princessL

this is just one fans humble opinion. Saw last years show. Best I've seen by far. the Top several Corps were incredible. But what we have here, especially in light of the size increase, is just another venue for smaller A class Corps. There is already only a tiny following for A corps in an activity that also has a limited, diminishing following. DCA. frankly, does not need another smaller version of itself, when it can barely support the real thing. We had, in the original format, a unique form of entertainment. One where musicians could Swagger onto the the stage and put their best music forward without all the resources required of their full. size counterparts. The top minicorps last year should have been competing on Saturday morning. Although the Top few Corps have raised the bar and made the overall show better by a huge factor, what they have done, with the escalation of complexity and addition of drill , is drive many groups from participation. It's just a whole lot of cost and effort for one, or even a few shows. One might just as well throw a pit together and compete in Class A. The selfish arguing and beating on each other , which went on a few years ago, didn't help either. For that matter, the intense competitiveness in DCA has too often shown an ugly side. Save minicorps? Reduce the size of the stage to eliminate drill , do away with the CD/DVD, and bring the numbers back down so we can get back to Watching alumni and sub groups play thier hearts out with a more reasonable investment in time and money.

OK. That at least brings some sense to it. On the recap, Sabres are actually listed as 5th overall, implying a comparison between the scores.

was very pleased with and happy for White Sabres last night and also liked Windsors performance. But it seemed as though the A scores were guite high in relation to the Open scores. Since they are on the same field with the same sheets and panel, aren't they all ranked on the same scale? Or, does each judge essentiallty clean the slate so as to have room for ranking within each class? Also, it seems as though DCA has made it harder to space programs which are obviously at different levels by starting the scoring so high. I understand that the criteria have changed over the years, but the result of effectively using only a 40 pt range has crushed the margins of difference between struggling, emerging and successful presentations. And now, for me at least, has also fuzzied up the comparisons between A and Open scoring on the same sheets. Not to take anything away from White Sabres. Congrats on the win and perhaps the lead going forward to A championships. But did they beat the Hurcs?

Been a White Sabres fan for some time and looking forward to seeing them tonight after all the great things I've heard. Glad they're off to such a strong start.

unfotunately, I predict we'll see more of the same this weekend. See you at Kingston. Good luck to all of the competitors!

re: pit-stacking to meet the minimum numbers In recent years, there have been repeated, blatant abuses of this loophole in the rules. Including examples of as many as a dozen plugs. It is an insult to the the paying customers. And one would think it would be an embarrasment to DCA. If a corps lacks the shame to try it once, that's one thing. It's quite another for DCA to allow it show after show and season after season. If it is going to be allowed, then just do away with the minimum and let them go out with whatever they have, rather than throwing in everyone's mom and kid brother on show day so that we can all pretend they have a minimum drum corps appropriate for the field. I know, it sounds heartless. But, IMO it's not good for the activity, in terms of appearances. And it's not helpful for DCA to set incredibly low standards and then enable groups to get around the spirit of them. There it is. Flame way. Edit: I acknowledge that there is a fuzzy line here. No one wants to bar a corps from the field when they have a few members who haven't learned the field show yet, standing in the pit at an early show. Easy enough to tell the difference between this and an August show with 40% of the corps in the pit, and most of them making a nominal contribution.

nm

THIS!

point well made

THIS! DCA may have missed an opportunity to be at the leading edge here. A few years ago, there was an historic high interest, from groups and performers, in the mini corps arena. Some effort should have been made to nurture and support the mca-type effort, on the part of DCA (corps, fans and administration) to explore and grow this part of the activity, beyond one contest a year, squeezed into I & E. I realize, of course, that some (including the participants and a small fan base) did try to do so. But DCI is taking the real step forward, with a more keen eye to the future. Wish that DCA had done so. It might been stayed more in the area of brass and percussion there.

I'm going to guess that they also didn't have the production budgets of today.

I believe that there is merit and market for keeping some form of the corps activity alive. At a minimum that would preclude the addition of woodwinds, I think. How could one preserve any identity separate from Marching Band, otherwise? and if you could not preserve that separate identity, what would there really be to preserve and pass on? And to what point?... Marching Band will still exist, at least on a scholastic, regional basis.

"something different" is what will survive. Probably smaller, more flexible and more local, too. there are some already finding at least some measure of success along these lines.

Unfortunately, if there is some remnent of corps still alive in the near future, it likely won't be what we now see as alumni corps, nor all-age field corps. The field competition model is just not sustainable. Rising costs and declining fan base have exposed the lop-sided business model of the All-age activity; which depends too heavily on fundraising, volunteer labor and member fees (as well as huge costs absorbed by members). If the activity had to survive only on what the public was willing to pay for the product, it would have died long ago. As corps exit the stage, the model will begin to break down even faster, as recent events in New York have shown. In addituion to that, when you take a look at the total $$ spent each year (and add in the volunteer man-hours to produce the product), and then apply it to performance time acheived and the number of participants served, it's a pretty incredible expence to have this activity. The activity hangs on only due to the determination, hard work and a whole lot of sacrifice, by a relatively small number of participants, who come back year after year. I give them their props, whole-heartedly. But, they won't long be able to fight back the incredible challenges of economics which are working against this model. DCI will survive by melding in with the marching band activity; benefiting from their larger base and built-in parent following; eventually becoming , simply, summer band. Not saying I like it; just think that's the way it is. If there is to be a remnent of drum corps; I think there are two likely types that will survive. A smaller alumni-style group doing parades and passing on the tradition of drums and bugles , much like the fife and drum corps we have today. Each generation bringing in enough of their own children and grandchildren to maintain a local corps that keeps the tradition alive. As long as there are parades to perform in, this type of group could be sustained, without a lot of cost, nor unreasonable effort. I think that there will also be a more progressive, flexible and local type of group that keeps some type of brass and percussion performance activity alive (if not strictly drums and bugles). But that group must find a performance style and business model sustainable in future markets.

In memory of Bonnie Stoliker, late wife of NY Skyliner Alumni, Terry Stoliker.