Did You March DCA...

[Brad T.]

At the ripe old age of 22 (rolls eyes) I have started marching DCA for the first time. I never marched DCI. I wanted to in high school, but when you grow up in a bad part of town and both parents work to send you to a Catholic high school that's about $7,000 a year at the time, there is no money left for drum corps. I was from Cleveland, and realized that there was a DCI corps some people may have heard of (insert sarcasm :) ) down the highway in Canton. I looked around on their website at the tuition costs, and immediately ruled it out. My senior year of high school I was approached by someone on behalf of the Marion Cadets about performing with them at no cost. However that year they wound up not marching and haven't performed since.

I do wish I could have marched DCI. If for nothing more than to just say I did. In my current DCA corps, everyone aside from the newest high school kids who have never marched before (which is about 4 or so), have marched DCI or Jr. corps some time in their life. Many are alums of Pride of Cincinnati and Queen City Cadets. Others marched with some of the bigger names that are still around today (Blue Coats, Cru, Blue Stars, Cadets, etc.), and a few have returned to DCA after marching DCI because of financial reasons.

It's all so new I don't know what to expect! However, the shear fact we got through one song's drill in an afternoon was impressive to say the least!

[CVQuesty]

I think you'll find that most people in DCA did not march DCI.

I do not know a single DCA corps that does not have a lion's share of Jr. members, ageouts, and pre-members.

That statement, in my 9 years' DCA experience, is not true.

[CVQuesty]

15 years in junior corps?,............that's gotta be a record!

No, it's just John.

[BigW]

True, even back in the day, we had an ex-Bridgeman, ex-SCV, Ex-Madison, and an Ex-Cadet at Westshore for instance.

Depends on the corps, and also the area. I'd bet the Renegades have a decnt percentage of ex-DCI performers.

[ironlips]

When I began marching in DCA with the Sunrisers I was 15, and spent the next 11 seasons with them. In those days, the best Senior corps were, by and large, far more advanced musically than the Juniors due to the level of experience of the performers. This remained the case through the early '70s, for the most part.

That changed with the advent of touring corps and the development of the DCI model which multiplied the amount of rehearsal time exponentially compared to the Seniors.

Still, at present, the best of the DCA corps compare quite favorably in most respects to their junior league counterparts. Imagine a new two-division "Dream Contest", with Crown, Empire, Blue Devils, Reading, Boston Crusaders, Minnesota Brass, Cavaliers, Renegades, Phantom Regiment and the Caballeros. That would be an entertaining afternoon, I dare say.

[DMCK]

I have only ever marched DCA, specifically the Bushwackers.

I auditioned for two DCI corps, did not enjoy the atmosphere or the experience, and decided that the Bushwackers fit my budget and schedule and provided me with a solid drum corps experience.

[Windsor]

13 years in jr. corps starting in a jr. parade corps, then jr. competing corps, 1969 to 1982 with my last three years before aging out being in DCI finalist corps. Then came DCA, alumni, and mini.

[joesilver]

My last 3 years of competition were a little unusual. Senior corps first then a DCI junior corps.

1975 Blessed Sacrament Senior Corps which disbanded after Rochester, NY DCA

1976 Hawthorne Caballaros we won the Dream and DCA

1977 Blue Stars won VFW Nationals ( no, I was not overage )

[Sweendoc]

Junior corps for about 10 years in the Derry Patriots, then I marched RCA and DCA with Erie Thunderbirds in 1976. The Patriots folded in "77 or at least did not do field competitions and I chose to go to senior corps because my friend marched there. Several of the former Patriot members did march DCI with the Royal Crusaders from Finleyville. Because I had left the corps (Patriots) a year earlier, I did not accompany those who went to Royal Crusaders. Spent a year with the T-Birds then ended up with Westshore and then Steel City competitively. So I never technically marched DCI, although I would have relished the thought of being a Madison Scout or a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard!!!

[BigW]

When I began marching in DCA with the Sunrisers I was 15, and spent the next 11 seasons with them. In those days, the best Senior corps were, by and large, far more advanced musically than the Juniors due to the level of experience of the performers. This remained the case through the early '70s, for the most part.

That changed with the advent of touring corps and the development of the DCI model which multiplied the amount of rehearsal time exponentially compared to the Seniors.

Still, at present, the best of the DCA corps compare quite favorably in most respects to their junior league counterparts. Imagine a new two-division "Dream Contest", with Crown, Empire, Blue Devils, Reading, Boston Crusaders, Minnesota Brass, Cavaliers, Renegades, Phantom Regiment and the Caballeros. That would be an entertaining afternoon, I dare say.

You just confirmed something I was thinking seriously about when I get to that point on the "History of the Westshoremen" thread. I'm not totally crazy- just somewhat. I do know in the early season- June- the top end DCA corps certainly didn't embarass themselves at all at the combined West Chester contest in the early '80's.

And yeah- with the death of the Hershey Spectacular, I don't think there are any more "Dream" contests extant. West Chester University also had one in the early '80's, don;t know exactly when thath died.

Out here in the NE US, I think most of the DCI shows have fallen under the aegis on one particular sponsor that sadly seems to have utterly no interest in providing a contest like that. I have my theories as to why, but