GUARDLING Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Probably no more or less than any other DCA corps has to deal with them these days.... with band influnce I say less 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I for one am quick to encourage all new corps. The all aged game is different and I have no doubt that this proposed group will have to learn to do things considerably differently than a junior corps. to which I say - viva la difference... Balancing the needs of 40 year olds with that of high school kids is a challenge but it's one we have some 60 plus years experience at. I remind everyone that young people in DCA corps is nothing new. I marched my first senior field contest in the summer of 1959... I was born in '46... do the math... (hint: I was in 7th grade) The lack of flexibility on age limits in the Legion and VFW contributed greatly to the start of DCA. All aged corps present a challenge no matter how you decide to do it... My preferred model was an 18 year old bottom with no top... When I was in charge, we only accepted below 18 when a family member over 18 was present to be responsible for the juvenile... I refused to play baby sitter. Corps around the country have modified their models to fit their own circumstances. How many times have I heard "he rides on the kiddie bus"? I believe this new corps will eventually find what works for them. Isn't this exactly what we have all done? I do think that eventually, a corps like this will accept older performers. The stage presence and experience is just impossible to refuse. It is often the pizzazz of these dedicated and talented older people who give our all aged groups an advantage with the paying customers. They add the flare we need to generate entertainment value in spite of the lack of rehearsal hours. As for it being a feeder corps for the DCI finalist corps? That's no secret. DCA corps have been feeding DCI powerhouses for years and when these people return they often become the staff members of the future. When I directed Cru, we actually paid a portion of the tour fee of a member in good standing who tried out for and made a finalist junior corps. This was a great investment in the future of the activity. My best wishes to anyone who is trying to grow the activity. maybe things are changing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Probably no more or less than any other DCA corps has to deal with them these days.... My first thought and I hit it in 1977..... Edit (after reading Toms post): We have a young member in our Alumni-type corps that marched Cadets about two years back. Just found out he's in Buccs this year. Guess you can say he hit the Trifecta over his career. (Too bad no Minis in the area.) Edited April 29, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 maybe things are changing Wondering what you think is changing. Lot of people going back and forth to Sr and Jr corps has been going on for decades. Now with the Internet people other than fellow corpsmates are hearing about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 HAHA ... me too! ... though I'm more known for urban myths ... here's an old one for you: in 1970, Boston (fresh off 2nd place at VFW Nats) was going to show up at DCA Prelims either as themselves or, dressed as the CT Yankees (they were both taught by Dennon and Schelmar), which led to the "year off" rule ... well before DCI ... hey, c'mon - it's a myth! ... here's a fact though - as far back as 1965, St. Pat's tested the Sr. waters by competing against the likes of Archer-Elper (a DCA charter member) ... :-) LOL!!!! In some ways, I kinda miss those pre-Internet, "seat of the pants" days. It seemed every year there was a rumor about this corps, or that corps, that was coming to DCAs.... "so-and-so ex-junior corps is coming out as a senior corps... they have 60 horns and a full drum line"....."there's a new corps from Canada that's coming to the championships this year"... etc., etc. Come Labor Day weekend, most times the rumors proved to be just that... rumors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 As I'm sure you recall, juniors and seniors occasionally competed against each other way back in the mists of time. Andy, weren't you around when the North competed against the South in the 1860s? Sorry.... couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Wondering what you think is changing. Lot of people going back and forth to Sr and Jr corps has been going on for decades. Now with the Internet people other than fellow corpsmates are hearing about it. Toms comment about that eventually, a corps like this will accept older performers. The stage presence and experience is just impossible to refuse. It is often the pizzazz of these dedicated and talented older people who give our all aged groups an advantage with the paying customers. They add the flare we need to generate entertainment value in spite of the lack of rehearsal hours. Its younger and younger every year..It may have been very young in your corps BUT most still had a balance...the balace is tipping...you cant deny that all you have to do is look at these corps.......and they can bring it just fine i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Ya'll know how much I hate to be a naysayer, but I don't think it would be interesting at all. I think it would be a blood bath. I posted this elsewhere.... but what the heck, I'll post it here, too, so VOReason and others can rake me over the coals if they'd like....LOL: For years now, I've had a theory/opinion about DCA and the all-age activity. My theory/opinion is.... a weekend-only corps made up entirely of DCI-age members, especially with a constant turnover of membership, will have a very tough time winning a DCA title. No knock on the talent level of the kids, or their work ethic or desire to succeed... they are A-plus on all counts. But I think that an all-age corps needs a "core" of veteran all-age performers... even if those performers are 20-somethings (25, 26, 27 years old, etc.) who know how to "get it done" within the limited rehearsal/performance season time frame that DCA corps have. Even back in the day, when I was with Sunrisers... we had a whole bunch of teenagers in the corps in 1977 and 1978 ("kids and girls"..."Milk and Cookie Cadets"...we heard those and other nicknames...LOL), but we relied on the corps veterans... the 20-and-30-somethings who had been in senior corps for several years... to show us the way. I'm thinking this "Cadets 2" thing might prove or disprove my theory once and for all. If I'm wrong.... hey, I've been wrong before. But if I'm right... I'll be sure to post here 40 times a day reminding VOReason of that fact. Edited April 29, 2011 by Fran Haring 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Toms comment about that eventually, a corps like this will accept older performers. The stage presence and experience is just impossible to refuse. It is often the pizzazz of these dedicated and talented older people who give our all aged groups an advantage with the paying customers. They add the flare we need to generate entertainment value in spite of the lack of rehearsal hours. Its younger and younger every year..It may have been very young in your corps BUT most still had a balance...the balace is tipping...you cant deny that all you have to do is look at these corps.......and they can bring it just fine i think. Agree the average is getting younger but with Fran that the experience is needed. What helped us over the top was getting people who knew the mentality that was needed to win. (Picked up bunch o' members of top DCA drumline from two years before.) I'd say we had a low average age but still had that balance between youth and experience. But do think Cadets staff experience will be a big factor on their side. Interesting that much of the youth I see up close is coming from the newer DCA corps outside of the Northeast. Later part of Prelims my wife and I go to the concession/souvie areas and get to see the Class A members who are done for the day. Edit: Forgot about the years we talked to some members at the hotel. Willing to say the growth of DCA outside ye olde Northeast is also fueling the youth movement. Edited April 29, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbaManiac Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Here are my educated guesses on what will happen: - Cadets2 will be full: I see the organization selling this to the USSBA members, and college kids on the cusp as the BEST way for them to prepare for The Cadets. - Cadets2 will design a show that stays in line with the Cadets vision of what the activity should be, and not comply to the DCA model. - DCA entrenched fans will HATE it, DCI affiliated and younger fans will love it, but everyone will have to agree that it's a well put together and flawlessly executed show. - Cadets2 will be EXTREMELY competitive, easily making it into finals, and ending up on top of the podium within the first 3 years. - Upon receiving voting rights, Hopkins will use his organizational and marketing skills to rally A&E supporters towards finally passing it in DCA If I were someone that was resistant to change in DCA, I would be very concerned about this. Hopkins has shown that he likes to change things around him to fit his vision. More importantly he has proven that he knows how to get things done, and that he knows how to effect change. As one of the people that thinks some changes are long overdue, I'm literally brimming with excitement at the possibilities of what could be brought to the table. Edited April 29, 2011 by MarimbaManiac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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