If your kids were going to march

[84BDsop]

If I had kids, I'd want them to march wherever they felt welcomed and appreciated...competitive results would not count.

Obviously, I'd be THRILLED if a kid of mine marched BD, but I did my gig at the top and would feel no particular need to live through my child. We'd find a way to make it work.

[Jocko the Wonder Llama]

Well, my kid marched with me, in RCR 4 years ago.

If I want one to march in a DCI corps, I have to wait a few years. BDC has a 7 year-old minimum, and my grandson just turned 1 this past Saturday.

[CuriousMe]

I know exactly what you mean about the serious blank military stare-- as in how the Cadets conduct themselves while in uniform. I understand your feelings. I just think the whole Drumcorps activity has moved pretty far away from its military roots. After admiring the Cadets' military bearing for years, now I kind of think they look like they never have any fun....?? But I love the military look too. And I can tell you from personal experience, the kids at Crown are VERY serious. They just have a great time while working their butts off!! I'm sure if the staff asked them to comport themselves differently-- as in having "military bearing" they would do so..... So I guess it trickles down from the top.

I've got to say, marching to pre-show warm up in two's while still only in half uniform......and having every corps we passed stop what they're doing (unloading trucks, getting their equipment together, warming up, etc) to watch us pass.....that was fun. And that wasn't even in full uniform.

It's tough to explain how it feels wearing that uniform, as thousands have before you (although I confess sometimes they smelled like thousands had recently worn the one I was in!). It's an odd exchange, the individual gives up some of their individuality and acts like "A Cadet" and in return, they instantly gain the honor and history that all those who wore the uniform before them worked hard to establish.

The responsibility to continue that was a tangible thing to me....even as a chucklehead 16 year-old. It's part honor, part "I can't believe they're letting me do this." Needless to say, it far surpassed "fun." Fun is an easy and quick thrill....that, well, that was an astounding experience.

And of course, every corps is going to have their own traditions and values; their own hypes. Behaving in uniform as generations of Cadets have before...well that's just one that is important to Cadets.

Have no fear though.....they're having the time of their lives!

[BigW]

I'd want them to go where the feel they fit in and belong and like working for the staff, are treated well, and are educated well.

That could be a just about any DCI or DCA corps, really. It's wrong to force someone into a certain corps if they don't fit that corps' personality well and feel like they aren't a real part of the group. It's hell to sit leaning against a building or under a crappy shade tree getting fried up during a break and wonder if you fit in and belong when you're a kid. I know about that. I was lucky to have some close friends in Westshore to hang with when things got tough and a very supportive brass staff that really, really encouraged me when the visual staff was just about to hang me as an example to encourage the others as a kid. I hung in there and eventually thrived. that's the kind of place you want your kid in- a place where they can thrive and succeed if they work hard.

I'd just want them to be happy doing the activity and playing the kind of music and style of performace they want to do. I wouldn't want to force them to live out what I wanted to do, LOL. Just be happy and proud to be part of the corps they're in.

The question also assumes there's enough money and the student makes the corps they audition for. That;s another issue, though....

[BlooContraGuy]

Appreciate it, glad there are still a few in here that can take a joke. I have a feeling if I hadn't had my drum corps history up, there wouldn't have been a problem.

Just saw that you got sweet feet in 07, congrats on that!

And to elaborate on my feelings for not ideally wanting any child I may or may not have march a (lets say) top 7 corps before they graduate high school:

I did this. I do not regret it. I just don't like the attitude I got (and the attitude many other high school aged kids share) after coming back to high school from a highly efficient corps. The transition is rough and frankly I was a jerk at times. It's mostly a sign of immaturity on my part, and I just don't necessarily want my kids to have an overly egotistical attitude about their drum corps experience.

Maybe they need something like that so that they can learn humility in the long run? It's a tough choice, and I'm not sure that my opinion will stay this way forever. It's one of those "I don't want my kids to make the same mistakes I did" kind of things I guess. And just a reminder, marching was NOT the mistake. How I chose to act and behave about that experience was a mistake.

Hope this helps shed some light on my opinion, and understand that given the choice, I would NOT keep my child from marching before his or her HS graduation. I would just try to warn them about the differences between Marching Band and Drum Corps and hope they can make the right decisions on how to act.

[ajwdad]

Hi there,

Two of my sons had a similar problem... It did not help that their band director hates drum corp. But it was a great experience for them.

[ajwdad]

Hi there,

Two of my sons had a similar problem... It did not help that their band director hates drum corp. But it was a great experience for them.

[BigW]

Hi there,

Two of my sons had a similar problem... It did not help that their band director hates drum corp. But it was a great experience for them.

That's sad and ridiculous. More and more of us with corps experience have earned education degrees such as myself and greatly value what we learned there and easily carry it into the classroom and make a difference with our students.

A former student of mine said in a recent job interview that "....serious marching band people can't be good musicians." I was insulted, and have yet to corner that little dweeb and remind him that while I did corps, I went undefeated in Band Festivals up through All-State Band and did well in Intercollegiate Band, and well... he didn't. I also went to a better school of music than he did as well.

Sounds like your sons had this dweeb as their director. Do we need to go have a pointed chat with this goober for you? I also have a guess this clown is all about his Jazz Band and his gigs with his combo on weekends. that seems to be the running pattern with a lot of those kind of guys, which is even more sad.

[ajwdad]

That's sad and ridiculous. More and more of us with corps experience have earned education degrees such as myself and greatly value what we learned there and easily carry it into the classroom and make a difference with our students.

A former student of mine said in a recent job interview that "....serious marching band people can't be good musicians." I was insulted, and have yet to corner that little dweeb and remind him that while I did corps, I went undefeated in Band Festivals up through All-State Band and did well in Intercollegiate Band, and well... he didn't. I also went to a better school of music than he did as well.

Sounds like your sons had this dweeb as their director. Do we need to go have a pointed chat with this goober for you? I also have a guess this clown is all about his Jazz Band and his gigs with his combo on weekends. that seems to be the running pattern with a lot of those kind of guys, which is even more sad.

Well. he is clearly incorrect in his assessment of Drum Corp. BTW, my eldest is becoming a music teacher and a fairly good trumpet player but not incredible like the soloists in DCI. I find it sad that those that teach music, including band directors, are not fully supportive of Drum Corp. As my father-in-law used to tell me, "Don't get in a kicking contest with a jackass." I think that someone will have to more gently persuade him.

[BigW]

No one will 'persuade' this former student of mine. He's running the program entrusted to him right down the tubes.

No sense in getting into a 'kicking contest', but everyone's let him get away with murder to this point and it's not been good for the rest of the kids that aren't in his Jazz Band. I think most of the guys like him are just simply unable to deal with the kind of discipline, time, intensity, and creativity the activity demands of a competent director.

A good HS instrumental program can and should be strong in all facets.