Is Drum Corps still a youth based activity?

[kickhaltsforlife]

I'm 19, i still consider myself young--- even though when i turn 60 i'll still consider myself young

[Scottishfan]

I once belonged to an organisation where the Youth Section went up to age 30...

I don't even ####### qualify for them any more.

[JimF-LowBari]

I'm 19, i still consider myself young--- even though when i turn 60 i'll still consider myself young

Sounds like a future non-competing (aka Alumni type) corps member.

We got "youngsters" from teenagers to 70+ playing for the crowd.

Back on topic: Changes from the past and today are drinking ages (past: individual states ranged from 18-21) and voting (changed in early 1970s). Age to join the service has been 18 for decades. So drinking age went up and voting age went down. Other than that age related matters (marriage, etc) are set by states and haven't changed that much. IOW, there really isn't such a thing as "legal age to become an adult", it all depends on the details and where you live.

LOL: Art Donovan (NFL Hall of Famer/WWII vet) relates how he came home from fighting in the Pacific and walked into a bar in San Diego while still in uniform. Bartender walks up and Art expects him to take the order or say "Welcome Back". Instead the guy says: "Hey kid, get the #### out of the bar". No change from 1945 to 2008 there (and my state has always been that way).

Edited October 17, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari

[OldManDrumCorps]

I would say no. DCI is a youth-oriented organization, but drum corps is not a youth-based activity and I guess I'd say it hasn't been for a long time or maybe never was.

[TastyWaves]

I would say no. DCI is a youth-oriented organization, but drum corps is not a youth-based activity and I guess I'd say it hasn't been for a long time or maybe never was.

Dang it!

This guy took what i was gonna say!

I voted "yes" but only with the assumption (because of the placement of this thread) that were talking DCI drum corps specifically.

Drum corps started as a military thing which wasnt always youth and where you didnt get kicked out after your 21st.

Drum corps as a whole is not just for younglings, but in DCI, absolutely.

Thankfully there are places i can still go!

[shawn craig]

Consider how many young adults graduate from high school every year and have no idea what they want to do with their lives.

Consider how many young adults go off to college and don't handle their new found freedom well and go over board with partying and flunk out or worse.

There is no magic number when you can be considered a child then an adult. It's very different for each of us.

So even though there are a lot of college students in many corps, they still need structure and purpose in their lives that corps helps give them. They need help transitioning into adulthood. So YES very much so.

[nemesiscorps]

So then Drum Corps at the highest levels have never been a youth activity, based on this criteria. The average age of the top corps has been over 18 ever since I started marching (back in 1978).

However, recall the number of corps that were around back then, most of which had average ages significantly younger than today's "highest level" corps. With that many active corps during those years, "youth-based" was mostly accurate.

It's concerning that the language often used today (particularly for garnering financial support for the activity) leads people to believe that it is one focused on "kids and youth development," when we all know that that is generally no longer the case. Also, the "let's support the kids" soapbox seems to be put away quickly when it comes to people actually attending the Open Class events. In fact, clearly the "highest level" corps could/should more accurately be described as adults, many of whom are well into their college years with the financial means to afford today's corps dues, as well as being able to afford putting "real life" on hold for nearly three months of the year in order to tour. We gladly pay $55.00 and up per ticket to see these top adult performers.

It's also interesting how those that believe that the drinking age should be lowered ("if they can fight for their country...") likewise want to continue to rationalize today's DCI activity as a "youth-based" activity that's "for the kids." To say the least, "Youth-based" is obviously misleading.

[bhs alumni]

Youth is traditionally defined as the period of time between early childhood and man and/or womanhood.

if we're talking maturity than the answer varies person by person...i and others i know almost twice my age are still kids (i aged out 5 years ago)

[JKatzmellophone]

if we're talking maturity than the answer varies person by person...i and others i know almost twice my age are still kids (i aged out 5 years ago)

I would say in terms of youth, its that most if not all members (in DCI) are still students either in high school or college. Youth is also looked upon in terms of education. You may want to consider this a youth music educational activity.

[corps8294]

My observations and opinions:

World Class = young adult (16-21 or 22)

Open Class = youth to young adult (13-21 or 22)

Lower tier Open Class = keep the kids off the streets level

To be honest, I think the days of "keep the kids off the streets" drum corps went out years ago. If you look at some of the top Div II and III corps, they audition just like their brothers and sisters in Div I.

Moreover, I knew some very talented people that aged out at the Div II and III level that could have went Div I.

I don't even think I could make the corps I aged out with. I could probably still out march a lot of the members; but in terms of music and playing talent, there's no way I could throw down with a majority of them. And that's a good thing.