Bi-Annual Rules Congress for DCA

[Gary Matczak]

isn't that why MCA was created?

yes...................among other reasons

[audiodb]

I understand when people want to drop the minimum, but why raise the maximum. Nobody marched a full corps this year (at least I don't think they did.) I counted all the "Big Dogs" at one of the shows this season while preparing to write a review and nobody (not even Bucs) had a full 128. Granted, that was the middle of the season and some folks could have been missing, but still.

Still true at season's end. Bucs were largest at 124.

[Kay]

I agree.... 30 is a better number, IMO.

Fran

Then someone will say 25 is a better number.....................then 20...........

I think 35 is a perfect number to achieve.

[Kay]

A class for oversized corps would be nice too. Not that we currently have any, but thoughts of a 300 member Kilties Alumni corps might be a nice addition to the DCA weekend.

Wouldn't that fall under the current Alumni Show criteria - does the alumni show which is an exhibition have a min/max?

[Sayre Kulp]

Then someone will say 25 is a better number.....................then 20...........

I think 35 is a perfect number to achieve.

I agree that 35 is a pretty good number for Class A. Looking at the field and how a corps of this size can carve away space and create effect; yes, I believe that 35 is a good minimum for Class A. I also believe that 21 is a good maximum for minicorps. And anyone that thinks it would be easy to add more people to that maximum really needs to see one of the full-size minicorps on stage. That's about all the indoor stage arena can handle. Still, we keep coming back to the root of the matter... there needs to be something to bridge that gap. When you have less than 35 members, up to 14 members is a large gap to cover. And there are some really good small groups that need to have a place to strut their stuff too.

[Fran Haring]

Then someone will say 25 is a better number.....................then 20...........

I think 35 is a perfect number to achieve.

Good point, Kay.... but I just think the current 35 number "skirts the edge" for corps like the Govenaires, who are a terrific Class A corps, and one of the most entertaining corps on the field, period.... a corps that I would hate to see sit out DCA's.

30 would give corps like that a bit more of a comfort zone. Again, just my two cents on this. And I would never lower that number below 30. A minimum-size rule is a necessary thing, IMO.

On the mini-corps side, I would not have a problem raising the size to 25, based largely on Larry Kerchner's interview a year or two ago in Drum Corps World, where he made what I think is a pretty good case for the 25 number. But no higher, for sure. That's why it's called "mini-corps."

As far as creating another class for the 22-34 size (under the current size rules for Class A and mini-corps), I honestly don't see a need for it. Just my opinion.

Fran

[Shadow_7]

since, as you say, we currently don't have any oversized corps, why would this even be a consideration? a corps like that would be a specicial exhibition corps, not a competitive corps, i.e. 27th in 1994. i don't see any corps financially capable of being a competitive corps with that many members in today's economy.

I didn't say anything about a competitive class. Just a performance opportunity. Which might already be covered by the alumni corps class. I don't know, I don't have a rulebook. Obviously not a high priority, as they don't exist yet. Depending on your perspective. MSARP, Kingsmen Alumni, and others that seem to be forming / formed all over. Maybe not viable as an every year event. But once every five years / decade. The potential and the alumni base is there. Why not encourage / exploit it?

[ajlisko]

Wouldn't that fall under the current Alumni Show criteria - does the alumni show which is an exhibition have a min/max?

Nope ... there are no rules for Alumni Corps except for time on the field ...

:-)

[LegalEagle50]

I didn't say anything about a competitive class. Just a performance opportunity. Which might already be covered by the alumni corps class. I don't know, I don't have a rulebook. Obviously not a high priority, as they don't exist yet. Depending on your perspective. MSARP, Kingsmen Alumni, and others that seem to be forming / formed all over. Maybe not viable as an every year event. But once every five years / decade. The potential and the alumni base is there. Why not encourage / exploit it?

there is nothing DIScouraging it. it seemed as if you were asking for a competitive exclusion. the Alumni Spectacular is currently set up that the corps which perform are invited by DCA to be there. are you attempting to lobby DCA to make the Alumni Spectacular an anyone who want to show type of event?

[Shadow_7]

As far as creating another class for the 22-34 size (under the current size rules for Class A and mini-corps), I honestly don't see a need for it. Just my opinion.

Fran

Aside from corps in that size range existing. And having no current performance outlet at DCA. And not much encouragement to become a DCA corps at the local level. No score, no performance fees, no reason to leave town for others benefit.

I wouldn't say raise the minicorps limit. Not until it finds a bigger stage and/or venue. As it is now if you have a brass quintet, a trap set player, and ten guard (16 total). They'd be tripping all over each other on that stage. One has to change their show design to perform on that stage. Guard discards props and equipment and just dances. Brass on stilts to get out of the way of the guard. And I guess the drummer could setup in the audience.

There needs to NOT be a gap. Otherwise you're saying DCA is for stereo type X, but not stereo type Y. Throw in race, religion, politics, sex, height, weight, and nothing good can ever come from that. And with current economic thrends everyone might find themselves in that gap sooner rather than later. I know if if if. But if the 35 rule didn't exist last year, there would have been at least one more corps in attendance. And probably with 30+ on their last show of the season rather than 20-. In my opinion.