shostahoosier

Sounds like what Shaw did when he arranged for Regiment before he left for SCV. The corps slowly built from 2002 to 2008 - placing higher almost every year.

I totally agree with the OP. I'm a dinosaur that can accept some DCI changes but I feel like with the shakos/aussies/helmets gone, we're watching a performance of individuals. I realize seeing the marching members' emotions and expressions is part of the effect but then I thought that was what the changes to color guard were meant to allow. It also feels like a cheap way to boost general effect. A performer doesn't need to turn to the audience and make an awkward face to telegraph that I should acknowledge and cheer for the fact that they just played a really difficult passage.

I would say the Blue Devils issue was that they peaked in 1995. I saw that show a few weeks earlier on tour and they were playing lights out. But...like 1995, 2022 has 4 shows that all have the potential to win on the last night.

As welcoming as DCI is, racial diversity has not been one of its strong points. I don't know if "barrier" is the right word.

1. I think finding a way worked when corps fees were closer in relation to the minimum wage jobs that members could work during the off season. 2. I TOTALLY AGREE with you about spring training.

I had actually already read this article. It doesn't answer my question about the average cost of a sports camp - it just says that they vary wildly.

The average sports camp is charging more than $5K a week? Because it seems like the average corps fee is this much.

I don’t necessarily think this is the case. I am amazed at how the Madison Scouts organization was able to keep costs low for so long while remaining competitive. I attended university with a member who marched the year before and after Scott Stewart was replaced and his first thought was “we have an awesome new design team but my corps fees have doubled.” Anyway I feel like corps fees will become a problem, especially for the smaller and middle tier corps. There needs to be a real discussion/solution and not just a “it’s cheap and if they want to march they will find a way.”

No. I think the problem is that the $5000 drum corps experience costs performers $5000. I marched in the late 90s when corps fees amounted to about 10% of my full college costs for a year….now it would be a little more than 20% (with increased college costs taken into account). Again, people will say “but look at what you get! It’s a steal!” and I’m sure it is…but $5K is $5K and is a for some income brackets. I don’t think is sustainable.

Fuel. food. insurance. multiple weeks sitting in spring training not making $$. these aren’t new things no?

This is a great move by Jersey Surf but while reading the article I saw this: Is DCI really $4400 a year now?! And I'm almost certain that Jersey Surf is one of the better corps with keeping costs down. I know someone will say "BUT DRUMCORPS IS CHEAP COMPARED TO WHAT YOU GET!!!!!!!!" However at almost $5k - $6K the price is becoming less competitive compared to other summer actitivites that a kid in their late teens/early 20s might enjoy.

April Gilligan (Garfield/Cadets). I was really looking forward to her return to the Cadets this year. Her guards were always amazing.

Well...you got me there. Even OC finals was in the middle of nowhere.

duplicate post

Nah...when I read reviews online...they often start with "Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it into the stands for the first few corps". So even when smaller corps are opening shows for the bigger corps, people are still missing their performances.

We never called you Skeletor at the old place. 😉

This may be one of my favorite posts on DCP ever! I’m not a dinosaur opposed to innovation, but for me part of what made DCI special was how the designers could create sounds and visuals within the limitations that they had. Zingali’s “Cross to Cross” would be less impressive if the members did it on go carts.

I marched for drum corps for 4 summers and for two of them I had drum majors that had previously marched and for two of them I had drum majors that had just auditioned for the role. From that experience, personally, I heavily prefer a drum major that is a vet. The drum majors that had never marched never seemed to fully understand what it was like to rehearse as a performer and sometimes even seemed to believe they were the highlight of the show. I know plenty of excellent drum majors have never marched before, but I just always found it easier to identify with (and even approach) a vet-turned-DM.

Well at the university I attended, sororities had a similar problem. The less popular sororities complained that the more popular sororities were offering callbacks to too many girls, and in the process hurting their chances of recruiting those women themselves. The compromise/solution was that the more popular a sorority was during recruitment, the fewer women they could offer call backs to. This worked because the popular groups were less likely to have girls quit if they were offered a spot. Though not perfect, I think this system could work for DCI. Corps could be asked to put a cap on callbacks based on retention of members from previous year +finals placement from previous year. Though...I imagine this would create a problem for the members auditioning at multiple corps 😉

I hate when people ruin the joke by not getting it...now I hate that I'm one of those people

Why can’t they push them harder?

I predict a BD soprano player from 1984 will chime in and tell us BD has no need to change their consistent staff formula.

Good luck tonight Regiment. SUTA

This never gets mentioned but the book that Michael Klesch wrote for Phantom Regiment in 2001 was quite good,

How much would $1,000,000 buy in today's drum corps world though? It would do wonders for a small corps but it sounds like the big corps spend almost that much on a tour each summer. Starting up (without the sponsorships) would probably make things even costlier. But I would be happy to be proven wrong if it meant Star would return.