DCA vs DCI

[84BDsop]

or in Fran's case... rip off his Hawaiian shirt and replace it with white button down...

Whereupon no one would recognize him and he'd be evicted from behind the mike as a trespasser!

[big old drummer man]

I understand your concern for the statement and the need to defend the "better than EVERY SINGLE staff in DCI" because it effects the balance of the World -

However is we then go deeper - many (not all) of the DCI top tier staffs would not be able work in the same conditions and constraints because of these same conditions and constraints. The staff at Reading is excellent at what they do. Are they as good as the DCI "top" staffs? Actually yes and I 'll tell you why -

They have a way of (as do all great instructional staffs) of working with what they have and turning it into something fantastic.

What do you mean about "working with what they have?" I'm glad you asked - They have parameters to work with and in , which the DCI guys do not.

Schedules of the members

Weekend only practices - Imagine what the staff could do if they worked with a group everyday! I know if they did, the group would be in DCI finals - no doubt!

Ability level (Bucs - 14 years old and older)

Funding issues - working within the budget

Unique Transportation problems (will the extra Bass Drums and Visual Panels fit in the two trucks)

Number of Rehearsals to put together a finished product before the first performance . . . . . . with the above parameters.

Those are just a couple of items - I could probably go on. every DCA corps has the same or similar issues.

MY POINT is this Staff is great because of the level of show design and instruction in the short amount of time. They have to get it right the FIRST time when they teach. When I taught at the DCI level, we would spend a day on 8 drill sets for a fix. You do not have that kind of time in the DCA circuit. If you use that time, you may have wasted an entire day on a Saturday - 50% of your rehearsal time for the weekend in some cases.

If you followed the DCI season then you noticed a number of corps with HUGE rewrites. Imagine what would have happened if they had it right the first time. In an age of PYWARE drill design software and Music notation software - shows can be correctly written sooner - especially on the DCI level - because they can dictate the instrumentation sooner than a DCA corps. While show design is not an exact science, thoses corps who are in the top tier are usually there on a regular basis because of planning and execution of that well thought out plan.

Reading applies that to their approach as much as possible -

That's all - To me - That makes them Great - if not greater because of the parameters -

i agree with all of your points, and i very much understand all of the time constraints. i have taught weekend groups before (both WGI and DCI). in no way am i trying to take away from what reading's staff has accomplished the past 5 years. like i said, i put them at the top of DCA.

that being said, i don't put them quite on the same level as top DCI staffs. let's remember one important aspect: DCI pushes DCA, not the other way around.

[Jeff Ream]

Jeff- I thought that was 10 yds. OR loss of beer. (When did they change that?)

new rule this year. gotta get tougher on offenders

[Jeff Ream]

or in Fran's case... rip off his Hawaiian shirt and replace it with white button down...

he'd claim cruel and unusual punishment

[Otto]

i agree with all of your points, and i very much understand all of the time constraints. i have taught weekend groups before (both WGI and DCI). in no way am i trying to take away from what reading's staff has accomplished the past 5 years. like i said, i put them at the top of DCA.

that being said, i don't put them quite on the same level as top DCI staffs. let's remember one important aspect: DCI pushes DCA, not the other way around.

But the staff did and does teach in DCI - not all on the same team at the same time - but they did and some still do . . . . . . .

Cadets

Crossmen

Surf

[big old drummer man]

But the staff did and does teach in DCI - not all on the same team at the same time - but they did and some still do . . . . . . .

Cadets

Crossmen

Surf

i know. like i said. there are some individuals who are that level. this still does not make their staff "second to NONE in DCI."

[Otto]

i know. like i said. there are some individuals who are that level. this still does not make their staff "second to NONE in DCI."

Well there you have it - you got me there.

You win.

[lindap]

i'm old school and new school

should i go to DCI or DCA next year?

after being away for 25 years?

2 years of reading forums

and i'm still not sure of where to go?

or should i go to a color guard contest

gotta get a passport, airline ticket 2,000+ mile flight etc.

please advise :-)

[KeithHall]

Now if being in drum corps was a job that we did all year round.....we'd all have awesome corps, world class level.

OK, for the record, the most talented drum corps in the world is........

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The Commandent's Own, The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, 8th & I, Washington D.C.

Not only are they some of the most talented musicians in the world, they can take out any other corps with a M-16 at 500 yards. Period.

[downtown]

I have read every post associated with this thread. Interesting topic and some real good dialog to go with it. However, at the end of the day after you think about what you're debating you have to come to the conclusion that DCI gets the nod. Assuming we're talking about the World Class Corps vs DCA's top ten, you have to look how the World Class Corps are run compared to the DCA top ten. Totally different from top to bottom.

This is not anything against the DCA corps and how they're run. They do a great job with what they have. But when you take into account what a DCI corps has to do before they load the buses and start their summer tours that is when the cream rises to the top. Practice all day, perform at night and repeat the process day in and day out with a day off when you can fit it in. Contrast that with a good DCA corps who manages to get a good weekend rehearsal in if they're lucky before putting their drum corps lives on hold to start their weekly routine with work and family. Need more be said. I don't think so.

Now a comment about staffs. There is a lot of discussion about Reading's Staff and if they are as good as any DCI Staff. Seems like to me the Buccaneers Organizations let's all of us get into heavy debates over things like this while they do what they do best and that is take care of their business and re-tool for the next season PERIOD! They could care less how they stack up against DCI Staffs and their success seems to bear that out.

I truly believe the other DCA corps are starting to get it based on the season that just ended. They are taking care of their business and staying out of the court of public opinion. DCA has a great future in front of them. All-Age Drum Corps is about to explode. There is excitement and a major buzz going on out here because of Championships this year. Corps wanting to travel to the west coast to compete and more All-Age corps throwing their hats in the ring.

Embrace what you have here with DCA and stop this who's better than who nonsense. It's All Good!