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Top 10 Things that should be illegal in DCA


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QUOTE(Kyle B @ Nov 19 2007, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whatever, frankly it doesn't bother me if you like my opinion or agree, it's mine just like you have yours. I think soloists should also march the show as well. I can argue from now to forever (We'd be the DCI forum :P), you aren't going to change your mind, I'm not changing mine.

Agree to disagree.

Kyle...

You've been taking a lot of criticism on this thread, but I agree with you. Unless, of course, there are physical limitations or disabilities involved. In these instances, then, I feel that individuals should be allowed to perform in some capacity with the corps, if they so desire.

While there have been some phenomenal soloists, I don't care for someone standing and playing a horn for the entire show.

Drum corps is a true "team" activity. (I think most would agree with that)

When a large group of passionate, dedicated, and talented individuals come together during a drum corps performance, it is a beautiful thing. The "team" aspect in drum corps is one of the things that I love most about our activity. I love to hear soloists up front as much as anyone, but I do feel that often you see "too much of a good thing". I've found some of the solo features to be rather distracting, and they also diminish the performance of the corps members that are out on the field, working very hard at both the musical, AND visual presentations. IMHO

No offense to the corps that practice this style...

just my 2 cents.

Kyle, I see where you're coming from, and I think you've made some valid points.

PS - To Fran H...Just want to echo the sentiments of a previous poster, and say that it's great to hear that Barb is doing so well on her road to recovery! Continued love, and prayers go out to you both!

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Yes, but should soprano soloists be allowed to use music stands?

Only if the music stands are in the key of G.

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I agree, Chris. You can't clean a hornline from inside. It just doesn't work.

Good point.

In 1978, our entire brass staff with Sun...... Pete China (our caption head that year), Tom McCarthy and John Arietano..... all marched, up until about mid-season or so when Pete pulled himself out of line, because it was very tough for him to work the hornline and also play.

Now of course, if Pete just stood in the pit and played....... :P

Fran

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Kyle, I see where you're coming from, and I think you've made some valid points.

PS - To Fran H...Just want to echo the sentiments of a previous poster, and say that it's great to hear that Barb is doing so well on her road to recovery! Continued love, and prayers go out to you both!

I also can see where Kyle is coming from, and I agree to an extent...... the "team" does come first. I can envision a scenario where a pit soloist is a real prima donna and thus fosters resentment from other members of the corps. Not good.

But I think that is up to a given corps to solve that problem...... I would hate to see a blanket ban on pit soloists enacted for DCA.

Because I think the fact that you can see (and hear) great brass players like Joey, Ritchee, Roger Grupp (some years when he can't march a full season) and others is a strength that DCA has, and DCI does not..... something that makes the all-age product different than its DCI counterpart. In this case, different is good, IMO.

Jim, thanks for the thoughts about Barbara. She is working hard to get home, hopefully soon!

Fran

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Last time I heard of someone using one was a certian F.horn player in a rumpled uniform.....or something. lol. :sshh:

Ahh, yes..... She Who Shall Not Be Named...... :blink:

Fran

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This has nothing to do with the thread, but I thought it should be mentioned this was opening weekend for deer hunting in Wisconsin. There were 630,000 blaze orange clothed gun carrying adventurers out and about. It was reported three were actually sober (but not for long).

It certainly does not .

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This whole discussion on soloists is all a matter of personal "corps" taste, factored around designing for your strengths...

the facts of the matter are:

1. All corps with non-marching soloists do NOT automatically win... so...

2. The judges and the judging system are quite capable of handling this situation to everyone's satisfaction... in some captions (DCA style GE) the benefits might outweigh the negatives if done well... in others ... it can become a negative... visual judges in both ensemble and GE can be distracted by this and find it a negative (possibly)... also all judges have been taught to work with their "expectations"... just playing certainly does NOT get you as much credit as marching and playing... Now that is a simplistic statement and of course soloists are great... but... fact is... score wise... it tends to balance out...

3. I completely disagree with the statement that these talented individuals for whatever reason can not be part of the "team". That's like saying pit players are not part of the team... While I understand what you are trying to say... in my 50+ years, whoever I marched with was my "brother" whether he was playing a horn next to me... a pit player or carrying the American Flag.

4. Whatever allows a corps to entertain within the rules set by the majority opinion of the competing corps - is pretty much ok with me... ANYTHING that will entice an audience member to come back and bring a friend is ok with me... Frankly, Empire has done a great job of that over the years... I have seen many changes in drum corps... I didn't always agree with every one, but I certainly feel the product we have now is far superior to ANYTHING we did "back when" -- the bottom line is that we MUST put fannies in the seats to continue to exist... whatever does that... is ok with me...

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Getting into the the whole "Soloists who don't march" border skirmish, please allow me my 2 cents here.

The only reason that I did not march on the field last season, was that I was dealing with a painfull foot injury.

Frankly, I would have felt (emotionally) better marching on the field, but the pain would have been unbearable.

not to mention the fact that my performance would have suffered greatly, as would that of my corps.

So before we start lining up every non-marching soloist, and shooting them en-masse, please look behind the scenes.

There may be a whole nother story that you didn't know.

Edited by Jocko the Wonder Llama
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