DCA is "filling a void" left by DCI's Super Corps Model

[MCL_Contra]

Tom,

I don't think anyone was originally trying to MAKE you like DCA. Most of us are DCI fans as well. We may not like the direction that DCI is moving but we don't blame most of the individual corps or their membership for that. IMHO it is going to be increasingly difficult for all corps in either organization to travel. But the schedule is much easier to handle in DCA. You go to the shows you want to go to and you do what you can to provide a meaningful, competitive season to your members. In most cases it's up to the members themselves to decide if the corps can do the schedule it wants to do. In other words, because of the nature of DCA there is much more input from the membership than in DCI.

With this said it is my opinion that DCA could be a good alternative for a struggling DCI corps. I think they could find financial savings and still provide their members with good competitions over the summer as well as a fantastic Championships weekend.

[Kyle B]

First, I am home. Marched DCI 2 years. Thanks for the welcoming.

Yes, DCA makes corps travel to Rochester, or Scranton, but it is only once a year. Corps that struggle for membership or financial backing are expected to travel to whatever site DCI holds their finals should they want to go, plus most do some sort of mini-tour ranging from just weekends to 2 weeks of travel.

The cost of DCA vs. DCI Open travel expenses are either close to each other or DCI Open being more expensive.

I know that Jersey Surf does a mini-tour, I think Raiders does. Not sure about Spirit of Newark. Now think of all the Northeast corps that are inactive or folded or hurting. What if? What if they opened membership to all ages and did the weekend only model of DCA? I'm sure they could have attracted more membership and been able to save on touring locally on weekends only and 1 big trip which is still closer then a majority of the last 10 DCI finals sites.

Renegades compete at local DCI events plus usually hold their own concert, and fundraise a large part. Now, I doubt they would ever air out if they are struggling for money, but the fact that they have gone to finals the past 7 or 8 years show that they have the system down as how to get money, fundraise, and ask the rest from the members.

Also, how many DCI Open finals are in a location that has no all age corps around? We have Texas, North Carolina, California, Midwest, Florida, Georgia, Northeast, and I'm sure I'm missing others. All they would have to do is ask how to go about things from other corps who have been around the circuit longer. I know that corps in California would love to have more corps there, so they can have a DCA West and host their own sanctioned shows, making a lot more money for themselves, rather depending on DCI.

[tnmaiello]

The Raiders tour a 8-10 day jour in over the July 4th holiday depending on the weekend dates. Then we do a 3 week tour leading to DCI championships. Your chat about DCI Open Class (Touring) vs DCA All Age (Weekend only) in comparing costs is a topic we have thought about from a recruitment standpoint. We are recruiting from the same pool as Cabs, Bush, Fusion, Sun, Sky.

As far as performers 22 & younger, they are going to march where they feel comfortable usually follow friends or staff, buy into the philosophy of the organization, and can afford the fees & time commitment.

If the Raiders used their touring resources as an all age dca corps we would cut our budget by about 2/3. The cost to the member would be cut about the same.

We budget feeding a corps costs about $1.50 per person per meal. Do the math 4 meals a day for 110 people (Members/Staff) on the road for 30 days plus the non tour weekends and camps for another 24 days. Now we use buses at least 30 days at $800-$900 a bus (2) per day.

I think both types of corps serve the needs of the activity. I am not sure of the operating costs of the dca corps, but I am sure they do not incurr the same costs. I do not think switching from DCI to DCA would guarentee all members staying. Many want that tour experience whether planning or not planning to someday be in a World Class touring corps.

Edited February 28, 2008 by tnmaiello

[Kyle B]

Wow....didn't realize it was the big.

Obviously I'm not saying everyone should switch, but that it can be a means of keeping an organization alive if there are financial issues.

[Contra Joe]

THE FOLLOWING IS THE NEW WAY THE OP WANTED TO START THIS DISCUSSION.

Writer's note: my OP regarding the expansion of DCA as an unintended consequence of DCI's emphasis on summer-long touring garnered several replies. I am glad to get the community talking.

Unfortunately, comparisons of corps' on-field production value as a sole means of evaluating the individual corps' contribution to the activity, misses the point.

However, if results rule (and, certainly, they have to be a part of the discussion), there are several DCA corps that make the case for quality (even when measured against the Super Corps).

To wit:

In order to gauge the level of current brass achievement in DCA, please sample the Bushwackers 2006, Buccaneers 2007 or Renegades 2007 (the closer) hornlines on DVD (if it's available) or YouTube (if you can find it).

If the criteria is ensemble blend, dedication to dynamic integrity, pacing, balance, attack / release technique and quality of sound, these ensembles rate the highest consideration when it comes to your musical enjoyment and critical analyses.

Visually, and I understand the criteria, the Buccaneers 2007 program holds up beautifully in any drum corps discussion terms of breadth, staging, transition demand, performance, individual technique and effect. The Bushwackers 2007 visual program, especially individual technique, color guard performance and ensemble staging, does the same.

Percussion in DCA, especially from a battery achievement point-of-view, is well-positioned to hold up to any level of adjudication with Bucs, Cabs and Empire being the best examples.

Clean beats and effective ensemble contribution are the measuring stick and these units pass the test.

Put simply, an impressive ensemble is an impressive ensemble, regardless the uniform. And it is proof positive that a superior musical and visual product can still be produced, and sincerely appreciated, within the framework of a weekend corps model. And this was the point of my OP.

Mind you, I am not promoting or attempting to validate a "DCA" model over the current DCI model. I am describing a "weekend" or "limited tour" model with a meaningful and viable championships format that can still produce excellent drum corps yet doesn't tax the organization to the point of folding the tent.

Theory: It is no longer possible in the DCI system for a limited tour organization to give its membership a truly valuable competitive experience because there are no truly viable alternatives within the DCI Super Corps model other than "getting on the bus."

Dismissing the limited tour corps with an "all or nothing" mentality and eliminating local circuits like DCM, ODCA, FAMQ, and DCE hasn't been a positive for DCI. It KILLED the mid-tier corps like Capital Regiment, Sky Ryders, Florida Wave, all of the corps in the Pacific Northwest (all of them!), nearly all of the East, all of Ontario, all of Quebec.

And the arrogance that accompanies this "all or nothing" mentality is palpable. There is an elitist and dismissive thread running as an undercurrent through the DCI community that is, at best, unfortunate, and, at its worst, nasty.

And the lip service given to DII is a joke. DII corps were marginalized by the emphasis on the touring model and switch from G-Bugles to B-flat instrumentation. As a result, the DII circuit has been relegated to second class. It's need as a training ground for drum-corps-specific training in marching and musicianship has been replaced by band programs. From a "drum corps experience" point of view, it can't even be considered as an option.

As a result, there are only 6 corps in DII! Six. It's almost hard to type that number. And they aren't even invited to compete any longer. That isn't a "circuit". DCI treats the limited touring corps as a nuisance and the results speak for themselves.

DCA is growing in size, stature, membership, organizational quality and production/entertainment value because they are filling the void left by the wake of DCI's decision making.

Look what DCA brings to the table:

1. full corps in Rochester, New Jersey, Harrisburg, Twin Cities, Connecticut,

2. nearly full corps in Syracuse, Atlanta and California,

3. 23 corps in Prelims, ALL of the LOCAL variety, from all regions of the USA

4. 18 mini-corps (including Star of Indiana whose ensemble quality can't really be argued with)

5. 8 alumni corps (including Bridgemen, Boston Crusaders)

6. consistently large crowds in Rochester, Bridgeport, Grand Prix, Kingston, Scranton, Syracuse, Buffalo that are often satisfied and repeat customers

6. a meaningful and SOLD OUT championship

How in the world did this happen? It could not have happened unless there was value inherent on all sides of the equation. DCI diminished the value of the mid-level, weekend participant. DCA embraced it and proved that good drum corps...often GREAT drum corps...can come from it.

I totally agree...By the way there were 9 Alumni Corps at the show (1) had to back out. There are dozens of Alumni Corps as well but no time for all to perform as the Finals continue to grow. As more Senior / All-Age pop up finals will have to grow from 10 to 12 or more as well as the Class A Corps (which compete with the open corps in the same stadium on the same days) What a concept.

[tnmaiello]

Wow....didn't realize it was the big.

Obviously I'm not saying everyone should switch, but that it can be a means of keeping an organization alive if there are financial issues.

I am not disagreeing with you at all. If a corps could not meet its touring budget, the weekend only dca format could be a savior.

[Kyle B]

I am not disagreeing with you at all. If a corps could not meet its touring budget, the weekend only dca format could be a savior.

Oh I know Tom, I just don't want people thinking that I want all Open Class groups to switch.

[JimF-LowBari]

I totally agree...By the way there were 9 Alumni Corps at the show (1) had to back out. There are dozens of Alumni Corps as well but no time for all to perform as the Finals continue to grow.

And if people think All Age corps are more "family friendly", the Alumni-type corps are even more so.

Of course the down side is a lot of Alumni-type members have family conflicts that keep them from attending DCA Weekend, let alone performing Sunday morning.

And I use "Alumni-type" as not all members of these corps were with the original competing corps. Hades, some don't even have DC experience.

[Fred Windish]

I congratulate Tom Maiello of the Raiders for weighing-in on this discussion. Not many of the associates at his level would do such a thing.

For me, it's all about "do we want marching music to prosper and endure?" Not just any marching music, but marching music outside of high school and college programs. Of course we do! So the question is, how can we keep as many organizations running within the constraints and economy of our current society?

For Tom, and others, it SHOULD BE about endurance. Not about a risky mortgage of one's organizational future to fit into an elitist category that few can ever occupy.

Right now, the all-age drum corps concept, be it DCA or whatever, CAN fill a void created by demands that become seen as too heavy for some related groups.

What's wrong with that?

[tnmaiello]

Hey, thanks. I appreciate the kind words but its just about learning and sharing with others in our activity that may have more knowledge or just a better idea. We all can talk about drum corps all day, but unfortunately real jobs get in the way.