Saying Good-Bye to DCI, and . . .

[Martybucs]

Ooo. I missed that on the first read. Thanks Jim, for responding to that last point.

"...paying money for their child to go out and "party" the weekends away. This is not to say that such a thing really happens, but this has often been the the weekends away."

LMAO!!!!!!

Hear that DCA guys. All that time you spend on weekends is a party - not practice.

I assure you, there are many a good time to be had in DCA, but "Party" the weekends away? Doesn't happen.

[dcifan2002]

how about NONE OF THE ABOVE>>>>>>>>

[MikeM]

Party?

My creaky knees beg to differ with you. My 2 hardest seasons, 2003 and 2004 with the Cabs, were physically demanding. It's part of the reason I stopped marching, because I couldn't physically handle the demands anymore.

But party? Oh hell no.

And, just for equal disclosure - there are factions within DCA who are trying to get electronics passed.

[mjs4484]

I agree. The 2007 season was the most demanding show, both drill and music, I have ever marched, DCI years inclusive. And with our book so far this year, it's going to be even moreso!

[audiodb]

The third option is the only one that creates a mechanism to maintain acoustic drum corps.

[Canuck DCGroupie]

This summer will be the first one that I have actually followed DCA activity. I'll let it be known that DCA is the last hope for me staying a current drum corps fan, because DCI has abandoned me.

You will not be dissapointed when you go to a DCA show this year. DCA is rich with tradition and talent. I have been attending more DCA shows in recent years than DCI mainly because DCI (shows) left Canada years ago. A family member is playing DCA in upper NY State and loves it though she would love to play in a DCI Corps.

The diversity of style within DCA corps is amazing. There are corps like The Cabs who have stuck to their style pretty well from the beginning. Corps like the Renagades and the Empire Statesmen still play on G Horns even with younger memberships and are there to entertain the paying public. You have corps like the Buccs, Brigs, Crusaders etc, etc, who have great traditions behind them and continue to entertain. There are corps in DCA that have history in DCI such as the Kilties.

I attended DCA Championships this year and was amazed with the smaller corps as well as the Alumni units. These alumni corps have both DCI and DCA histories.

Enjoy the 2008 DCA Season! Its going to be the best one in years.

[kusankusho]

No brainer for me - DCA already exists - it has the venues, sponsors, infrastructure. All that is needed is some adaptation to include a junior age division. A hang site more efficient than starting from scratch.

[jwillis35]

Please let me remind you, if you read my post carefully, that I DO NOT think people who march DCA party their weekends away. I am merely saying that there is an image out there, and not all of it is good. There was a video advertisement run during DCI Finals, I forget the year, that was, IMO, not very appealing to DCA nor was it good for the image.

The point is that parents are typically the ones who end up supporting drum corps. They attend shows to see their kids perform, they buy souvies, they pay part of, or all of, the tour fee costs. There are exceptions, and DCA is certainly one of those exceptions where people who march have time to work their real jobs and still take part. BUT...and this is the big problem, if your goal for DCA is to make it more appealing to the fans who attend DCI shows, then you are, in part, trying to appeal to the parents who control the cash that helps their sons and daughters march. They must be convinced of the educational values, the performance opportunities, the safety of travel and insurance, the quality of the instruction and the operation of the corps.

I will say it again, DCA and DCI appeal to two very different types of markets. There was a DCA show just down the road from me in Salem, OH. The stadium was almost empty for that show. Had that been marketed as a band night or band competition there would have been thousands of people in attendance. Getting people into a stadium to see students or even young adults is very different from getting people in there to see older adults who only do this on weekends. They are two different types of audiences. I know that DCA is much different today, and I know many folks have marched DCA corps since they were 16 or so. But the general perception is varied, and no productive branding campaign has been put in place. To many parents in common Midwest towns, like Salem, watching adults their age perform in a "marching band" (which is how they see it) is not exactly their cup of tea, and many will believe that these people should have moved on with their lives.

Again, this is not what I think, but I know this perception exists. So the question is: How can DCA take advantage of what is going on with DCI and perhaps become the next big thing in drum corps?

JW

[MikeD]

DCA is older and better than DCI in providing an activity that BOTH fans and performers can appreciate.

The DCI corps are very good and I don't blame anyone for wanting to continue to support them and their specialized niche of musical theater on the field.

DCA is drum corps for the masses.

DCA is better at providing an activity that fans of DCA corps can appreciate.

It is possible to be fans of both, as I am. It is not an either/or situation.

[MikeD]

As someone who joined a Senior corps at the age of 16 (a looong time ago), let me give my perspective on what I found to be "educational". Joining a corps was the first time I was really exposed to people of different ages, backgrounds, problems. In short it was the first time I was exposed to "real life".

Sadly, given the changes in society over the decades, IMO it is harder today for parents of HS aged kids to willingly let their kids mix with adults as equals.