David Hobart

Just fixed the link

Check out this Flashback! We will be bringing you these clips more often. Stay tuned! 2003 Brigadiers FLASHBACK

"Like" DCA's Facebook page. Many nice teasers there! Click here: DCA FB

Just a quick update: Kevin Hassan, the new I&E coordinator will be heading to Annapolis to meet with stadium officials in a couple of weeks to finalize our plans. Since this is a new venue, there is much to be planned. It's going to be a fantastic evening - that is guaranteed! Any groups needing information should contact Kevin here: kevinh@dcacorps.org

2012 Drum Corps Associates World Championships Annapolis, MD Labor Day Weekend This is your last opportunity to purchase the Three Show Super Premium Tickets. Get the same seats for all three shows! Super Premium Ticket Sales end on midnight 2/1/21012. We will open sales on remaining seats for individual events on 2/2/2012. Order your tickets today! DCA TICKETS

DCA sends our regards to Harry's family and friends. We will certainly miss Harry's talents as we recognize him as one of drum corps best and most generous photographers. But, more importantly we will miss his upbeat attitude and passion for this great activity. Personally, it was always a pleasure to see Harry on the sidelines and to have our little chats before, during, and after shows.

Great news, Tom. We are all glad you are home and moving the direction!

quick note: I just hung up the phone a few minutes ago with a very coherent Tom Peashey. He's had a rough couple of days, but he seems to be heading back to the right direction. Tom is still in ICU (with his cell phone- which we shared a laugh about). And, he will likely be in the hospital a few more days. His tone in his voice was upbeat... Tom is strong and we know he will soon be back here sharing his love of drum corps.

We are firming up the details on both your questions and will make an announcement very soon. Keep your eyes on DCP and other forums for the details. See you in Annapolis!

The best way to book rooms is to go to the Visit Annapolis Website. You can get there by clicking here: Visit Annapolis Go to the bottom of the page and enter the dates that you will be attending. Your options will pop up. We hope this tool will help you find a room in the area. There are no discounted rooms available this year. We look forward to seeing you at the 2012 DCA World Championships! Click here for tickets: DCA Tickets

Service details: Thursday 12/29 Calling Hours at Patrick Funeral Home, Main St and Pratt Rd in Manchester, NY 2-4PM and 7-9PM. Friday 12/30 Service at St. Dominic's Church in Shortsville, NY. On Rt 21, Main St. 10 AM

12/24/2011 Canandaigua, NY - It is with deep regret to share the news of the passing of Richard Pronti today. Dick was a retired school teacher from Geneva NY. He began drum corps career in 1958 with the Shortsville Shamrocks. He’s performed with the Geneva Appleknockers (both Jr. and Sr.), Emerald Cadets of Rochester, the Syracuse Brigadiers, and the Suburban Knights of Buffalo. He has taught and arranged for numerous corps in New York. Dick was a member for over 35 years and past president and visual chief judge of New York Federation of Contest Judges. He’s adjudicated many DCA Championships and was Chief Judge and judging coordinator of DCA from 1987 to 1991. In addition, he has been a Show Consultant with the Hawthorne Caballeros for almost 20 years. When speaking to his long term partner, Peggy she shared stories of his love for the Cabs and DCA. Dick was elected to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2005. He founded the DCA I&E in 1988 and has been at the helm of the competition ever since. DCA will sorely miss Dick Pronti. He was a true drum corps gentlemen. Please check this topic Monday evening for more information regarding services. Here is Dick being interviewed at the 2011 I&E's. YNN News

Order your DVD's and CD's today! www.dcacorps.org

A couple of weeks after the 2011 DCA Championships in Rochester, we asked Minnesota Brass and the Reading Buccaneers to help us feel the emotion that was running through their corps. Here is their story... Eric Molho is the Executive Director of Minnesota Brass; Tom Moore is the Public Relations director of the Reading Buccaneers. How would you evaluate the 2011 season? Tom: Well, for the Reading Buccaneers, the 2011 was the complete embodiment of everything drum corps at its finest is all about: entertainment, the thrill of performance, the transforming journey, the love of family, healthy and respectful competition and the satisfaction of a job well-done. Much has been made about the Buccaneers run of competitive success and its impact on DCA, and we’re certainly very proud of all of those achievements, but that focus sometimes obscures the corps’ most important accomplishment during this period: providing a life-altering experience for hundreds of members and leaving fans with great performances to remember. Perhaps that was more on display in 2011 than in any recent year. It was quite emotional, and emotionally satisfying. We asked our members to embrace a bold change of artistic direction for the corps, and they did with abandon. They threw themselves into a fantastic production and performed with the joy and emotion they felt all year long. Eric: I couldn’t agree more Tom, and the same is true for Minnesota Brass. Now that a few weeks have passed and we’re starting to look ahead to 2012, I think I’ve gained some perspective on what winning the Championship has meant to our organization. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful accomplishment and great feeling, but the real success of the season has to do with all the things you mentioned. The corps worked so hard and made such lasting memories. Every year on our member survey we ask our performers the reasons they do this crazy thing called drum corps and the top two answers are always the same: the love of performing and the friendships made. Our season was successful because of ten months of work together, not one score. Tell us about the relationship between the Buccaneers and Minnesota Brass Eric: After prelims, we stood behind the stadium getting our pictures taken. As the final two scores were read, the corps erupted into celebration. After the initial hugs and high fives, the very first person from outside of the corps to share congratulations with me was Carl Rucco, the Staff Coordinator of the Buccaneers. His smile was genuine, his comments were humbling. That’s the kind of organization the Buccaneers are. They were absolutely encouraging, supportive and the epitome of class throughout the weekend as we pushed each other to be even better. I can’t tell you how many Buccaneer members came over and congratulated our members during finale, how many have become fans and left notes on our facebook page. We’re lucky and proud to have such great friends with whom we compete. Tom: One of the true joys of the 2011 season was to be part of the deepening sense of mutual admiration and respect that exists between the Buccaneers and our friends at Minnesota Brass. The growing bond between us seemed improbable, since we only had the good fortune to share the field with MBI once or twice a season. But how this team has carried itself and interacted with us, with class, grace and friendship--that starts from the top of the organization and flows down to every member--has made us true fans, and friends. What was Championships Weekend like for your corps? Tom: The stage was set for a very emotional Championships weekend. After the prelims scores were announced, instead of dejection and disappointment, our members were happy for MBI and motivated to deliver their best performance of the year on Sunday. Sunday’s rehearsal block was, in a word, magical. The looseness, confidence, camaraderie and fun that was emanating from the corps was palpable. We knew the Buccaneers were set to deliver an exceptional performance on the most important night of the year. We saw before our eyes that the members really understood what it was all about, all along. And it was emotional. That Sunday afternoon at Medina said more about the Reading Buccaneers than any trophy, and we all knew it. It was reflected in our Finals performance. Eric: The weekend will always be remembered by our members. There were so many great moments that they will take with them from the downpour on finals night, to receiving a huge ovation when we arrived at the hotel after prelims. One of the things that I know I’ll always remember is the support from so many other corps. As a fan, it’s sometimes hard to see just how encouraging and supportive the corps are to one another ‘backstage.’ We received an amazing welcome from the Caballeros as we headed to the stadium on Friday night. When we arrived there, we were greeted by our friends the Govenaires in the far endzone, screaming at the top of their lungs as we entered the field. We’re so lucky to participate in an activity that takes the very best aspects of competition—the push to do better, the incentive to achieve at new levels--while leaving a lot of the negative baggage behind. What do you remember from the finale? Eric: To be honest, it’s still a blur for me! I was making my way through the corps, congratulating our members on the season when the last two scores were announced. It was an overwhelming feeling of pride for all the hard work the members, our volunteers and our staff had put into the season. There was a fantastic display between all the corps and especially the Buccaneers and Minnesota Brass. Soon most everyone had left and we shared the field with the Govenaires which was also a special moment. A lot of folks may not know this, in the midst of the downpour, one of our trumpet players walked up to his girlfriend from the guard, dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. The newly engaged couple were immediately serenaded by horn players from the Govies, who spontaneously broke into the “Wedding March” when the news spread. How do you top that? Eventually, it seemed like the whole stadium was empty and we stood there in the pouring rain savoring the moment. The pictures of amazing smiles and heartfelt tears do far more than I can to explain what it was like. Tom: As scores were announced, it was quite emotional to see both the Buccaneers and MBI members show the class, dignity and sportsmanship that they’re known for. As the Buccaneers were announced in second place, the ovation and appreciation coming from MBI was bold and genuine. And as MBI was announced as the champions they are, the sentiment was returned. Seeing members of both corps congratulating one another in a vain attempt to dodge raindrops was a sight to behold. Seeing the words of appreciation and respect flowing in emails, Facebook postings and greetings since that weekend has been heartwarming. I can’t tell you how many times I heard Buccaneers make comments like “I’m glad it was them” or “what a great group of people.” It’s wonderful that two corps with a healthy level of mutual respect are pushing each other to be better--on and off the field. That can only mean great things for DCA and 2012!

Keep your eye on the DCA website. We will have information there very soon regarding hotel options. 2012 is going to be an exciting season!

Hang tight. We are firming up the hotels and will have contact information for you soon!

You can order tickets here: DCA Ticketing

DCA has received word from the Downtown Rochester Radisson that there are a limited amount of discounted rooms available for Championships with a rate of $96.00 per night. You can book these rooms by calling Sue at 585.546.6415. Ask for the DCA rate.

Yes, we will have staff taking orders at Championships this year. Assistance to those who are not able to be in Rochester this year: 1- Go to the DCA Fan Network and watch Prelims Saturday from wherever you are! DCA Fan Network 2- Ticket Orders for 2012 may be placed online starting Tuesday, September 6th and 9am EST. Go to DCA Website

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READING SHOW CANCELED 8/27 Due to the hurricane and for the safety of our members and fans, Big Sounds in Motion 2011 has been canceled. We thank Amy and Buccaneers for their continued support of DCA. We look forward to being back in Reading for the Big Sounds in Motion 2012!

BRIDGEPORT SHOW CANCELED 8/27 Due to the hurricane and for the safety of our members and fans, the Fanfare 2011 has been canceled. We thank Bob Bradley and his committee in Bridgeport for their continued support of DCA. We look forward to being back in Bridgeport for Fanfare 2012!

We are going to be selling tickets a little differently for 2012. If you are at the stadium over Labor Day weekend, you are an "early bird" and will have the opportunity to buy your tickets there. If you order online on the 6th, you will still get good seats. We have nearly doubled our capacity for seating between the 40's in Annapolis. We look forward to seeing everyone in Rochester!

The DCA Fan Network is separate from the DCI Fan Network. So, the answer is no. It's only available on the DCA Fan Network.

Ready for More Championship Drum Corps Action? Catch the entire DCA Prelims Competition Live from Rochester, NY on Saturday, September 3 DCA/DCI partner to debut “DCA Fan Network” & 2012 advance ticket sales during Labor Day Weekend As the eyes of the drum corps world shift their focus to the upcoming Drum Corps Associates World Championships slated for Friday, Sept. 2 through Sunday, Sept. 4 in Rochester, N.Y., drum corps fans from around the world will have the unprecedented opportunity to join with thousands of fans in attendance as the all-age circuit launches the online DCA Fan Network and presents a live video webcast of its preliminary competition. “For the first time ever, fans of all-age drum corps world wide will be able to enjoy the outstanding performances of all 21 prelims competitors as they take the field at our Championship event,” said Gil Silva, President of Drum Corps Associates. “We are very pleased to be launching the DCA Fan Network and are looking forward to introducing our unique brand of entertainment to a new audience. We’ll also be providing our existing fans with the opportunity to join us for all of the prelims excitement, should they not be making the trip to Rochester this year. It will undoubtedly provide a great ending to what has been an outstanding season for the corps and fans.” Another highlight of the upcoming Championship Weekend will be the ability for drum corps fans to purchase advance tickets to the 2012 DCA World Championships at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. Representatives will be on hand Saturday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 4 in Rochester to take orders and assist fans with seat selection to ensure that the early birds will in fact get the very best seats when the event rolls into its new home next year. For those not in attendance, online ordering for 2012 World Championship tickets will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 9 a.m. ET through the Drum Corps Associates website. Register now for the DCA Fan Network: DCA FAN NETWORK Learn more about the entire 2011 DCA Championship Weekend Schedule: DCA Championship Schedule Read more about the new partnership between Drum Corps International and Drum Corps Associates: DCA/DCI Partnership