allie Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I finished my project on women in drum corps, and some people wanted me to put the final product up here. Sorry it's so long. Drum corps is a very rigorous activity that involves strength, musical talent, and skill. According to society, this musical activity is not considered ‘feminine’ and should not be open to women. Throughout the last several decades there has been much advancement for women in this once all-male activity. With much perseverance and audacity, drum corps has changed for the better by taking the field with both men and women. There is a rich history beyond this activity. Drum corps is very militaristic because it branches from the American military. The groups were sponsored by the VTW, or the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the American Legion, which is a veteran’s organization. By the 1970s, however, the drum corps wanted to branch out and perform more creative shows. Drum corps is a musical activity that takes place mainly in the summer. The ensemble consists of four types of brass instruments: trumpet, mellophone, baritone, and contrabasses. There is also a percussion section that contains snare drums, tenor drums, and bass drums, as well a pit of keyboard instruments that are stationary in the front of the field. The third section of the drum corps is the color guard; mainly visual, the color guard is trained in dancing and spinning flags, rifles, and sabers. All three parts of the drum corps are important to the overall product, which is a show that is performed in the summer in competitions. These competitions take place on football fields. The show that a drum corps performs stays the same throughout the entire season, so the show can keep being improved until Finals night in August. There are two different types or divisions of drum corps; Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA). Drum Corps International is the elite division- the ensembles are by audition only. The slogan for this division is “Marching Music's Major League”, which explains the talent that these groups have. The auditions are very strenuous and often last several months. Members of DCI corps are all fourteen to twenty-one years old, which is why the season is only from May until August; the season is planned around college summers. During the season, the corps travels on a bus to different cities each day; being in a DCI corps is a full time activity during the summer. Drum Corps Associates is the less demanding division. DCA is all-age, which means there is no limit on how old a member can be. The age range is usually very broad in all-age corps, though the average age in a corps is 18-22 years old. In the drum corps world, women play a specific role in the activity. They do not march on the field; instead, they do motherly things to help take care of the marching members. Made primarily of mothers, aunts, and sisters, this group of women act as chaperones. DCI corps are filled with young people, so the chaperones need to act as sort of a supervisor of activities after practice. In addition to this, women also do all of the shopping, including food, supplies, and other various items needed while on tour. The women are also in charge of unloading the big food deliveries, which always come at the hottest part of the day. They are then required to cook all four meals for the members, and have them prepared in time for the meal breaks. These women also tend to get up an hour or two earlier in the morning to prepare breakfast for the corps. Food and chaperoning are not the only thing expected from women. They also serve as an on-hand nurse and counselor. Women carry the first aid kit and respond to any type of medical need. They also act as a counselor during tour for when members have problems. This is not even where the women's job ends. Women run out during the tour to find dry cleaners to clean hundreds of uniforms in a matter of a day- that is no easy task. The corps expects their uniform to be pristine when they put it on before a show. Women also found restaurants, motels, and fixed uniforms. With a seemingly more intense role than others as the caretakers of the drum corps, women sleep on the bus, this position is all voluntary. Without women acting as the heartbeat of the group, the drum corps would not survive. There were once all-female drum corps. All of these corps belonged to Drum Corps International, and were from the United States and Canada. Although they were in their own division, these female drum corps competed against all-male corps, all-female corps, and coed corps. However, men were still a part of the female organizations; the instructors, bus drivers and quarter masters were all male and often times were fathers of members in the corps. Women still held the same role by carrying the first aid, water, and other accessories. The women who performed those duties were the mothers, aunts, and sisters of the corps. The uniforms for all-female corps were not the same as male corps; the women marched in skirts and boots, which was very hot to perform in during the hot summer days. There was no difference between the two different types of corps, except for their gender. Women still marched with the same instruments as the men. They carried around a marching timpani, bass drums, and the contrabass tubas. There were a large number of all-female corps that were very successful in their time. The Emerald Grenadears, which originate from Rockaway, New Jersey, were a very popular female drum corps that is still around today. The DCI drum corps was established in June of 1974. This corp did not have a pit, so the women carried around the pit equipment while they marched. Due to some problems, the corps folded in 1984, but regrouped in 2002. The corps is still going strong today under the direction of Debbie Nunn, however it is still not well known. Another well-known female drum corps was the Capitolaires, who were from Madison, Wisconsin. This Drum Corps International group was formed in 1969 by Pat Barkenhagen. The Capitolaires won their first championship title in 1971. On August 26th, 1975, the group performed on the Wisconsin Capital steps in recognition of Women's Equality Day; this performance was to also to celebrate their victory in the all-female drum corps division. In 1995, the Capitolaires merged with the Madison Scouts, an all-male group, to become the Capital Sound. The Bandettes, an all-female DCI corps from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was founded in 1963 by Mary Wilson. Their uniform consisted of the traditional Highlander bonnet, boots, and a plaid skirt. One thing unique to this corp is that the members often consist of family members. It is common to march alongside your mother, sister, or even grandmother. Unfortunately, the Bandettes' last DCI field season was in 2004. The corps decided to be taken off the competitive circuit and become a parade corps. Their first all-parade season began in 2005. The corp is still around today, and even took a mini tour of the country in 2005. The Bandettes added more members to their 'family' in 2006 by grouping with the Steeltown Brass, which is a coed corps. The Bandettes were, and still are a very successful drum corps; they were the last all-female corps in the competitive circuit, and even outlasted the all-female division. The Hormel Girls, from Austin, Minnesota, was an all-female DCI corps. The corps was created in the 1940s for interesting reasons; the corp was used to advertise the newly developed Hormel food products. The women involved in this organization were World War Two veterans, and this was a way to give them employment after the war. The ensemble did not stay a drum corps for very long. They soon turned into a traveling advertisement, playing for radio stations and interviews. However, during their competitive years, the Hormel Girls managed to make finals at the American Legion Nationals in the late 1940s. This was a major accomplishment, because the Hormel Girls were the first all-female drum corps to ever compete in the American Legion Senior competition. During their few years as a competitive drum corps, the Hormel Girls were very successful. There were a number of other female corps that had an impact on the activity. The Alberta Girls from Edmonton, Alberta, which is located in Canada, toured around Europe. Lasting only twelve years, the corp was around from 1965 until 1977. In addition to the Alberta Girls, the Audubon Bon Bons, from Audubon, New Jersey were another great all-female drum corps. The Bon Bons were around from 1938 until 1978. Within this time span, the Bon Bons came within a few tenths of winning the American Legion National Championship in 1957. Although all of these corps folded, it was quite an accomplishment for women to form their own league in such a men's activity. Out of all the women that were involved in drum corps, Sandra Opie is one of the most famous women. She began her career in drum corps in the late 1950s when she founded the Argonne Rebels, from Great Bend, Kansas. Although she had no prior experience in drum corps, Sandra Opie saw the potential in the activity for making the community around her better. Local marching band instructors were not happy with the formation of the new drum corps. The instructors believed it was not proper music or a very suitable marching activity for anyone. Although she was originally a vocalist, Sandra Opie taught the brass line so well that the line was known for their abilities, technique wise, and their musicality. She became known for producing exceptional horn lines. With her guidance, the Argonne Rebels won three national championships in the 1970s. Sandra Opie spent fifteen years with the Argonne Rebels, in which during that time period she did all her work voluntarily; she never accepted any money for her work in the drum corp. After the Argonne Rebels had disappeared, Sandra Opie became a judge for Drum Corps International. She was a very fair judge and treated each competitor equally. Sandra Opie was always willing to share why she gave each corps the score they received after each competition. As well as being a DCI judge, Sandra Opie was also involved with the American Legion and the VFW. In 1995, Sandra Opie was inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as both a corps director and an outstanding adjudicator. This was a big step for women in drum corps to be inducted into a hall of fame comprised mainly of men still to this day. Another famous woman in the drum corps world was Judy Foster. Known as the first female horn player in Drum Corps Associates, Judy Foster was a member of the Sunrisers from Long Island, New York in 1971. Judy Foster was also a member of the color guard. In addition to Judy Foster, Bonnie Ott was a major part of the drum corps world in the early 90s. A member of the Concord Blue Devils in the Drum Corps International division, Bonnie Ott was one of the first drum corps players to perform a solo with the mellophone; this solo occurred in the mid-1970s. By the time Bonnie Ott aged out of the Blue Devils, she had accomplished winning a national championship and the leader of the mellophone section. Marian “Mickey” Vogt achieved a lot in her earlier years in the drum corps world. In 1949, when she was thirteen years old, Marian Vogt joined the guard of the Ardennes Post of the Windy City Cadets, located in Chicago, Illinois. She carried the American flag until she taught herself the drums in her spare time in 1952. Marian Vogt found old drum corps equipment in a room in her high school, and decided to start her own drum and bugle corps; she started the group to get out of gym class. This drum corps located at St. Gregory's high school performed at games and other school functions. Marian Vogt wrote the drill and taught the drum line as well as the horn line all by herself. In 1953, Marian Vogt was asked to join the Norwood Park Imperials; she later because the lead snare drummer and was known as the best female drummer. Carol O'Brien was, and still is very successful in drum corps; she was the very first female in the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Barely over five feet tall, this women carried a baritone right alongside all men, proving that she could so the same thing as them in 1976. She then went on to several different corps, and was drum major in four different corps. She is currently the only female drum major of the Rochester Crusaders, going on her fourth season with the corps. Although almost all of the female corps folded, male corps were beginning to allow women in the corps. Among this group were the Wisconsin Americanos, who were formed in 1957. It was not until 1968 when the organization dwindled down to fifteen members did it allow women to march in the corps. The primary reason why this corps went coed was so that it did not have to fold because they could not get enough members to take the field. The Americanos received a lot of female members when the Grand Chute Dutch Girls folded. Another corps that started to allow women earlier than most was the Sunrisers, which is a DCA corps from New York. The Sunrisers had a mixed female guard in 1969, and in 1971 they had their first female instrumentalist, who was Judy Foster. The Sunrisers were also the first corp to win a national championship with a female horn player in 1977. The Sunrisers took a big step, which eventually led to more senior corps going coed. The Troopers, a DCI corps from Casper, Wyoming, was founded in 1957; the corps was initially coed, and was the first Drum Corps International corps to do so. This was very strange, because this was the first corps to ever being its career with both men and women. Les Diplomates also opened the door for the integration of genders. This was shown by the success of their female instrumentalists, especially the drummers. The Rochester Crusaders also welcomed coed corps, as they allowed females in the color guard in 1971. The rest of the drum corps followed this trend through the 70s and into the 80s. There was a mixed response to women in drum corps at first. Since the sport began as an all-male activity, it was very strange to see women out of the field doing the same thing as the men. There were common beliefs that women could not play as well as the men. This was a common thought of the judges, who purposely gave all-female corps higher scores because they could not bear to see females win. When there were only select corps that were coed, women had to 'hide their identity', as if it would damage the corps if the audience knew the gender of the members. Vince Bruni, formerly with the Rochester Crusaders, attempted to get rid of the females in the drum corps at one point, but that plan failed. Women instrumentalists were also considered a novelty; a few years later, Vince Bruni wanted Carol Hooton to take off her shakeo after her solo so the fact that she was a female could be revealed to the audience and the judges. He thought this was a good plan, thinking the corps would win extra 'General Effect' scores. Women have grown a lot in the world and have been working hard to earn their spot in different areas. Drum corps is mostly consisted of men, with the exception of the color guard; the Drum Majors are usually men as well. Women have made another step this year in 2009; Santa Clara Vanguard from Santa Clara, California have announced their first female drum major of the corps, forty-two years after they were established, to be Stephanie Lee. It is clear that women are still making progress in making the activity more equal when it comes to gender. If it had not been for the all-female corps, as well as the brave women who helped push this process along, drum corps would not be the way it is in the women's perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hobart Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Awesome job!! There are a couple facts here that might need a slight edit, but well done Would you like to call me to discuss? e-mail me: davehob1234@yahoo.com Drum Corps would be lost without women! ------------------------------------------- Public Relations Rochester Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I finished my project on women in drum corps, and some people wanted me to put the final product up here. Sorry it's so long.... There were once all-female drum corps. All of these corps belonged to Drum Corps International, and were from the United States and Canada. Most (if not all) all-female corps pre-dated DCI... (Look at your Dates) This statement is.. inaccurate... There are two different types or divisions of drum corps; Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA). Drum Corps International is the elite division- ... Although arguably true, at least fairly recently (Heh), I'm not sure this is relevant... I'd give more credit to senior corps - and Pre-DCI History - as Equality happened well before DCI was ever thought of... (Hormel competed as a Senior corps in the 40s - and the Bon Bons, Mello-Dears, St. Ignatius, etc. had their "Golden Years" well before 1972.) If you really want to document the historical effect of Females in Drum Corps, don't emphasize DCI. There's a LOT of "female" History before 1972! (Grin) Women have grown a lot in the world and have been working hard to earn their spot in different areas. Drum corps is mostly consisted of men, with the exception of the color guard; the Drum Majors are usually men as well. Women have made another step this year in 2009; Santa Clara Vanguard from Santa Clara, California have announced their first female drum major of the corps, forty-two years after they were established, to be Stephanie Lee. It is clear that women are still making progress in making the activity more equal when it comes to gender. If it had not been for the all-female corps, as well as the brave women who helped push this process along, drum corps would not be the way it is in the women's perspective. The implication here is also historically inaccurate... There have been female Drum Majors (as well as horn players and percussionists) in both Junior and Senior Corps for decades... (Santa Clara had a female Center Snare a few years back, if I remember right...?) Good start, though! (Sorry if I sound overly critical: but drum corps history is a passion of mine...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hobart Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 "Good start, though! (Sorry if I sound overly critical: but drum corps history is a passion of mine...) " You will get a lesson from these guys on DCP. Don't take anything personally. They have been around this activity for years and will be your best teachers of Drum Corps History. You have one great start. Let these guys/gals on DCP help you in building your already strong article. I am very proud to see such a thing from a young Rochester Crusaders member! -------------------------- Public Relations Rochester Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allie Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Most (if not all) all-female corps pre-dated DCI...(Look at your Dates) This statement is.. inaccurate... Although arguably true, at least fairly recently (Heh), I'm not sure this is relevant... I'd give more credit to senior corps - and Pre-DCI History - as Equality happened well before DCI was ever thought of... (Hormel competed as a Senior corps in the 40s - and the Bon Bons, Mello-Dears, St. Ignatius, etc. had their "Golden Years" well before 1972.) If you really want to document the historical effect of Females in Drum Corps, don't emphasize DCI. There's a LOT of "female" History before 1972! (Grin) The implication here is also historically inaccurate... There have been female Drum Majors (as well as horn players and percussionists) in both Junior and Senior Corps for decades... (Santa Clara had a female Center Snare a few years back, if I remember right...?) Good start, though! (Sorry if I sound overly critical: but drum corps history is a passion of mine...) haha no that's fine! I'm looking for all the errors I made because there wasn't much to research out there! Thank you so much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Awesome job!!There are a couple facts here that might need a slight edit, but well done Would you like to call me to discuss? e-mail me: davehob1234@yahoo.com Drum Corps would be lost without women! ------------------------------------------- Public Relations Rochester Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps David - thank you! I've been waiting for 2 hours for someone to post on this topic. Please extend my wishes to Allie on this project. As a writer and a ex teacher and more than anything someone who has taken hours trying to explain the who, what, why when and where of Drum Corps past, present and hopefully the future I feel a need to help as well. As you said - there are facts about women in drum corps and about the activity in general that have been made ... well, too general. What went on before DCI, for instance. I don't have tell you that there were literally hundreds of junior corps in New York State alone during the fifties, sixties and seventies and virtually all were co-ed. That there are only 2 (yes only 2!) of the top 12 DCI corps and out of about 40 or 50 Division I & II Corps on the field today that are male only. There is a time line that needs to be followed and analogies that could be made between Women in other situations - for clarity to the initiated. Wilma Rudolf in tennis for example. The first woman Indy Car Driver - not Danica Parker but Janet Guthrie. Conductors - the first of a major American orchestra, Marin Alsop. Astronaut, Bio Physicist, Navy Ship Captain, F22 Pilot. The comparisons to women breaking the traditional glass ceiling should be more clear for those who do not know. Here's one I just thought of: Drum Corps has been co-ed for decades but regular sports are not and won't be for decades. And it took an act of congress for women to participate in organized sports in schools - even the NCAA! (Title 9) but there were all-girl corps all through the pre DCI era. OK I'll stop. But I do want to help. My personal email is: g.manbruce@gmail.com Pardon my intrusion. Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 haha no that's fine! I'm looking for all the errors I made because there wasn't much to research out there! Thank you so much!! Please see my previous post, Abigail. We all do want to help you in this. I would have said eariler that if you had perused more of the topics and threads in these forums. Especially the one's with "History" in their titles. The one I attend the most is Historical Junior Corps Discussions - General Discussions About the Drum Corps Activity Prior to 1995. We talk about the old days - a lot! Talk to David - Dice man - and I dare say you're going to get a lot of input about the finished product as you did when you made your first back in the beginning of April - the fact you got almost 100 responses should have told you volumes about our extended family on these pages. Oh yeah! I was once told: "Write what you know and if you don't know about it, write like you talk." Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindap Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) Good work allie, you touched on history and stated the complexities as well. You captured the essence of women in drum corps...um, second paragragh, VFW, change the T to F. This is a great start and thanks again allie :-) Edit, Allie. I'm female, was a marching member including drum major role, instructor including 2 all girls corps and was a judge :-) Edited April 20, 2009 by lindap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Allie, Your comment about Vince Bruni is also not correct. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) Was going to state this as a fact but better double check from the peanut gallery . Seriously, in my research I've come across American Legion corps (usually pre WWII, so pre DCI and DCA) that had "Auxiliary" in the name. Someone correct me if wrong but I always thought these were all female corps. Not sure if these were all wives and family members of the Legion members or others. There are a few listed on www.dbcna.com and saw a bunch in History of Drum Corps Vol I. PS - Thanks for sharing the project, I'm always on the lookout for DC facts I never knew and there are a bunch here. And the comments from the group here can only help. Edited April 20, 2009 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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