Canada?

[friceox]

So i've spent the last couple hours today ripping my 72-07 cd's onto my laptop and it's led me to think....what happened to Canada in DCI?

There's currently only 3 corps competing from our northern neighbors now. I understand that corps fold and all...but it's almost like the activity just died up there. I marched with a plethora of canadians (mainly drummers).

Is there just not a big enough talent base up there? What's the deal?

There used to be so many perenial finalists from Canada back in the day.

Heck, there was a ton of div 2-3 corps from Canada my rookie year in 2000....and I remember pretty much each one of them stomping all over us in competition.

[DrumCorpsMom]

So i've spent the last couple hours today ripping my 72-07 cd's onto my laptop and it's led me to think....what happened to Canada in DCI?

There's currently only 3 corps competing from our northern neighbors now. I understand that corps fold and all...but it's almost like the activity just died up there. I marched with a plethora of canadians (mainly drummers).

Is there just not a big enough talent base up there? What's the deal?

There used to be so many perenial finalists from Canada back in the day.

Heck, there was a ton of div 2-3 corps from Canada my rookie year in 2000....and I remember pretty much each one of them stomping all over us in competition.

Yes it is sad. I think there are about 4 corps still around.... correct me if I'm wrong.

- Dutch Boy

- Hype

- Stentors

- Blue Saints

- hopefully Steel City Sound.... former Bandettes will come back

Quebec & Ontario used to have their own circuits, there were so many corps.

Every time I turn around there is a new Alumni corps. It would be great if some of them could dedicate some time to bringing back some competitive corps. Certainly a city the size of Toronto or Montreal can support at least one drum corps.

Edited March 29, 2008 by DrumCorpsMom

[dbc03]

They all moved to the USA and we lost them because of the exchange rate.

[uncle z]

They blowed up real good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF6W6w61p4Q

[KeithHall]

Florida...and then out to sea

[Paq]

Canada does not have marching bands in high school like they do in the US and when band kids started moving into drum corps in the US - Canada can't compete with that. It's an entirely different type of support system in the US than up there.

[bluehull]

The dollar differential used to be a factor, but now that the Canadian dollar is worth more than the U.S. it is probably due to cross border regulations on both sides that are more of a factor. Pro sports teams now need a full time broker to get teams back and forth. Some players are not allowed into Canada or the U.S. due to DUI's or other infractions . It has just become too much of a problem to move anything larger than a family across the border anymore, let alone a drum corps.

[kelcanadian]

There are so many factors involved and it all seems like a chain reaction:

Financial - the corps depend a lot on their financial wizards to put together a sustainable budget while still trying to make it affordable for the kids who want to march. The cost of touring is a factor because on top of the regular fund raising you need the $$ to be moving 50 to 150 people down the road which means buses, equipment trucks, food trucks, food, etc. If you don't tour you can't compete which means you can't promote your corps as an attractive alternative for kids. Local parades are ok but it's the competition that gets people excited - it's a goal to work towards.

Also, you would think with the Canadian dollar almost at par the exchange wouldn't be as big a factor as it was a few years ago. However the rising cost of fuel cancels out any advantage the dollar value gained.

The hassle crossing the border - definitely worse since 9/11 however it's always been something you had to prepare for - equipment lists, everyone needing ID, what you could and couldn't cross with, the amount of time you might get stalled there during an inspection. It's been a few years since a US winter guard or a drum corps has made their way up here for the very same reasons - too much hassle. This has resulted in the Canadian winterguard and drum corps shows having a decreasing number of units in attendance. This makes it hard to promote a show in a way that draws the crowds. Most of the audience nowadays is made up of parents & families and some of the people who used to march who come out to see what's going on.

Competition with other organized sports - there has always been minor sports but they seem to have gained a higher 'glamour' factor with the big name hockey players etc. At one time in Brantford we had two full all girl drum corps so you're talking at least 60 - 75 members in the Class C Belles of St. John's and and 100+ in the Class A St. John's. At that time there wasn't much else for girls to be involved in other than Brownies or Girl Guides* or the like. Now there are soccer fields and hockey rinks filled with girls (and boys) wanting to be the next Beckham or Gretzky or Cassie Campbell (Canada's Olympic Gold Medal Team captain).

As Wendy said we don't, and never have, had the marching band support or culture that exists in the US that we could feed off. Up here we have the Burlington Teen Tour band who have travelled extensively throughout Canada, the US and Europe and have been great ambassadors. There have been two or three other communities (Windsor comes to mind) that have a marching band but it's never taken off in Canada the way it has in the US. Sadly it seems up here that being part of the band meant you were a geek or a nerd and I think that spilled over into drum corps.

So, rising costs means a more selective tour which may lead to less exposure of the corps or worse, higher debt. Less exposure means you may not being seen enough in your community which draws fewer kids. Fewer kids means a decrease in funds coming in which means rising costs for those who are there. Another factor is that our local Christmas parades (which are the moneymakers) are usually in very cold conditions - so much so that some members will not come out to the parades.** This results in the corps looking and sounding smaller than what they normally would. When you're trying to get community backing it's difficult when your performance is somewhat lacking in sound and appearance. Not to mention that kids watching your performance in the parade would be drawn more to a group that looked good and sounded strong. It's sometimes hard to look good when you're bundled up to your eye balls in scarves, toques, mitts and winter jackets. If your corps doesn't have the funds to have a winter uniform as well as a summer uniform you're not going to spend a lot of bucks on something you can only wear for four weeks of parades.

The corps that remain up here are working very hard to retain their members as well as increase membership. I know that Dutch Boy last year had some international members but most are still from the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Ventures Winter Guard continues to run 3 competitive guards again with most members coming from K-W. Some of the kids who are marching now are there because their parents or other family members were involved - that's how our two daughters got involved. Kids straight off the street with no prior knowledge seem harder to get but they do get them.

You would think it might be easy to get something going in Toronto but you need the groundwork in place and the people with the passion to do it. The Alumni corps are doing great up here - Toronto Optimists, United Alumni, Scout House - all have lots of people involved with most (I believe) being former marching members of the junior corps that are no longer around. The interest is still out there to participate however I think the idea if starting up and being in charge of a new unit knowing what's all involved may be a little more than daunting.

That's considerably more than what I started out to say but that's what I think.

kel

*not taking anything away from Brownies/Girl Guides - both are great organizations that both my daughters were involved with.

** we use to refer to these people as 'sliders' - they disappeared for the Christmas parade season and slid back in when rehearsals started to get serious in January. Some even waited to 'slide' back in until June when it was time to start travelling again.

[Piper]

Canada does not have marching bands in high school like they do in the US and when band kids started moving into drum corps in the US - Canada can't compete with that. It's an entirely different type of support system in the US than up there.

I'll go with that. I think Drum Corps in Canada is what it USED to be like in the U.S. (not many bandos). Now in the U.S. band directors do the primary work and DCI does the polishing.

[ItsOnTheField]

What about the numerous 'youth' bands that march in the summer from the Calgary and Saskatoon areas? How are they able to survive and tour (when they do)?