelims. now you have what, 25? 30? DCA corps in areas they never were before? Regions of DCA?

none of that was around 5 years ago.

DCA IS growing, and it's up to the Powers that be to be mindful...what they have is working and growing like never before. Playing follow the leader w/DCI's rules isn't neccesarily the way to go.

[Fran Haring]

DCA IS growing, and it's up to the Powers that be to be mindful...what they have is working and growing like never before. Playing follow the leader w/DCI's rules isn't neccesarily the way to go.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, especially with that last sentence.

Longer, more in-depth commentary/rant/critique on this entire topic to come, after the drum corps season is over. I promise. I swear. Or something like that. B)

Fran

[Blackstar]

DCI is not dying. It is changing, there are less corps that can sustain the DCI lifestyle, and the average kid from a small town has less chance of joining these corps than ever before, but the money coming in is astronomical, the fan-base is ginormous, and the number of competitions is mind blowing. DCI is far from dying.

It's post like this one that scares me. It's the Buggy Whip mentalaity. When you continuelly have LESS then the year before, or HISTORICALLY have less and less then something is dying.

The future of DCI and DCA will be different. The DCI corps are going to a more all-star drum corps situation with members migrating from around the globe to march in corps in all three divisions. DCA will still be a weekend warrior club that has the advantage of tons of experience throughout its participants. Both are beautiful organizations promoting their own versions of the drum corps evolution tree. Both are doing what there organizations need to, respectively.

[B]ALL-STAR??? People complain about the cost now. so with the ALL-STAR Corps how many "kids" will be able to march. So we'll end up with the top 12 and 12 only corps left with the best muscians in the country marching. And then you have people like me who aren;t reallt that good but can play well enough to have marched in 1984 (Crossmen  :) ) Not able to march. Oh wait, there always SENIOR corps. With the week long championship because theres now 100 inistead of 29 thats lets you match without going broke.

Yes, the sky is falling.[/b]

I, personally, love drum corps and would appreciate those who don't love it or have stopped loving the evolution of drum corps to take their lame prognostications and stupid biased observations to take a flying leap.

So do I and many others, thats why we hate to see it die a fast death. Being on TV  doesn't make it better. Just means the bigger Corps get more exporsure. No ones going to run out and start a corps because it's on CBS or ESPN which needs to happen for the activity to grow. It just means more people will watch it die

[KeithHall]

DCI is not dying. It is changing, there are less corps that can sustain the DCI lifestyle, and the average kid from a small town has less chance of joining these corps than ever before, but the money coming in is astronomical, the fan-base is ginormous, and the number of competitions is mind blowing. DCI is far from dying.

DCA is not traditional drum corps. It changes as much as DCI does, but a little less radically. The tradition of senior corps lies in the American Flag Squad only. If you don't believe me, watch a tape from DCA from twenty years ago, then tell me DCA is traditional. Drum corps in all form is always changing.

The future of DCI and DCA will be different. The DCI corps are going to a more all-star drum corps situation with members migrating from around the globe to march in corps in all three divisions. DCA will still be a weekend warrior club that has the advantage of tons of experience throughout its participants. Both are beautiful organizations promoting their own versions of the drum corps evolution tree. Both are doing what there organizations need to, respectively.

I, personally, love drum corps and would appreciate those who don't love it or have stopped loving the evolution of drum corps to take their lame prognostications and stupid biased observations to take a flying leap.

Viva la drum corps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The amount of corps in North America has dropped so much since...lets, say...1977 that it is dying a slow death. Yes it has evolved BUT .....

[George]

this entire thread is making my stomach churn

[fecontra]

I am a fan of both juniors and all-age, but I don't feel DCA is the savior of anything when it allows horn players to stand in the pit and not march.

The flag sections to me are another point, they stand over in the far corner and are hardly ever part of the program ( Hurricanes are often an exception )

[Drumcorpsbrat]

Lisa........just spent about 10 minutes addressing your questions and my answers are somewhere out there in Cyberland and I didn't save it. I'll try to condense it and I'm those more knowledgeable will jump in. Senior corps' I believe, as well as Drum Corps' as a whole is an evolution created primarily by the returning veterans of WW II. In order to participate in contests, which were primarily a function of either the American Legion and/or the VFW a certain percentage of corps' members had to be a member of one of those groups. Chances of a veteran being under the age of 21 were slim and none. This is how I have come to understand it. I could be wrong but I think I'm pretty close.

    Stay tuned...........I'm sure a better explanation is on the way.

Having said that...........when I joined.........I wasn't aware that anything like a junior corps' existed. (at least in my area).  Oh yea..........I was 15.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gene,

Can I ask you a question? I know my father was 10 years old when Jim McMicheals (sp) got him into Senior corps but were the Erie Cadets a Junior corps? If that is the case then my Daddy started with senior then later, at about 16, went junior then right back to senior. When Did Junior corps begin? (if I over looked this answer I apologize)

On the other hand, I like the whole Senior corps term and like you am having difficulty getting used to the all age term.. For 36 years of my life I have only ever known it as SENIOR and JUNIOR. I guess the whole issue of what is right or not is personal opinion. But I agree it is hard to get used too. I guess to each their own.