perc2100 Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I believe that we are asking to much of DCI. When most of us started we were just small corps doing local circuits and state championships. I believe we need to get back to this. We are asking new corps to jump in and compete at the DCI level. DCI should not control the activity. They should handle the judging and the regional championships and when a corps evolves to a point when they are good enough then they can go to the major championships. The first 4 or 5 years I was in a corps we never went to these big shows because we weren't good enough and didn't have the money. Any ideas ? I think if you truly want to have a positive impact on the activity, you need to do something more than complaining on an internet forum, or even complaining to an alumni association/corps meeting. Volunteer your time to a local corps. Not just for a camp or two, or even for a full year: volunteer for several seasons, get to know the members & director enough for them to confide in you and you can give them advice they might consider following. Better yet, start your own drum corps and/or circuit. Follow whatever philosophy you feel is best for the activity to guide your corps or circuit down the road. The only way to truly be influential and change the activity in a meaningful way (not just talking a buddy on a drum corps staff to sponsor a rule that has zero shot at being approved) is to entrench yourself in drum corps: volunteer for years, get elected to a corps' board of directors, start a corps or circuit that fits your ideals, etc. Anything short of that is just wasting time on an internet forum... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 If the synths were gone, would these fans of yours leave? Did they come ONLY because synths were finally allowed? I don't see any losses in repealing synths, and lots of gains in returning fans. No...they all came because of the shoes. Silly as your premise I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) Actually, you made my point for me. I know the history of corps from Arizona. I knew how many filled the ranks of BD, SCV, VK, BK, Troopers and Freelancers when Sunset Regiment, Musketeers and Sun Country Wranglers were done with the first tour. I knew people that marched and were on staff with Arizona Sun. I knew it could work. Mark and company had the plan, the resources and the get-it-done attitude to make a World Class corps happen. Their methods were/are responsible and sustainable. (BTW, there's a great interview with Mark in the July DCW.) So, when I was told that corps in Arizona wouldn't work, I knew better. Had I been able to stay in Arizona, there might be two operating corps. Unfortunately the person who took over (literally and figuratively) Copper Star made it into an ego-trip. Copper Star actually made it on the field before the Academy, but one man's play toy is not a sustainable model, and when he took his toys and went home the corps went under, too. Some people tried to get Jester going from the ashes, and made a good, though small, show of it for a season or two. They probably would thrive in a SDCA type of environment. We all know the reason DCI was started. Unfortunately, some of the things that spurred it's formation are behaviors DCI is showing itself. So, who's to say an alternative isn't viable? Why not emulate the success of some recent corps and start a new, or support an existing, alternative to DCI? In 40+ years I've witnessed a lot of changes to drum corps, including the formation of DCI. Changing the design of the G bugle from V/R when I started, to 2V and 3V only improved the quality of the horns. No problem. Grounding the pit made absolute sense. The guards are definitely more involved in telling the story. These and other small changes improved the product overall, but some of them added a huge amount of operating expenses. And when rules were proposed to reduce the costs (amps = smaller pits?), it has been proven to be false, more BS reasons to give the "designers" more toys to play with that only increased the costs to the members. I say if they want these toys, let them buy them and donate them to the corps. While I don't forsee a return to the neighborhood parish corps, either, exporing alternatives isn't wholly a bad idea. Form regional corps. Have local circuits that continue to hold local shows at the Open Class level for those that don't want to tour. There are so many ideas that could have a chance to work if we just took off the blinders to the DCI-or-bust attitude. Because, as we've seen, there's been too much bust. Garry in Vegas I stopped listening after you called Jester a good corps. I saw them several times. If Painful to watch and listen to equals good in your book, you and I sir, have vastly different definitions. And in advance, I apologize for stopping. Edited August 3, 2011 by Tom Brace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) Electronics are a done deal. Here to stay. Set in stone. oh.. You mean sort of like narration, singing quartets, solo singers, etc are all " here to stay.. set in stone " ? Or before that ( for the Dinos ) the " tick system " or " mobile tympani units carried around the field "... these were " done deals " that were " set in stone" never to go away too ? Here's the deal.. in 20 years, if you are still in this activity, they'll be changes to your " sacred cows " too, as the next generation will most likely ask what in Hell was your generation thinking with all the stuff on the field that you like and embrace now that they'll probably think is just plain awful. My guess, you'll either leave, or go with the flow even though you don't like it. In any event, at the minimum, you will have a better appreciation then of those who have gone before you. But right now, the fact is, you just don't know what you don't know. And thats cool. In time, you will come to understand a bit better, if not to come to embrace what some are telling you now. Edited August 3, 2011 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 oh.. You mean sort of like narration, singing quartets, solo singers, etc are all " here to stay.. set in stone " ? Or before that ( for the Dinos ) the " tick system " or " mobile tympani units carried around the field "... these were " done deals " that were " set in stone" too ? None of the singing or narration has been repealed. Still legal, just not as much a novelty as first was. No one is also being stopped from using mobile timps either. Here's the deal.. in 20 years, if you are still in this activity, they'll be changes to your " sacred cows " too, as the next generation will most likely ask what in Hell was your generation thinking with all the stuff on the field that you like and embrace now that they'll probably think is just plain awful. I have no sacred cows... I'm all for no restrictions, anything goes, bring on the circus, sharks with fricken laser beams attached to their heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Electronics are a done deal. Here to stay. Set in stone. The Queen of England will fly out my bum for tea and cucumber sandwiches sooner than electronics will be repealed. No amount of grumbling, complaining, shouting, petitioning will change this fact. People need to simply accept it and move on. we were told that about show design being un fan friendly too. oops. no electronics will not go...but it can be improved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I stopped listening after you called Jester a good corps. I saw them several times. If Painful to watch and listen to equals good in your book, you and I sir, have vastly different definitions. And in advance, I apologize for stopping. Respect meter -1. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 we were told that about show design being un fan friendly too. oops. no electronics will not go...but it can be improved Jeff...did you get any transcripts of the off season meetings this year. I heard the one with Cesario was worth the listen. I think he said the same thing you say. It was not a fluke the 2008 Spartacus won. It was about solid show design. Both from a judging standpoint and from an audience standpoint. I would argue the corps used some smoke and mirrors to improve their guard score...but, hey...that's far from the first time that's ever happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 My guess, you'll either leave, or go with the flow even though you don't like it. In any event, at the minimum, you will have a better appreciation then of those who have gone before you. But right now, the fact is, you just don't know what you don't know. And thats cool. In time, you will come to understand a bit better, if not to come to embrace what some are telling you now. If I genuinely cared, which I assume I will (over the next 20 years I'll end up becoming a bit more involved in the activity than I am now, not less) and wished to make a change... it would be more of the "play the game, win the game, change the game" model than to walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) I stopped listening after you called Jester a good corps. I saw them several times. If Painful to watch and listen to equals good in your book, you and I sir, have vastly different definitions. And in advance, I apologize for stopping. Let me restate it then. Jester was far from being a good corps, but the kids trying to make it happen were good kids with a great attitude. And I know a couple went on to good things after their time there. So, for the sake of one thing you disagree with, and I understand that point, you're going to completely dismiss everything else? I thought you were more open-mided than that. Garry in Vegas Edited August 3, 2011 by CrunchyTenor 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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