two valves forever

I think that one of the main reasons for a drop in the number of 15-21 age corps is the fact that the "summer" gets shorter and shorter. With the number of school systems going to year round schooling and those that aren't creeping closer and closer to July starting dates, a lot of kids can't participate in the activity without at least the last week of your overlapping with school. I remember having conversations with people in the late 80's who predicted that because of this trend that DCI would be dead by 2000. What are we to do, throw up our hands or go and see more shows? I remember when "first tour" was much more regional and less DCI circuit. If people hadn't stopped going to the shows the regions would have lasted and more regional corps could at least competed at those shows. So I don't think we should fault the kids but rather the adults in all their myriad forms.

I think it might be interesting to have every one do a "Best of..." show, pick a show from another decade and play it as close as they can to its original idea. The show would not have to be of that particular corps, just a drum corps show from the past. I know that the change from 13 minute shows to 11 1/2 minute shows will be a challenge, but what the hey!

Because the Cavies give the crowd what they want. They don't step out of bounds musically but their drill is always on the edge.