Should corps take numerous days off to rehearse between shows?

[kyushujet]

This is where you lost me. Sorry, the drum corps need to do whats best for them; not what's best for bored people on DCP.

No, I'm not bored so I write stuff on DCP. I write stuff on DCP because I think I have valid points to discuss. And I bring up these points because I care enough about the activity.

So, if you think its in the best interest of each corps to do what they feel, fine. But if I think there are things that DCI does that are questionable, I'm going to question them. And I'll usually question things on DCP, where they provide a forum to do so.

[kyushujet]

Also, the OP mentions that Cavies have hung around the Dallas area the past few years to get ready for San Antonio. This is an incorrect fact, Cavies have been in Houston the past two years and have performed at that show along with several other corps.

Ah, I stand corrected about the past 2 years (2007, 2006). But I do remember back in 2005, when the Lake Highlands show was going on in Dallas, the Cavies were rehearsing at Birdville ISD Stadium and chose not to participate.

[Design Hound]

Didn't read everyone's posts but...

I think taking numerous days (5-7) in single locations can really hurt a corps once they get into actual touring mode, show-travel, show-travel, show-travel multiple days in a row...

It may not be apparent from the current numbers, but it has happened to a corps this past week, or so I understand... they'll get into the swing of things very soon though.

[mad_scotty]

Then I wouldn't have marched. That's what drum corps was about. Rehearsing like crazy, pushing yourself, etc. That's what made it hard core. Everyone I marched with used to hype on the stories of Star rehearsing late into the night and wishing we could have that some days. When you start limiting full rehearsal days or 2-3 day breaks from shows, expect dirtier shows at the end and less complete because mid season changes couldn't be pulled off correctly. They you can ##### about the quality of shows.

Through teaching recently, I've heard more complaints about short rehearsal days and not having enough time to get things done then complaints about working too hard.

pathetic. it's one thing to be 18 and want to throw yourself into the fire with no regard for your personal safety (thats why the army recruits 18 year olds, btw). most kids want to prove themselves and will do anything to do it, including depriving themselves of food and sleep and taking performance enhancing drugs, but adults are supposed to know better. you should know better. staff members should be more concerned with being organized, maxing out rehearsal time and taking care of the kids they are charged with than proving to them that they can ironman it out no matter what the cost.

i marched with the scouts in the middle of the 90's glory years. scott stewart voluntarily put some restrictions on the corps before i got there. we had 3 full meals a day and one snack, no sugar and no caffeine, and an hour to eat. we got a minimum of 8 hours sleep a night, with bus time counting as half time only (2 hours on a bus= 1 hour sleep) and a minimum of 4 hours floor time no matter how long the bus ride. and we practices a max of 8 hours a day, even during everydays. we couldn't believe other corps needed 12-15 hours a day to clean a show, and looked at their staffs as disorganized and cruel, and pitied the marching members, particularly star and cadets, who we saw nearly dropping from exhaustion at some shows.

now, i'm sure some genius will point out that madison didn't win any championships in those years. but a lot of factors went into that, its was the height of the animosity between scott stewart and the dci board, and between the scouts staff and judges, and i think its fair to say some bias went into scoring (the 95 corps in 4th place?). but mainly the scores were a function of low drum and guard scores, with a little bias in ge because the ge judges preferred other styles to madisons. when you look at the hornlines in that era they were consistently in the top 3 or 4, and the drill had much higher demand than most corps while staying uniformly clean. extra rehearsal time might have made a slight difference, but not a major one in those shows.

if everyone worked the same schedules they can put the same product on the field with less rehearsal time if they are efficient, no one would show up at finals with an incomplete show, with everyone following the same commonsense rules the field would be level, and the marching members would have a better and safer experience.

but even if you assume we slid 2 spots every year because we capped rehearsal time and made sure the whole corps had enough food and sleep and time off to recuperate between practices, so what? every corps director says giving the marching members the best experience is their top priority, but scott stewart meant it, lived by it, and was willing to really prioritize it over anything else. thats something a lot of corps directors cannot say, and shame on them.

[notelvis]

An 8 day break between shows might be excessive but I would support any corps wanting to drop out of sight for 3-5 days once or twice a summer for some intensive rehearsal.

As for the Blue Knights, they have traditionally done the two-tour model - Go out somewhere.....west, midwest.....northwest....etc. for 18-21 days, come home and practice for about a week or ten days, and then pop up again just in time for Drums Along the Rockies. More often than not this has worked pretty well for them.

[The Green Cymbal]

i marched with the scouts in the middle of the 90's glory years. scott stewart voluntarily put some restrictions on the corps before i got there. we had 3 full meals a day and one snack, no sugar and no caffeine, and an hour to eat. we got a minimum of 8 hours sleep a night, with bus time counting as half time only (2 hours on a bus= 1 hour sleep) and a minimum of 4 hours floor time no matter how long the bus ride. and we practices a max of 8 hours a day, even during everydays. we couldn't believe other corps needed 12-15 hours a day to clean a show, and looked at their staffs as disorganized and cruel, and pitied the marching members, particularly star and cadets, who we saw nearly dropping from exhaustion at some shows.

I find it hard to believe that Star and Cadets did this. I am sure they had a few rehearsals here or there that were excessively long to get something done, but that sure was not the norm. For as long as I have been involved in drum corps (over 23 years now), most of the corps that I have been around do the exact rehearsal model that you describe above (minus the 8 hour cap on rehearsing). My years in the Cavaliers had many days without shows and we were never pushed to the point of exhaustion or starvation and neither were most of our competitiors.

If Star and Cadets did this like you say, there would be no way that the performers could come out and be on night after night after night. (By the way, Star had left competition by the mid 90's - If you count 93 as the mid 90's, they were probably one of the most fit and performance ready corps of that season)

I still feel that DCI should leave the running of the corps to the corps directors, corps board of directors, and the parents that send their childern there. I am not blind though and do know that on occasion, there will be at least one corps that has some horror stories about bad nutrition, lack of sleep, or poor travel experiences each year. But these things are not usually attributed to trying to improve competitiveness, but more from unforseen circumstances during the tour.

Edited July 11, 2008 by The Green Cymbal

[WarriorHal]

Since 1972, DCI been an organization of the corps themselves. Or more accurately, the corps directors. DCI is basically an administrative staff that carries out the wishes of a majority of corps directors. It isn't an outside organization dictating rules, as in the old VFW/ American Legion days. The whole point of DCI was to allow the corps to establish their own rules as a majorty sees fit. And of course, keep and divide up all the revenue generated by the corps' performances. Isn't that still the fundamental arrangement/philosophy?

[morganhill]

According to their tour schedule they are off from the 7th until the 14th. Your "last" bit is a little cold and callous. "just saying".

Just speaking the truth.

Edited July 12, 2008 by morganhill

[Latrobe's Finest]

Just speaking the truth.

I'm resisting the urge to comment on the last part of your post, but, Pioneer (no -s), is having rehearsal days July 8-13. Then it's back to the grind (13 shows in 18 days the rest of July). We did this in '06, basically separating the season in half so we could have some days to clean and take care of the busses etc.

[hsreed]

What corps have 15 hour practice days? (I am asking as I do not know) I would guess it is none of the top contenders as their staffs know how important fit and rested members are to maintain top notch performances.

We had 14+ hours of rehearsal in day in Mesquite Texas the day before a significant competition in 1985. We had two 5 hour blocks followed by an 4 hour ensemble block at night. We also woke up and completed our usual 30 minute stretch/run as well as some post ensemble clarification meetings. I specifically remember Myron Rosander running us through a high mark time sequence where we had to mark time for 100 beats without tempo or counting. We hit it the first time (according to Myron), but did it again just for confirmation.

BD had beaten us all season, usually by a couple points. The day after Mesquite in Austin, we beat BD by over a point. Yes, 15 hour a day of rehearsal time happens and it works.

I wish corps had more time for rehearsal. The marching demand in the current shows is off the charts, yet the season is two weeks shorter than it has been in the past. I believe way back then we performed a little over 30 times per season. I'm all for corps taking Monday through Thursday for rehearsal, then clumping Thur/Fri-Sunday shows in a particular region.

Edited July 12, 2008 by hsreed