cixelsyd

I bet that guy was "Dave"...

Staff at championships. You know the type. The ones who wade up the aisle to get as close to the press box as possible, and whose sole mission is to convince everyone around them (including the press box judges) that their corps is giving the performance of their lives (whether they really are or not). My rule of etiquette: staffers should not "perform" harder (and louder) than their corps.

Yes, but that is only true because of the context. If we had a prominent corps in DCI today whose trademarks were theatre and humor, if they chose to do a Civil War themed production number, and if championships happened to be held in the deep South, I have no doubt they would flirt with the "South wins" aspect. I also have no doubt that some anonymous Internet poster would take offense. And I have no doubt that if it was done with the kind of expert design the Bridgemen had, the vast majority of people would understand that the corps was merely playing to the home crowd, and not making social commentary.

Upon reflection, there are several explanations. 1. Once upon a time (when drum corps was a budget-conscious activity run by adults who were mindful of the extremely limited financial sponsorship their activity had compared to scholastic music), drum corps also had a vision and identity for itself that took its unique situation into account. Starting sometime around the creation of DCI, that vision/identity eroded gradually. 2. Once upon a time, drum corps and other pageantry activities were guided by different people. There were a significant number of directors, designers, instructors, judges and rulemakers in any one of these activities who did not serve in that same capacity in the other activities. That distinction also eroded gradually over time such that today, drum corps people routinely work with competitive marching band, winter guard and their derivatives (WGI Winds, SoundSport, and so on), and vice versa. 3. The competitive marching band activity has grown to where there are over 100 times as many such ensembles as DCI drum corps. From a purely mathematical view, the odds of a trendworthy idea originating in drum corps should therefore be 100:1. 4. Follow the money. Scholastic marching band got where it is because they have help, from school budgets. 5. And IMO, drum corps is not always following. At the very least, I still see differences in design content that only touring drum corps can achieve.

"Once upon a time" was earlier than that.

Absolutely true. We would not be here if music educators had no influence over what the students think is "cool". I wish you were correct here, too. But the advice I keep hearing (probably from you at some point, too) is "follow the money". The manufacturers of musical instruments and the ever-expanding array of related equipment are not just swinging the pendulum... they are tipping the clock over. Follow the money. They have turned drum corps into their own traveling salesmen. DCI might as well change the motto to "Marching Music's Manufacturer Showroom". The back stands at DCI events are wallpapered with advertising banners, bought and paid for by these companies - oh, sorry - "corporate partners". So is anything DCI puts on the web. Corps identified as important to marketing plans are offered enough in the way of discounts, rental deals, donations, etc., to get them to use (and advertise) their product - or lobby for product introduction to drum corps via rule changes. Numerous individual corps staffers, and even judges, are paid "endorsers" for specific manufacturers/products. How this is not a disqualifying conflict of interest for judges, I will never understand. I do understand how all this causes the proliferation of such equipment in the activity. Once upon a time, drum corps was a budget-conscious activity run by adults who were mindful of the extremely limited financial sponsorship their activity had, compared to scholastic music. Proponents of the sweeping equipment changes can congratulate themselves for increasing that sponsorship... but at considerable cost.

Symmetric drill.

Complaining is a crucial component of the fundraising strategy.

Would that require a separate screen for the apostrophe?

DCI is the manufacturer showroom of the marching arts. So it is only a question of who and when we will see them on the drum corps field.

Off the top of my head: SCV has made every final. Blue Devils, in ever since 1974. Cavaliers only missed a couple of times in the 1970s. Cadets, in since 1980 and made a couple of 1970s finals. Phantom Regiment, in ever since 1974. (These five are the ones with the 39 consecutive years.) Crossmen first made it in 1977. Early 80s, check. Early 90s, check. Early 00s, check. In now, check. Yes, they have each decade covered. Spirit first made it in 1978. Early 80s, check. 1990, check. Middle 00s, check. Early 10s, check. Count them in. Madison has never been out two years in a row, so they must be the 8th such corps.

Between high schools and colleges, there must be well past 10,000 marching bands. Small activity?

No, I do not remember Crown percussion taking 2nd in semis and 6th the next day. When was that? Still, for such an event to affect overall placement, that still requires other judges to make it possible. The Crown drumline careened around from 3rd to 7th in 2012, but their overall placement remained the same. Show Drums Overall San Antonio 3 2 Atlanta 7 2 Prelims 3 2 Semis 4 2 Finals 6 2

Yes, a single judge can influence overall placings... but not literally determine them. To have that influence requires that the other judges cumulatively keep the scoring close enough. A caption such as colorguard is scored by a single judge. A caption award based on finals only would be determined, literally, by one judge. Taking three rounds into account, it is determined by three judges. In comparison, overall placing in finals is still determined by a much larger pool of 11 opinions (12 if there are penalties).

Maybe because for a caption award, a single judge could literally decide it all... but that is not true of the overall result.