The Other Mike Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Actually, it used to be the small shows working with local circuits that had these parade/show days. Quite honestly I like the model for march the parade do the show. Talk about exposure. Then top off the show with an Olympic style retreat and performance from the winner. Don't know if that will ever happen again. We can call it "the grand buffet" and I'll buy some of THAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 (edited) It has always been that way, inc pre-DCI. I marched in the Garden State Circuit in 68 and 69, and then Garfield from 70-72. The audiences at the GSC class 'B' shows were usually a very small fraction of those at the class 'A' shows I marched in with Garfield. This is true... and understandable. In many cases these Corps in the B and C Divisions were composed of mostly very young, or very inexperienced marchers, many of whom were just cutting their teeth on Drum Corps for the first time. Some of the Corps were new too, or had small numbers. Even the judges tended to be young or new. The crowds in these B and C Divisions were made up mostly of family and friends. Some of the CYO circuits in the northeast even had Marching Bands that competed against one another after the B and C Divisions of Corps competed. The CYO Bands had instructors from the staffs of the Drum Corps. The Bands incorporated the Drum Corps style in with what they did too. These CYO Marching Bands wern't half bad either. They probably were man for man more talented than the regions top Drum Corps members were. These Marching Bands went on and competed just before the Class A ( top tier ) Drum Corps came on. This was good for the Marching Bands as just like the B and C Drum Corps Division nobody it seemed beyond family and friends wanted to see and hear the Marching Bands compete in the Marching Band division. Then the regions top Drum Corps got prepared to enter the stadium ... and you could feel the excitement in the air as the fans then quickly rushed to fill the remaining seats in the stadium stands to watch the top level Class A Drum Corps compete against one another. Edited April 27, 2011 by BRASSO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 This is true... and understandable. In many cases these Corps in the B and C Divisions were composed of mostly very young, or very inexperienced marchers, many of whom were just cutting their teeth on Drum Corps for the first time. Some of the Corps were new too, or had small numbers. Even the judges tended to be young or new. The crowds in these B and C Divisions were made up mostly of family and friends. Some of the CYO circuits in the northeast even had Marching Bands that competed against one another after the B and C Divisions of Corps competed. The CYO Bands had instructors from Drum Corps. They incorporated the Drum Corps style in with these CYO Marching Bands too. These CYO Marching Bands wern't half bad either. They went on just before the Class A ( top tier ) Drum Corps did. This was good for the Marching Bands as just like the B and C Drum Corps Division nobody it seemed beyond family and friends wanted to see the Marching Bands compete in the Marching Band division. Then the regions top Drum Corps got prepared to enter the stadium ... and you could feel the excitement in the air as the fans then quickly rushed to fill the remaining seats in the stands to watch the top level Class A Drum Corps compete against one another. [/quote theres been that elite class always..just seems NOW people arent liking it... ( some) or at least thinking there isnt a difference between the 2....clearly always has been in ticket sales, experience and support..fact of life....nothing new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doylejd Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Since a large portion of WGI is scholastic-based, why would they want to have a 'brass' product? Far better to have a music product with no limits on the instrumentation, IMO. Cool. I'm not going argue, because I really want to see this happen and if people are discussing the idea, then I'm not going to stifle their creativity. My reason for saying "brass" is because we already have something similar in the form of mini-corps. It's a brass ensemble with limited percussion accompaniment. I'm literally saying, just take that activity and put it to motion. You can do a ton of awesome stuff with a brass choir and small pit stationary on stage, just imagine the possibilities in motion on a gym floor! Really, why isn't this an idea that's being pursued? It hits all of the check marks that people complain about DCI missing nowadays. We all talk about the want to move to regional circuits. Check. More ensembles for students to participate in. Check. Lower costs due to less touring. Check. It isn't the same as going on tour all summer, I get it, but it could still be an awesome experience for youth that they would remember for the rest of their life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 This is true... and understandable. In many cases these Corps in the B and C Divisions were composed of mostly very young, or very inexperienced marchers, many of whom were just cutting their teeth on Drum Corps for the first time. Some of the Corps were new too, or had small numbers. Even the judges tended to be young or new. The crowds in these B and C Divisions were made up mostly of family and friends. Some of the CYO circuits in the northeast even had Marching Bands that competed against one another after the B and C Divisions of Corps competed. The CYO Bands had instructors from Drum Corps. They incorporated the Drum Corps style in with these CYO Marching Bands too. These CYO Marching Bands wern't half bad either. They went on just before the Class A ( top tier ) Drum Corps did. This was good for the Marching Bands as just like the B and C Drum Corps Division nobody it seemed beyond family and friends wanted to see the Marching Bands compete in the Marching Band division. Then the regions top Drum Corps got prepared to enter the stadium ... and you could feel the excitement in the air as the fans then quickly rushed to fill the remaining seats in the stands to watch the top level Class A Drum Corps compete against one another. theres been that elite class always..just seems NOW people arent liking it... ( some) or at least thinking there isnt a difference between the 2....clearly always has been in ticket sales, experience and support..fact of life....nothing new there was such excitement when the bigger corps appeared and alot of that came from the smaller corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 (edited) theres been that elite class always..just seems NOW people arent liking it... ( some) or at least thinking there isnt a difference between the 2....clearly always has been in ticket sales, experience and support..fact of life....nothing new Well, there is a HUGE difference between being an " Elite Corps " ( I'd put BD, Cadets, Cavs in this category as these 3 Corps alone have won 80% of all the titles since DCI began in 1972) and how Elite Corps Directors treat their other fellow brethern in the Drum Corps fraternity. It is an laudable achievement to reach elite status. But that is not the point. Some fans no doubt are simply jealous of these 3 Corps Elite Status. That's understandable. There are always envious people. But it goes much deeper than this with many other fans.... and with other Corps now too. There is a palpable mistrust and division now within DCI... DCI Executive Director Dean Acheson spoke last Fall about the wounds that have to be healed as there are some real open sores and division within the ranks of DCI that Acheson acknowleges he's never seen before. It's not the Elite status of some Corps that has bred resentment within the ranks of DCI... it goes much deeper than this. For just one example, it is more about such basic fundamentals as the quality and levels of respect toward other Corps. Edited April 27, 2011 by BRASSO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Let's hope they make it. I think its a stretch to call Tampa Bay part of the 'northeast' I was talking about. And the Allentown corps is still a 'rumor'. if you look at the map, the Southeast is slowly becoming the new Northeast, and that's not a bad thing at all. moving to Annapolis next year is a good thing. as the other regions keep growing and building a fan base, you will see finals move. staying solely here in the Northeast was killing DCA IMO. it had DCA down to 13 corps at finals in 1993. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Well, there is a HUGE difference between being an " Elite Corps " ( I'd put BD, Cadets, Cavs in this category as these 3 Corps alone have won 80% of all the titles since DCI began in 1972) and how Elite Corps Directors treat their other fellow brethern in the Drum Corps fraternity. It is an laudable achievement to reach elite status. But that is not the point. Som no doubt are simply jealous of these 3 Corps Elite Status. That's understandable. There are always envious people. But it goes a little deeper than this with many other fans.... and with other Corps now too. There is a palpable mistrust and division now within DCI... DCI Executive Director Dean Acheson spoke last Fall about the wounds that have to be healed as there are some real open sores and division within the ranks of DCI that Acheson acknowleges he's never seen before. So it's not the Elite status of some Corps that has bred resentment within the ranks of DCI... it goes much deeper than this. I agree but also know that there has always been those shady directors, some are still involved. Many on the surface were all supportive of others and behind backs stabbed others. People act like this all is something new and it really isnt. Now is it more up front and talked about more. SURE IT IS....some of the fact is were in the internet age where alot of the dirty little secrets stayed behind closed doors and now they dont...theres the good and bad of it. I think alot of the decention also comes from corps who want what they want forn themselves ( greedy or not ) it isnt alot differnt from years back when corps wanted control of their own destiny's...........but that's a whole other debate,...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Jeff, that is the best non-answer that I have read in a long time. You ought to be a politician! actually dig deeper. there's quite an insult in there, and it's not just at the OC corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Youth corps', Jeff, or as Joe Pesci would say Ute corps'. And let's see if the quality of that Allentown DCA corps can surpass Mechanicsburg HS shall we? I'm sure they could, and it's supposed to be an all age corps, no ties to where I teach. BTW, I love how you try and take pieces of my personal life and tie them in to what you feel are quite witty slams at me. I'm blessed to teach at a school with a plethora of drum corps experience on staff. DCI and DCA champs abound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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