danielray Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 If you want to march after you age out That is one part of it that I don't really get. Mini-corps, I fully get... stand still groups sound kind of fun... alumni corps seem like something cool to do every 10 years or so... but I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 That is one part of it that I don't really get. Mini-corps, I fully get... stand still groups sound kind of fun... alumni corps seem like something cool to do every 10 years or so... but I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. for many competition is the best part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 That is one part of it that I don't really get. Mini-corps, I fully get... stand still groups sound kind of fun... alumni corps seem like something cool to do every 10 years or so... but I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. I'm confused as to why not. Adult/senior/all-age competitive corps have been around longer than junior competitive corps. Both types of corps have benefited one another long before DCI or DCA existed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bad Bari Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 That is one part of it that I don't really get. Mini-corps, I fully get... stand still groups sound kind of fun... alumni corps seem like something cool to do every 10 years or so... but I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. Daniel, I am not sure how long ago you aged out... But there probably will come a day where you would like to re-kindle some of those old feelings and accomplishments. When that time comes you can either supress it (many folks do this with alcohol lol) or you can embrace it and go out and get involved! I have to tell you, for folks who performed at a high level back in the day... The wheels are easy to get back on, and sometimes you get to stand out front, and be seen with folks who are considered legends of the activity! I encourage you to consider trying to take over my spot in Renegades as my 50 year old knees are just about done! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I think YEA! is taking advantage of the "all-age" aspect of DCA by taking it to a literal extreme, knowing that the spirit of DCA's purpose is rooted in a clear distinction from the junior corps activity, specifically post-DCI age limits. Yes, they've relaxed (maybe even embraced moving beyond) the "senior corps" identity, but it's still at the heart of who they are. Is it? Once upon a time, many felt "senior corps" really was intended only for people outside of the junior corps age limit, and there was an outcry against corps in the founding days of DCA marching 18-21 year olds whether they were recruited from junior corps or not (i.e. 18-21s joining a DCA corps on their own initiative). In recent years, DCA and/or many of their corps have purposely offered their experience to prospective members from the DCI-eligible age group, offering their brand of drum corps as an alternative to the touring model that DCI emphasizes. Judging from the number of DCA marchers in that age group, there is enough interest in that alternative to justify DCA serving it. So DCA is now marketed as "all-age". I would imagine that the same decision-makers who saw more potential members coming from this change also saw that the membership demographic would become younger as well. Imagine if The Cadets (or BD, Crown, etc.) did decide to march into the DCA Championships after DCI finals in August. After all, "all-age" is all-age. I understand we're talking (theoretically) about a different "level" of performer in Cadets2, but what if they decided to take their other corps into the all-age circuit too. To me it seems to wreak of the U.S.A. "Dream Team" approach to Olympic Basketball. The rules prohibit touring junior corps from competing for the DCA championship. If they want Cadets2 to play in the DCA world, why not simply open it up to all ages from the very start, rather than imply that that may happen at some point down the road? DCA opened its doors to all ages to be more inclusive... YEA! is taking advantage of that and fielding a corps with closed doors that excludes the central base of the DCA market age group. Why? No one here has an issue with that? I don't. "All-age" means DCA imposes no restrictions. Corps can field membership of whatever age range they choose. Just as Cadets2 can make that choice, so can any other DCA corps. If not, it's probably because they haven't been in a retreat line lately, wondering how much longer their body can take this, while they're standing next to a "kid" that they've just competed against in another corps (who's younger than their own kids), and at the moment, clearly not experiencing the same level of fatigue. Marching a corps aged 16-22 in the DCA circuit holds a clear advantage over most other corps. It mocks the very reason why we've always had Junior Corps, Senior Corps, and even Cadet Corps competitive circuits. If I were a DCA marching member, I'd probably be rethinking my future participation on the field... which I am. All things being equal, there'd be no problem... but that's the problem, all things don't appear to be equal from the very inception of Cadets2. There's nothing that says they can't/won't change their minds on how they run that group. They could easily end up putting in tons more hours of practice that traditional DCA marching members would never have the time (or physical ability) to match. Oh, OK. So if the Cadets were limiting the age so that they could recruit a full corps of kids who are willing and able to do 14 weeks of all-days, all in preparation for a few weekend shows and DCA Championships, then you'd be concerned. But again: - Nothing is stopping current DCA corps from doing the same right now, so what is unfair? - What would you suggest we do in response to the possibility of Cadets2 (or anyone else) hypothetically storming to DCA Championships on the strength of a 14-week run of all-day rehearsals? And yes, that is a hypothetical scenario, because YEA! said in so many words that Cadets2 would be weekend-only. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 (edited) That is one part of it that I don't really get. Mini-corps, I fully get... stand still groups sound kind of fun... alumni corps seem like something cool to do every 10 years or so... but I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. Some of us did Senior/All Age corps while teenagers/early 20s because we wanted to do Drum Corps but either could not or did not want to do the tour thing. (I stopped when I joined the work force and had that pesky rotating shift work and one weekend a month free thigee....) And some of us do Alumni type corps year after year because we still want to play music and entertain people and this works for us. Edited May 2, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 (edited) That is one part of it that I don't really get. I seriously can't connect with the idea of adult competitive corps. Well, with this logic, then you must not be in favor of adult competitive softball leagues, adult competitive basketball leagues, adult competititive running leagues, adult competitive hockey leagues, adult competitive volleyball leagues, adult competitive swimming leagues, adult competitive tennis leagues, adult com..... oh what the heck, maybe people over 22 should just stop all this participation in competitive sports nonsense and just go grab a remote control, a bag of chips and dip, a sofa, beer or soda, and turn on the tv. Or maybe those over 22 should join the local Audubon Society, get out the binoculars, and go look at some pretty birds in the sky for the next 60 years of their life as a non competitive outdoor hobby for themselves. That'd work, don't you think ? Edited May 2, 2011 by BRASSO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4181jay Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 No... I am no one elses ego but my own. I believe in thinking differently about drum corps to strengthen it for the future. I wish I could do more than just that but that time come... I was just wondering why mikeD felt the need to reply to a post attacking you and writing it as if he had been attacked. Logged in wrong account? On topic- I hope this works for the cadets, I've not liked a lot of stuff instigated by GH in the past but weekend only drum corps for local kids seems to be just what the doctor( and many posters here) ordered. I'm sure if there were viable local junior circuits to enter the cadets would have joined them. As it is, the only option open to them is dca. Gives me more of a reason to come over for dca finals in 2012! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 From the standpoint of their public pronouncement that they wanted Cadets2 to be a "weekend only Corps " this makes sense to then position their expansion into DCA and not DCI. Some might ask " why now " ? Couldn't the Cadets have done this expansion into DCA years ago ? What has changed to have the Cadets so enamored about starting up another Drum Corps for inclusion in DCA ? I think on the surface it's a good idea. I'm just a little curious about the timing and motivation of this, that's all. Especially given the new uncertainty on how the TOC new venture might turn out for DCI and the TOC Corps this year. Well, the timing is what it is. Maybe YEA! wanted to make sure they had the financial resource to make it work. Could be that They've been polling their USSBA bands local to A'town to see if the interest is there...could be many things. Not sure why it matters. Also, the " lack of Open Class Corps and shows in the area " did not dissuade the Blue Devils and the Santa Clara Vanguard from deciding years ago to develop and support a Corps within their organization for DCI Open Class competition. These two organizations knew full well that the Open Class Championships were not likely to be on the West Coast 95% of the time, and most of the Corps they would compete against in Open Class by neccessity would take the BD and SCV Open Class Corps from within these organizations clear across country. But it did not prevent them from developing these Open Class Corps for inclusion in DCI. So the " area " angle as to why the Cadets are doing this, doesn't seem like much of a consideration as to why they are doing this. Cadets1 DCI Corps will wind up traveling more miles this summer than probably any time in their history. So " travel " issues are not generally of much consideration historically with George either. But developing a " weekend only " Corps angle ?... that'll fly as a plausable reason they can give, it seems to me. Those corps do have a half dozen CA shows or so, which is a lot more opportunity than the Cadets2 would have without extensive travel...which defeats their stated purpose of a local-based non-touring corps. Plus, as you noted, they have to travel to reach champs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I was just wondering why mikeD felt the need to reply to a post attacking you and writing it as if he had been attacked. Logged in wrong account? ????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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