pearlsnaredrummer77 Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 This is a great thread and topic... I have noticed that the Cadets seem far less diverse than the Cadets of the final years before George Hopkin's Administration. I really like the 81 show b/c it was pretty traditional and fun and that corps seems pretty ethnically mixed. So I think that George is quite right to ask that question. (I'm not a George hater either, lol) As others have indicated, a number of different factors seem to be working to drive down the proportion of minority membership in DCI. I think the cost, decline of community based corps, the suburban nature of the activity, a lack of smaller circuits to provide a more equitable competition level, the diversity of cultural music tastes, and a general lack of coordinated outreach by DCI are all to blame to various degrees. I think it would be nice if DCI would approach this topic in a sincere dialog on achieving better community outreach in general. About the Scouts and Cavies: I don't like to see people barred b/c of gender, race or sexual orientation. As drum corps people, we are better than that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 You could apply, but you wouldn't get out of the wardrobe check..... Oh? And have you seen me? Okay, you're right. But it would make for a great photo op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBones Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Contact Spirit of Newark and see if there is anyone there talented enough to be in Div 1. After you do that, offer to pay their tuition fees to march Div 1 and I'm sure they'll jump at the chance.I saw them last year in Wildwood and was very impressed with the talent level of that corps. The organizers should be proud of what they are doing for these kids. When I marched, my tuition was about $350 to march; much more affordable then, than now. Thank you very much for the nice comment. Yes, there may be 1 or 2 kids who could march with some of the lower tier World Class corps. There may even be a couple who could march in one of the top 5. But please do not raid the corps. Spirit is the only exsisting minority based inner city competing corps in the country today. And tour fee was only $500. The organization does a great job every year (the last two without the help of the city of Newark) making sure the kids get a chance to go on tour. I am no longer with Spirit, but I am certainly proud of the kids who came through the ranks while I was there. This past summer, I worked with a group of individuals who wanted to start a corps in Philly. We got very little support. There were maybe a small handful of people who wanted to start something. But as soon as you talk about basing the corps in the inner city . . . . The inner city schools music programs are really hurting and the kids who are in the music programs could benefit greatly, even from a parade corps. BTW - we have alumni just age out of Cadets, 1 in Spirit JSU, 2 in Boston, 1 in Madison, another in BD, and a couple who won a Championship while marching with East Coast Jazz. As a matter of fact, quite a few kids from Spirit of Newark have gone on to march Div 1. Good luck Spirit as you head into the upcoming season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Oh? And have you seen me? You are a highly photographed individual going back to your big-hat Cavalier days. Yeah - I've seen you and you ain't no Pussycat Doll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 BTW - we have alumni just age out of Cadets, 1 in Spirit JSU, 2 in Boston, 1 in Madison, another in BD, and a couple who won a Championship while marching with East Coast Jazz. As a matter of fact, quite a few kids from Spirit of Newark have gone on to march Div 1. For the work you guys do/did with those kids all I can say is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 You are a highly photographed individual going back to your big-hat Cavalier days. Yeah - I've seen you and you ain't no Pussycat Doll. Hey, I wasn't fat when I was in Cavaliers. Oh, you said, "hat." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeromeyBush Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 George Hopkins does not care about black people. Youre thinking of Kanye Hopkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Women are encouraged to try out for all but two corps that have a historic gender specificity. Remove that and you might as well remove the corps themselves, as they would no longer be what they have always been dedicated to being. It's an interesting argument to hear when one considers all the arguments to keep certain elements more traditional. I wonder if either of the all-male corps would cease being what they are or even just plain cease being if they were somehow forced to change what they've always been. And if that happened, would we really be better off with two less or our premier corps? At the very least, it muddies the picture of racial/ethnic diversity. OTOH... Changing to coed did not hurt The Cadets who first added girls for the 69 season, but only the guard at that point, when the belly-up Little Falls Cadet's guard moved en masse to Garfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 ...then why are there posts in this thread that lament the lack of a middle or high school music program (especially in inner cities)? Where that is an issue is where parents should stand up at their board of ed meetings and demand instrumental music programs. Remain squeaky wheels. Far more important than a local drum corps would be...and in a public school program it would be funded through the school budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 You said "a few" which I don't doubt is correct as a percentage of the overall drum corps population. Check your tapes (or DVDs) from the 70s and 80s. White. Affordable. Local. And white. HH The inner city corps of the 50's and 60's were among the casualties as the churches, PAL and VFW/AL pulled the drum corps plug. Esp the churches and PAL for inner city corps such as those from Newark, NJ like Blessed Sacrament, St Lucy's, St Martin's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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