Has the view of 'Senior' Corps changed lately in DCI?

[84BDsop]

Again, I agree 100%

Sadly though, there will always be that "copy-cat" mentality regarding DCA. I don't agree with with it, but it's there. And yes, Renegades have used music familiar to DCI, but I dare you to find another group, be it DCA, DCI, HS or college band, that has the ***** to mix Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Halloween (Carpenter), Russian Christmas and Biebl's Ave Maria into a 5+ minute opener.

And that was one of the BEST openers I've ever seen....and from the show against which I judge all other Renegades' programs.

[CoHmempho04]

DCA is DCI without the time of practice OR an age restriction.

DCI corps practice every day during the summer with 3 weeks of 9 hours days (Spring training / Everydays)

DCA corps have weekend camps (that's it).

If a DCA Corps had the time a DCI corps, they might be able to play a show that "hard".

Just in my opinion.

[BigDale]

DCA is DCI without the time of practice OR an age restriction.

DCI corps practice every day during the summer with 3 weeks of 9 hours days (Spring training / Everydays)

DCA corps have weekend camps (that's it).

If a DCA Corps had the time a DCI corps, they might be able to play a show that "hard".

Just in my opinion.

Even alumni corps have weeknight practices. Some of the DCA corps have two nights per week, PLUS the weekend stuff.

I am sort of in alumni mode now.

[ContraRich77]

Originally, I was a skeptic re. DCI and Fgure skating, but several posters have pointed out to me some of the similarities, and slowly but surely, I've been coming around to seeing it...... but not totally still.

I think the comparison between drum corps and figure skating is close, I think it's more accurate to compare drum corps to HOCKEY, as the one thing both sports have in common is the fact that it takes the mastery of two entirely different skill sets to perform in the sport (skating AND hockey, marching AND playing)

[Fran Haring]

Some of the DCA corps have two nights per week, PLUS the weekend stuff.

Some perhaps, but not many... at least out East. "Friday night, Saturday and some Sundays" is much more of the norm.

Fran

[VOReason]

Again, I agree 100%

Sadly though, there will always be that "copy-cat" mentality regarding DCA. I don't agree with with it, but it's there. And yes, Renegades have used music familiar to DCI, but I dare you to find another group, be it DCA, DCI, HS or college band, that has the ***** to mix Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Halloween (Carpenter), Russian Christmas and Biebl's Ave Maria into a 5+ minute opener.

Once, when discussing improvisational jazz with no less than Phil Woods, he commented that there is almost nothing a musician can play that has not been played before...and WHEN you copy, just make sure you copy from the best. And BTW, how sad is it that I had to "stalk" my Empire friend High Brass all the way over to the DCI side ever since him and his Empire compadres went in to stealth mode on the DCA side after that whole uncomfortable West coast trip fiasco and the accompanying double speak explanations.....

[HighBrass09]

Once, when discussing improvisational jazz with no less than Phil Woods, he commented that there is almost nothing a musician can play that has not been played before...and WHEN you copy, just make sure you copy from the best. And BTW, how sad is it that I had to "stalk" my Empire friend High Brass all the way over to the DCI side ever since him and his Empire compadres went in to stealth mode on the DCA side after that whole uncomfortable West coast trip fiasco and the accompanying double speak explanations.....

Well when you actually march in a corps you can't start any trouble on DCP, or anywhere.

And I did.....so, I started ignoring some of these old no-lifes that stalk DCP 24/7, and have nothing better to do than start picking fights. (Sound familiar?)

I have a corps, a great one at that. I don't need to be worried about all that jazz going on in the DCA section. Since I'm not in DCI, this is my place to discuss with ease.

[goalieguy]

I think the comparison between drum corps and figure skating is close, I think it's more accurate to compare drum corps to HOCKEY, as the one thing both sports have in common is the fact that it takes the mastery of two entirely different skill sets to perform in the sport (skating AND hockey, marching AND playing)

SO HOW WOULD YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOCKEY SKARE?????

You only have RELATIVES here in hockey land..

Seriously - Kris has the correct idea..

With all of the negative things I've heard and seen over the years in favor of both sides of the equation, I have always felt that in MOST areas of competence, if a DCI corps were restricted to the same TIME constraints as a DCA corps, the experience and expertise of the 'more seasoned' DCA members would create an advantage for their units over the somewhat less experienced members in a DCI corps..

My case in point - for many years until its demise DCM judged Minnesota Brass and the other all-age corps on THE SAME D1 SHEETS as the junior corps. Over that time, MBI would "scare" some of those higher eschelon corps in a number of captions come DCM Championships. Not to say there wasn't a significant spread, but less than MOST would expect CONSIDERING THE DIFFERENCE IN REHEARSAL TIME and number of performances up to the 2nd or 3rd weekend in July.

So MBI's 3-8 hours of ensemble rehearsal PER WEEK was very productive to say the least..Ask guys like Greg Orwall, Scott Stewart or Jim Mason.

Pat

[HockeyDad]

I think the comparison between drum corps and figure skating is close, I think it's more accurate to compare drum corps to HOCKEY, as the one thing both sports have in common is the fact that it takes the mastery of two entirely different skill sets to perform in the sport (skating AND hockey, marching AND playing)

The ONLY thing drum corps has in common with hockey........ is that sometimes when I'm running the clock and playing music at one of my sons' hockey games.....I slip in some drum corps music! Oh, the looks....

The opening few measures from Bridgemen '78 is a good way to kick off the season when the kids first step on the ice, by the way.

Small world: I have now met not one, but TWO referees with drum corps connections (one had a kid in Phantom..or maybe it was Madison; the other marched). Both of their reactions were identical. They heard the music, got a quizzical look on their face, skated over to the scorer's area and asked me......hey - is that drum corps music you're playing???

[crazymello]

Really, there is a revolution happening in DCA where a lot of corps are upping the ante on their programming and speeding up tempos and adding some difficulty. It isn't just marching 120 and then standing still and blowing the house down anymore. There are some serious programs out there.