C.Holland

and now they get to complain about a lack of groups overall. double headed crocodile has bit the activity in the butt.

considering how indoor is driving the design of DCI, which is driving the design of DCA... its not far fetched. they're also easy to host, and cheap to accommodate.

I think if you want DCA to grow, the shows need to make a conscious effort to invite SDCA, Soundsports, and even the indoor winds carry their shows over into summer to participate. Give more groups access to a performance, as well as ticket holders a few more pieces of entertainment, and they all may come back for more.

DCI does drive the bus for innovation, and exposure. Which I think adding All-Age into shows, like when Drum Corps Midwest (yup... just dated myself there) had mixed bill shows of Sr, 2/3, and Open classes all in the same show, gave everyone some opportunity for success.

as someone who's been involved in both DCI and DCA, this does no favors for the all-age groups by making them second fiddle. Here's why. There's simply not enough time in the season on the proposed schedule to create a show that they are currently producing at the level they are currently producing. So the product being sold would suffer. it would cut the shows in August which would then cut the money made from those shows. corps revenue would suffer. There's the travel cost. Which, understood, there's going to be travel costs no matter what. However, with the majority of groups in the northeast, and the majority of DCA fans in the northeast, this will inhibit who can attend. I'm all for DCI expanding All-Age class and providing performance opportunity throughout the country at the local shows. This is something that would help to grow the All-Age groups and provide some much needed exposure. I don't believe that piggy backing DCA onto DCI week is a good idea or profitable for the DCA groups. I think DCA still needs its own weekend, possibly the week before Labor day to allow students in college and high school to participate, and in a venue and city that gives you a championship feel. I don't dislike Williamport due to how it bends over backwards for the event, I do wish there was something a little more to it.

I can see the double edged sword occurring of DCI trying to influence the All-Age corps do weekend tours all summer. So they may then have more performances, but more travel and housing costs. All of the sudden you've got four more corps going to the Nashua, NH DCI show, and then hitting one in NJ or PA on the way back. Unless DCI wants to really revamp its shows out east.

possibly, other than DCI shows happen on all days of the week, versus All-Age which can only perform on weekends. Just a question, was there a point in DCA history where corps had shows on both saturday AND sunday on the same weekend?

The amount of performance opportunities for the last two weeks of the DCI season give the group much more for their buck. DCA being weekends only, means they perform once a week... and then rehearse for 6 days before they perform again. DCI means rehearse, perform, move, rehearse perform, move...rinse repeat. When The Company came over, they were on a good schedule of mixed World Class and Open Class shows. International Division allows them to have members older than 21. (as well as looser restrictions on instrumentation if they really wanted to field saxes)

the group i worked with was about 90% 15-20. 10% 21-65. All - Age... certainly. Senior... certainly not. Knowing students I had in the other groups were all 16-20 leads me to believe that this is the majority of the membership age bracket. (as they joined with their friend groups) With small smatterings of everything else.

1. is it FREE 2. is there a SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT on hotel rooms? 3. will whatever city this is bend over backwards to give the Corps every possible need fullfilled via fields, lack of hills, a fun space for Mini Corps/I&E/PantsOffDanceOff/BBQ Competition? If you can answer yes to these 3 questions... then maybe. But again... the city needs to ask "what can we do to bring you here" vs "what can you bring to this city"

I think DCI open class has hit its niche. No, $4k-6k of worlds is not feasible for many. Hence why many are marching fewer years than before. But I think also of why open class is growing. $1200-3k is a little more sustainable. But the schedule, to me, is pretty feasible, and designed around school schedules. You have one camp a month from nov to june. then move in early july and are done with tour in 6 weeks. Or you have a camp week around the 4th. and then move-in/tour for the last two weeks of july and two august weeks for championships. With your own open class tour of exotic locations like Sheffield, PA, and Avon Lake, OH. The cities aren't amazing, but the show crowds are filling more every year.

DCA Avocado

or should the MW = DCA Cheese Curd?

You'd have to foster a good relationship with DCI to piggyback performance opportunities, until you can build 6 all age corps. DCATx? DCA-AggieHorn Division? DCA-Brisket Division!!!!!!!<-BINGO!!!! That's it... I've solved it. NE = DCA Pizza SE = DCA Pulled Pork Midwest = DCA Juicy Lucy TX= DCA Brisket what can be more fan friendly?

DCA has no use outside of the few places it exists currently. In reality, outside the NE. There's no support for groups to perform anywhere outside the NE unless it's piggybacking off of a DCI show or SDCA show. There's no shows outside the NE. Heck, St Peter's show was 1 corps. One. Uno. One of the southern shows was two corps. One in Long Island was three competing and several exhibition. That's not helpful to grow your circuit.