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I have a high school senior who auditioned for the corps. He got a callback (woo!) but did not get a spot... too young and inexperienced, but they liked him and said they'd give his name to some other corps. I'm really proud of him! His feedback from the camp concerning the Cadets was extremely encouraging. He loved the staff, the culture, the work ethic... apparently it was everything that he'd hoped for in a Cadet experience. He said the show was very "Cadets." (I love that he knows what that means!) He wants to try again next year. If there are any admin/staff reading this, thank you very much for pushing the organization forward in a positive way and inspiring a young man from Virginia. 🙂

The title says it all! What a decade it has been. So many ups and downs, but these corps most certainly provided us with extremely entertaining shows. From incredible drill to music blaring at us at the 50 yard line, each corps most certainly entertained us! So, happy New Year everyone! SPLOOIE! ..... I'm going to blast some Cavies shows and annoy my neighbors to usher in the new year. And if they come knocking on my door... I am going to offer them a cold one. 😄

I think part of the problem is having an item like the size requirement show up in two places. Is it a policy, or is it a rule? In any case, it should only appear once. By the way, the in addition to the 55-member policy in addendum 216 of the Policy manual, it also says this about Open class in section 1.2. Classifications: 1.2.1 Each unit must have a minimum of 30 performing members.

I take a different view on matters like the present Encorps situation. Encorps, and any similar performing group, has a Right to be unhappy with any action/decision under the control of DCI management. No problem. Encorps can either adjust and conform, or move along, outside any specifications set by DCI. Encorps is even free to band together with other like-minded groups and act within a different set of parameters that are within easier reach. DCI can never be all things to all people. Why would we expect that? New, and more stringent restrictions on participation within DCI, I believe, are an effort by DCI management to “downsize,” so to speak. To guard against spreading itself too thin in dealing with what seems to be a growing list of new challenges it faces. To bring together a smaller point of focus, shore-up it’s ability by handling fewer conflicts, and to not over-extend itself. If the management of DCI has a goal of becoming stronger through a different set of standards . . . . it’s their call. Even if this means part of its Brand displays fewer product choices.

Encorps says that they didn't know about the 55-member rule change in October until after it happened and after they were well under way in making plans for 2020, and that DCI was unresponsive to Encorps' inquiries about whether that rule would apply to them in 2020. It's right there in their statement quoted in the first post of this thread. I merely lay out two possibilities: 1. Encorps is telling the truth, in which case, If that's true, someone at DCI dropped the ball. If you want to assign that responsibility to David Eddleman in Avon Lake rather than Dan Acheson in Indianapolis, that's fair. I have no animus toward Acheson or anyone else at DCI, and I agree with you that the staff and coordinators merely carry out the wishes of DCI's member corps. But if Encorps is telling the truth, they were treated unfairly. (I don't buy the argument that DCI has no responsibility to clearly communicate big important news like a required change in membership size to Open Class corps.) 2. Encorps is lying. In that case, I would agree that we should assume DCI did nothing wrong.

In 1983, if you lived in Massachusetts and were a drum corps fan, you probably would not have believed that 10th place for 27th Lancers would be followed by an 11th place the following year and a fall from finals in 1985 and at the end of 1986 they would be a memory. I know I would not have believed it. If you had told me in 1983 that Boston Crusaders would not only survive but would become a perennial finalist, if you were a Boston Crusader I would have smiled and said “of course you will” because I never want to pour water on a flame, and I would have admired your optimism, but I would not have believed it. Few did. Everyone admired Boston Crusaders pluck, but many thought the writing was on the wall. However, Boston Crusaders in 1983 and the following years did have some favorable conditions that Encorps did not have. One is a long history. They also became the only game in town after 27th, North Star, Defenders, and Spectra disbanded at a time when the CYO and Eastern MA circuits still had shows and smaller units which directly or indirectly helped with recruitment. By about 1988 you began to see steady progress and improvement on the field and better direction off field. There were still uphill battles for BAC, but Encorps as a new start up at a very different time did face enormous challenges.

Go to Surf, 7th Regiment, or Spartans and get some experience under his feet. I hope he one day gets to be a part of the organization that I was years ago.

It goes to highlight the confusion when the same requirement exists in multiple places and they want to make changes. In this case they have the Open class size in 3 places apparently. This applies to any requirement in any organization. It has just reared its head here due to the topic.

You cannot have it both ways. You just spent paragraphs saying that DCI owes Encorps nothing, not even the level of communication that member corps receive. Therefore, you should not be making presumptions about which discussions Encorps was privy to. And frankly, what is "discussed" or "agreed to" outside of the context of the rule change process is of questionable relevance. The Rules Congress is what counts.

They Intentionally cut way back on props. But who cared with that glorious musical show!

how you doin?

There you have it. It's now official.

i do agree October is a short notice period

As a Bobcat Alum,Thanks. But actually I was referring to the State of Ohio. The State was trying to require the same system for all public colleges. Ohio State fought semesters screaming and kicking. Why ? Football. When they were on quarters,they didn't start classes till mid/late September. That gave almost a month of "class free" practice. Now they start classes the week before Labor Day And going O.T. Really hoping the kid from Athens,Oh.can pull off a win for the National Championship.

Sometimes, particularly in niche activities, so much time is spent staring at one's navel that it hurts to raise one's head and see reality for what it is.

Do you really think if Boston had folded in 1983 du to lack of sufficient numbers they would still be around today?

don't let a decade go without checking with the Ph. Rgt. thread about "decades." Something about year one ending in 1, etc. Having swum your way through the past years, hope the new one is a happy one for you.

a. Ironically, that particular situation arose because the corps in question was not a DCI member corps the year prior, when the age rule was tweaked. b. The comparison is valid. Rules apply to all participating corps, not just member corps.

I think you are still missing my point. Let me put this in terms you can relate to ($$$). Say you had a 401k retirement savings account you accumulated while with a previous employer. Say you decided last week to close that account, and roll it over into an IRA so as not to incur any taxes at this time. You know this is legal because the law is in writing; it is not changing any time soon because laws require majorities of both houses of Congress and a presidential signoff to change; and it is typical in a relatively free/fair nation to provide fair warning time between ratification and when the new law takes effect. But today, some government website changes a document to say that rollovers are now illegal, and anyone currently attempting a rollover will have all their funds seized by the government. They take all your money. Any complaints? So to answer your question - no, I would not be "satisfied". DCI changed a policy document in conflict with their own rules manual, and in ignorance of their own rule change process. I would already be dissatisfied if the minimum size rule changes ratified in January 2020 were not deferred until the 2021 season... but if some unauthorized subset of DCI can make up the rules whenever they want, I would have no choice but to recommend that anyone with fiduciary responsibilities at a non-member corps cut their losses and get out while they still can. You also asked about changing the outcome for Encorps. If DCI went ahead with this change, but for 2021 implementation, Encorps could still have proceeded with the 2020 season without the 55-member angst. It would, of course, still be up to them to take that opportunity and make it a success.

And Happy New Year to you. A reference was made to Boston and I thought I connected it to the discussion which had a relationship to corps size. I apologize it did not achieve a sufficient relevance for you.

Ditto BK. No props to hide behind.

Not sure what the problem is. 39 members, electronic sampling of brass, epercussion, microphones for all the brass. Would sound like 150.

Nothing new here. The open class formerly Div 2/3 formerly Class A have always been treated like red headed ######## stepchildren.

DCI presents itself as serving the Jr side of drum corps as a learning experience without mention of classes. So either DCI owes nothing to World Class also or DCI needs to be honest and admit they don’t care about Open Class.

It sounds like DCI's member corps have decided that there should be fewer drum corps in existence.

Gotta say, that’s a really interesting piece of music. Sure hope it finds its way to the field by some corps or elite HS band at some point in time👍

Really wish Crown would do this piece- an original written by Seth E. Brown and performed by Cristopher Bill. It’s AMAZING. https://youtu.be/3A9m2wvFSMU

Much like the Madison scouts with CK, DCI should have canned DA many years ago. There is way too much bando influence in drum corps these days and what used to be a clear distinction between drum corps and band will be completely gone. Who the heck wants to hear flutes and clarinets in a drum corps show? No thanks.

If the rumored changes you describe are implemented for 2020, particularly the first one, I wonder if DCI will face demands for refunds from people claiming a bait and switch: "I paid for drum corps not marching band!" and so forth.