Sutasaurus

Sorry Rylan….lame attempt to call what out? I’m not wanting any of my comments to be forgotten. I can’t control how people interpret what they read.

???? You’re late to the game. I addressed this pages back. My suggestion is to re-read the thread and then make a comment.K?

Go back even further….

I loved my “Squinto”. Yes, it was a POS (A 1977 Sport model) but it was my very first brand new car.

Many corps have programs outside of just fielding a drum corps. Regiment has Drum Major camps, multiple clinics, Rockford Rhythm to name a few. A Corps Director would be hard pressed to manage all these activities. Enter Dr. Sneed. Given his background and accomplishments, I think he’ll be a great fit.

You, of all people know what it was like during the “building years”. Yes, that’s what drum corps was all about….hard knocks and taking it to the next level. We all deserve a pat on the back for what we accomplished!

I appreciate the history of The Boston Corps and commend them for struggling through the hard times and succeeding. An admirable achievement. The Phantom Regiment lost EVERYTHING in a corps hall fire in the late 60s. When I joined in 1971, our entire staff was volunteer. Dr. Dan & Jim Wren taught me, and several others, how to sight read music and play bugles in tune! True heros in my heart. I owe so much to those guys. Bob and Peg Stolberg were our adoptive parents who taught us to love and respect each other and be a phamily. Something I hold very close in my heart even at 65 years old! Nothing was “handed” to the corps. When we weren’t practicing we were out selling pizzas from door to door to raise money to compete. I’m not here to say Boston didn’t have an easy history but I am here to say, many of us were part of a ground floor experience who believed and worked really really hard in the face of adversity to realize the dream of a competitive drum corps… and it should be celebrated.

Who is lecturing?

We all struggled at one time or another……your rant has been noted.

Could be a number of corps… just sayin’

Let me turn that concept around back at you for a moment. What BAC went through in the 80’s is nothing different than what a number of corps went through at one time or another. It’s called building an identity/character building. To use your words “nothing new” in the grand scheme of things. Regarding props, for some it’s, as you say, a small line item while for others it’s a significant expense when you factor in the cost to produce said prop(s) the additional vehicle needed to transport them, the fuel for that vehicle, the extra body to drive that vehicle, the additional maintenance of the props, the list goes on. If a corps can afford them, fine. If a corps can’t, why penalize them off the bat for not keeping up with the Joneses? It’s funny how so many people say drum corps is evolving and yet the way they are judged is pretty much the same as it ever was. That’s not totally on DCI either, the member corps should study what happened in 2021. With the absence of a judging panel, corps were allowed to “just be themselves” and the audience really appreciated that. What a concept!

Again, thank you all for adding your viewpoints. I think it helps us understand where each of us are coming from and that only strengthens us as a community in this niche activity.

I don’t think the money DCI makes on partnerships filters down to the corps themselves, but ticket sales has a lot to do with appearance fees awarded to the corps who participate in competitions.

I’m not deaf to what works. Star in 1993 was an incredible show. Absolutely loved it! They took unfamiliar, to some, music and an amazing visual program and made it work! Kudos to them for blazing forward. It eventually ended with them leaving DCI to pursue their artistic ideals on their terms, not DCI’s. Fast forward to today’s DCI…what is being rewarded has really shifted away from the essence of what the drum corps activity was founded on. Maybe it’s time to create new categories and judge apples to apples, oranges to oranges? I appreciate this discussion…honestly! Good points being made by all members of the drum corps community.

Why do I feel there are two conversations going on here? DCI relies on many forms of partnerships to survive financially ticket sales included. The sponsorships are with companies who promote marching footwear, aero beds, mouthpieces, drum sticks…the list goes on. DCI chooses whom to do business with based on what the new members will buy. Pretty simple marketing. Today’s designers are consumers too and if they can get a deal from X prop company they will design a use for it in their next show.

Lack of demand,substance,performer execution? Because corps A decides to drag around pointless props and rely on samplings to get their “design” across they should be held in higher standing? You’re missing points made earlier in this thread. Playing difficult music while marching a demanding drill while engaging the audience should be rewarded equally and that is what I feel is missing from the judges sheets. Again, this past season shown a light on the activity that many styles have a place in the competitive arena.

Why is the point not accurate? FloMarching was just an example of the MANY partnerships that DCI has formed to stay afloat. Just scroll to the bottom of their webpage and take in the long list of sponsors. They work together to bring in new marching members who will use their products/ services.

Current trends like tarps, vertical props, hit or miss electronics to name a few. We touched on this very point several pages back. It’s monkey see/monkey do that gets rewarded. If a corps comes out and does an “old show” as you stated without putting a fresh twist on it, then yes they will not advance in the standings. Corps who perform a show that excites and entertains without the use of props or gimmicks should be recognized and rewarded as being just that and not scored lower because they decided to go the route of music and motion to entertain the audience.

If that’s the case, then why bother to tour? If the corps are raking in the cash with audition fees and membership fees why have competitions? Could it be that DCI relies on ticket sales and partnerships with Flo Marching to survive? I see the point you are trying to make here but it seems that one of the basic ingredients is missing. There are PLENTY of venues where the audience is mainly local people who come to a show as part of an annual celebration. It’s not just DCPers or parents of MMs but lots of Mr snd Ms Anytown USA who want a summer evening of entertainment. I think this is a good part of DCI’s and the corps’ bread and butter. Otherwise they wouldn’t do it?

True….But the corps who buck the current trends suffer in the standings and therefore are relegated down the ranks. Play the game or pay the penalty?

I respectfully disagree. The pageantry arts suppliers are directly influencing the newest trends within the drum corps activity. Corporate sponsorships seem to have a greater sway on the activity than individual contributions. Unfortunately it’s big business sponsorships pushing the activity forward because that’s where the current dollars are coming from. Time for the activity, aka the corps, to seek out grass roots money to keep the activity afloat. That would better represent the current, seat buying fan base. Have the corps given up on fundraising within their organizations to the siren song of sponsorship? Not to say one is better than the other but a blend of both would be a good way to balance forward motion on a mutually exclusive basis.

And? There were different approaches out there this summer. Enough to appeal to a broad spectrum of fans. Was it monkey see monkey do? Not really…why not take that into consideration when mapping out the 2022 season?

After the 2020 non-season, many corps have had to make decisions on how to stay relevant in the activity with an eye towards finances. A few trendsetters chose to not come to finals, while others made the pilgrimage. Was it worth the expense to come to Indy and not be judged? That’s on the individual corps to decide not the handful of prolific posters who don’t cotton to the current trends. I can only speak for myself. I think the activity needs to be more inclusive of all approaches on to how to entertain the masses not just the judging community. It’s the butts in the seats who keep the activity alive more so than the pageantry arts suppliers who influence the latest and greatest design trends. I think the 2021 season shown a spotlight on what the audience is hungry for. I can only hope DCI and the corps themselves took notice.

I sure hope so!

Not at all Jurassic. I respect your contributions always.