jojo

Marching all-age for awhile has effectively given me back DCI. Working really hard to do it the "new" way made me love it all again after hating it for a very long time. Post senior corps I find that I love watching the "kids" again but I can't help but feel a little sorry for them too. I'm pretty convinced that we got the better end of the deal in a lot of ways, dinosaur or not. After all, they'll never know what it is to be 15 and waving goodbye to their parents from a bus window for a whole 4 weeks and feeling like the world is theirs to conquer. Oh the freedom! Or to pull 3 buses into the middle of small midwestern town to find the whole place in the throes of "Italian Day" or "Polka Day" (or whatever) and take the town hostage in the space of a 2-hour dinner break. They'll never have the fun of living on a bus for weeks at a time with pillow cases on their seat backs and styrofoam coolers jammed under their feet and every night a slumber party with 128 of their closest friends. Or know the sheer joy of it finally being their turn to stretch out in the aisle of the bus after 10 hours scrunched in a seat. Or get dressed in their uniform on some shocked family's front lawn, lol. Or develop the dexterity to walk on armrests all the way from the back to the front of the bus. Or have their sandwich handled by no less than 25 people before it ever reaches them in the back of the bus. Or know the real fun that can be found in a midwestern town on a laundry day. Or get left behind by the bus in Davenport Iowa and get to meet the nice police officers there. Or see the world's largest ball of string as an "educational" part of their journey across country. Or witness that the center of the US is comprised entirely of rows of corn, lol. Seriously I think they miss out on a lot of the "experience" with food trucks and chaperones (yes, I said chaperones), flights and hotels and being comprised of "kids" from "all over the country" instead of their own neighborhoods. I wouldn't trade being a dinosaur for anything

I was late arriving at the theatre to watch quarters -- work and traffic and such -- but when I finally got there and opened the theatre door I knew I was in the right place. I was just in time for Madison to blast me back to the past. Good times

Hmmmmm ... I recall some wild nights with 27th and SCV at the hotel in 74(?). In fact, most of SCV's drum line and the drum major streaked the hotel hallways in nothing but aussies, gauntlets, gloves and shoes. We looked forward to staying in hotels for champs. Just sayin'

Unfair advantage? BD is far from the first corps to choose to stay at a hotel for champs. I don't get what the big deal is. Seriously.

Me too! And I would add that anyone worried about SCV's identity should rest assured. Santa Clara's "identity" has always been class and innovation ... and nothing has changed about that.

3, and could have stayed another 5 ...

Sigh ... me too And I'd do 73-75 again only this time be smart enough to understand the power of it all I'd also do 2004 Renegades again .... cuz hell, it was a bad-### show, and the best time I've ever had performing in drum corps I'd also love to march to "So Very Hard to Go" and "Firebird Suite" with Anaheim .

That's the best part of having marched in the 70's. Mostly local kids and just a handful of imports. I loved, loved, loved the trips home. The corps was relatively intact with little to no rehearsal scheduled (although we still had state champs to do when we got home). Tons of time on our own and the drinking age at 18. How great is that when you're a kid, lol? My parents always gave me the option of flying home after finals ... hahaha riiiiight, like I'm gonna' miss a party. We always took the scenic route home (or so it seemed). All the way through Canada east to west in 73. Seeing Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks. There's literally hundreds of places I've visited (and shhh what my parents don't know won't hurt 'em) and things I've done that I would have never seen or done were it not for drum corps. Actually I think it's too bad the kids fly nowadays. And actually I think it's too bad more of them aren't just plain old kids. And yes, there were bad parts and sure I remember 'em .... they're just not the memories that stand out for me. And hola Sam! Long time, no see. .

While I agree with that wholeheartedly, I think some shows/guards have become artsy/creative/inventive (call it what you will) to the point that the audience needs a pamphlet to "get it"

In '75 I thought the same thing about "senior corps". I was one of those stuck up kids who wondered why the grown ups couldn't just grow up and go away already. Now, after a 20+ year hiatus of my own growing up and going away, I think a whole different way and I highly recommend the real estate between the 35s and 8 off the front side line

I understand ... and as for Firebird I guess I would have said "Hey, they're copying Anaheim". I think who's copying who has everything to do with how long you've been around and what you're familiar with. I didn't even know DCA existed until 2002. I was surprised at much "junior corps" influence I saw in the uniforms and heard in the repertoires. It was fabulous fun and I loved it all. I felt an instant kinship with DCA because I think it's very reminescent of the way drum corps used to be -- less corporate, more inclusive, that sort of thing. I think it was the Bucs in 05 (and I might be wrong about both) that I heard play "Young Person's Guide" at the Loud Music Symposium and I cried like a little kid. Rehash done well is a tribute in my view -- and I heard and saw a lot of it in the five years I was at DCA finals. Sheesh. Talking about it is making me wanna' give it another go. My husband would be so thrilled

I disagree. I think sometimes that's the only clue you have to the show concept.

I get your sarcasm ... but not your point.

Hmmmm. I think the Cabelleros tribute to the Muchachos counts as a DCA tribute to a DCI show, no?

I agree. Sorta'. Except I don't think of DCA as senior corps (admittedly it seems a bit more so on the west coast then the east???). I've run into a number of what I've come to think of as DCA graduates. They sort of cut their teeth in all age and take what they learn up (yes I said up) into DCI. I'm reasonably convinced that the Renegades (and some of their Cali counterparts?) are relatively unique in DCA in that the majority of them (us) have already been really successful in DCI and aren't necessarily trying to repeat or rehash that experience, or take new-found skills elsewhere. Instead, DCA while similar in the best of ways, is an entirely new experience, on very adult terms -- which includes jobs, kids, families, limited rehearsal time, heavy doses of glucosamine chondroitin, going on in the daylight, etc. This hasn't precluded the 'Gades from adding to the ranks of DCI by raising a few yungins' and that's great but it's not as much the norm as what seems to take place in the east. I've always said the top of DCA is very similar to the bottom of DCI ... and I mean that as a compliment ... and I think a lot of that is due to age. Youth makes many things possible visually. Even so, I think, for the most part, DCA corps would pretty much get a mudhole stomped in them using DCI's criteria and sheets. The Cali all-age corps know that better than anyone. It's not a bad thing, it's just a thing. There's plenty of room for both, they're not mutually exclusive and, in fact, it's a great symbiotic relationship. I think the what really matters is did you have a great time doing your best? I sure did!

what happens on tour stays on tour .... I think that's in the bylaws somewhere

We used to call him Kurt Wallsplatz ...

Wow ... I don't remember being bored or confused. Or even being boring and confusing Must be the alzheimer's

And don't forget to include the part about the spaghetti sauce "sandwiches" the next day on the bus. Egads

Maggie you're a rock star! I'm in there once (in fact right after you and before Mike near the very end). And catching up with the earlier part of the thread ... I was 15 in 73 and I know of at least six others my age or younger that marched that year ... Susie Akiya, Luann Harper, Mark Waxman, Bob Dimicelli, Diane Modisett, Al Montemayor ... and I can still think of others.

I have a couple of snaps of the folks on Bus 3 in their plastic wear ... one of Stanley Knaub in a garbage bag and a big smile ............. but I don't have a scanner. PM me, maybe we can work something out and you can put them up B)

I'm really sorry to hear that. My best to his family.

Getting to Know Your Window of Tolerance From the WGI website ... this is a great piece by Shirley Stratton Dorritie ... it's a terrific explanation of those "blank moments" or "robotic moments" we've all had at some point. B)

"Clowns" was our closer (or exit) in '74 ... so yes, you probably did ... and thanks! .

That pretty much mirrors my feelings exactly. Their prelims score (and truthfully any scores earned that season) don't matter. You can take home the tropy but you can't truly "win" something you're not competing in fairly. .