What you expect from the winter meetings

[Eddie]

getting a bit off topic don't you think? This is supposed to be about our thoughts on what we might expect to come out of the meeting this month, not on corps' GE books.

[MikeD]

Neddy- A couple of the comments were directed at Dutch, but not all- some were towards other corps.

But hey, that's OK.

Tex-

critisism is always welcome. A smart GE-based show, yes it was. High-school like, I wouldn't say so, playing the game and taking direction from drum corps of the past, doing it our own way- yes.

Yes, we made a ship and flew it across the field at 180bpm. It was cool, the crowd loved it, and isn't that what Drum corps about, or should be about. That's what I teach my kids. Entertainment.

But then again, hey didn't BD make a cross a few times on the field a couple years ago- gimmick? Fit the show? or Crown and Phantom using Heart formations in thier shows? The slow-motion stuff in Crown's show last year. The list goes on- Blatent GE is present at all levels, and usually always recieved quite well.

Not to mention the great opening move JSU Spirit had in 2000 as part of "Ghost Train".

Or going way back to my era...Cadets Peace sign, first done in 1970 to White Rabbit.

Or Blessed Sacrament in 1971 forming a U-S-A during "Stars and Stripes" (I think that was the tune).

And speaking of Crown....1971 Blue Rock did a horse race with the flags gallopig around the field to "Camptown Races".

So yes, those sorts of things have been around for a loooong time...probably many examples even before mine.

[IntheMood]

getting a bit off topic don't you think? This is supposed to be about our thoughts on what we might expect to come out of the meeting this month, not on corps' GE books.

I would hope that what comes out of this meeting are some of these things.

1. Open Class Corps gets paid for the shows they do.

2. Open Class Corps get to vote with the World Class Corps.

3. Open Class and World Class be scored on the same sheet.

[Eddie]

I want your number three to be true. I sent in a proposal on just that and received a response stating that such a decision would be up to the Open Class BOD. If they agree to use the same sheets as World Class, all they have to do is send their agreement to the DCI BOD for approval. And that seems to be the answer to anything Open Class related.

[Richard]

I want your number three to be true. I sent in a proposal on just that and received a response stating that such a decision would be up to the Open Class BOD. If they agree to use the same sheets as World Class, all they have to do is send their agreement to the DCI BOD for approval. And that seems to be the answer to anything Open Class related.

Why even have separate divisions then?

[corpsvalues]

I would hope that what comes out of this meeting are some of these things.

1. Open Class Corps gets paid for the shows they do.

2. Open Class Corps get to vote with the World Class Corps.

3. Open Class and World Class be scored on the same sheet.

Considerations on your thoughts:

1. Open Class Corps have to generate the revenue with which they could pay themselves. From what I've read here and seen for myself at shows over the years, it doesn't seem like a stand-alone Open Class business model would work to generate a whole lot of revenue. Hopefully their new arrangement will begin to help that.

2. I believe that Open Class Corps already do get to vote on rules proposals, and based on the press releases which occasionally make their way here, they also seem to vote on their own business affairs.

3. If the mission of the Open Class is one that is purely competitive, then scoring everyone on one sheet might make sense. If, however, the mission is education, it seems to make more sense to evaluate them against a set of criteria which focuses on the development of skills necessary to achieve "excellence" at the Open Class level, and not compare them to the World Class groups who are usually older, more experienced and better trained. I've read these arguments for years and I've tried to understand how it is good for corps to have the corps of the smallest membership and resources compete head-to-head against the corps at the opposite end of the spectrum. If I read one more "those kids works just as hard as the other kids" arguments, I think I'll be ill. No matter how incredibly hard they work, it's very hard to take a group of even the most talented and dedicated high school and younger college-aged kids in a corps with a box truck and a school bus and compete against the 20-something music majors at a multi-million dollar corps like the Blue Devils.

In my humble opinion, of course!

[leadsop97]

indeed this has been getting off topic, and much of it is defending bias. opinions are opinions, take them with a grain of salt.

as for what I hope comes out of the winter meetings: some way to market Open Class in a more efficient/productive way. It has been made clear over the years that Open Class has relatively little help in this area, and the people running Open Class really need to put forth a huge effort and find a better way to get the division recognized. That could possibly be one of the best things for the activity.

as for them using the same sheets for World and Open....I have mixed feelings. Part of me always wanted to be judged on Div I sheets when I was with ECJ, only because I really wanted to know where we'd stack up. However, I too wonder what the difference between divisions would be at that point. Just tour length and corps membership?

[IntheMood]

First let me say that one tends to forget how long , rich and proud the Open/A Class Div really is. Our First ever DCI Finals was held in 1975 at the same place as DCI World Class Finals were held. I will say Class A because back in the day World Class today was called Open Class. No disrespect to anyone it is just easy that way for me. Corpsvlaues, the Glassmen in the 75 did in fact pull up in school buses (we had no box truck) with high school kids, younger college age kids and middle school aged kids. (I was 13 my brother was 12 at that time.) And went head to head with the big boys of that time. Madison, Cavies, SCV, Kilte's, Troopers to name a few. And for the same prize money. Did we get our a@@#! handed to us? I am proud to say, yes we did. Because we went head to head with the best of the best. Yes it is true. Open Class Corps did in fact beat World Class Corps. Been there done that. LOL LOL and let me say this to all the Open Class Members from today and yesterday. It Felt REAL GOOD. LOL LOL In sports some say that talent accounts for 10% and 90% heart and dedication. Ok, so let's give the World Class Corps the 10% talent. That means everything else is equal. So to me there is no reason why Open Class can not be judge on the same sheets. I happen to feel that if scored on the same sheets this may increase the membership of the Open Class Corps. Because now the members will go head to head with the big boys and they do not have to travel as much.

So why would you have different Div if all are scored on the same sheet? A very good and valid question. Div. are still important at Regionals and Finals only. Does Open Class have their own regionals? If they do I think it would be really cool to hold them a day earlier where the World Class hold their regionals. All other local shows will be head to head. If a Show has a line up of all Open Class Corps, So be it. The Fans will be treated to a good Show. I have no doubt. And you get paid. And NO I am not saying that the Open Class Corps needs to start buying all this crap to keep up with the big boys. There is no need. Just the experience is enough for many. It was for me.

Peace.

[i heard from someone]

I would hope that what comes out of this meeting are some of these things.

1. Open Class Corps gets paid for the shows they do.

2. Open Class Corps get to vote with the World Class Corps.

3. Open Class and World Class be scored on the same sheet.

1. i'm pretty sure there are appearance fees.

2. the Open Class Board of Directors vote on everything, then the collective receives one vote in the DCI BoD vote.

3. can't help you here, i don't know how that would work.

[PurpleKnights]

1. i'm pretty sure there are appearance fees.

Nope.

2. the Open Class Board of Directors vote on everything, then the collective receives one vote in the DCI BoD vote.

Which is pathetic. Don't you think all 20+ Open Class corps combined deserve slightly more of a vote than Pioneer or Mandarins?

3. can't help you here, i don't know how that would work.

Fair enough, neither do I.