JimF-LowBari Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 NO matter what you decide, good luck this year/this summer/next school year!! Agree again.... and the only person you have to satisfy is yourself and if anyone gives you crap about it, the #### with 'em.<$1 to my old man>. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredJedi Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Im not planning on staying with my current corps just to keep my chops up. I was worried more about being prepared in the lifestyle sense. The reasons I want to march BD are because they were the first corps I ever saw live, and their hornline was what made me want to be involved with the activity. I never intended Academy to be a step, I just wanted to march anywhere. Now that I am able to understand just how close to perfection a group can get...I want to get to that level. The main reason I want to march Academy again for 2012 is because of the great group of people there. If your goal is to land a spot in the Blue Devils hornline in the future ~ then do what ya gotta do to achieve that goal. If it means gaining another year of experience at Academy then so be it. Just give 100% while you're there. The thought of not giving 100% at Academy is really a non-starter anyway. Logic dictates that 100% will be required for you to level up your chops to make BD's hornline so not giving 100% is counter productive. As for "using" Academy as a stepping stone to get to Blue Devils? Ask any of the purists here if they still work at their first job in the same position that they started in for the same pay. It's no different. There is absolutely no shame in setting a goal for yourself, making a plan, then executing that plan. The very best of luck to you in whatever you decide. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 The people in drum corps are teachers. They completely understand if you need to leave for a few days during tour to go take care of a few college stuff. The only downside is the extra money in plane tickets you'd have to pay. Please tell me that you're not serious. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 The people in drum corps are teachers. They completely understand if you need to leave for a few days during tour to go take care of a few college stuff. The only downside is the extra money in plane tickets you'd have to pay. FWIW my age-out year (and my second year in the corps) I left the corps the evening after one show and met up with them the following afternoon so I could sign a lease on an apartment. The corps admin and staff were pretty accommodating, and the shows were in the same (smallish) state so I only needed to be driven around. While it was nice sleeping in my bed for the night, it was REALLY awkward for me not to wake up to the DM! Also, my age-out year, I was in the midst of planning a my wedding (I got married in the December following my age-out summer). There would be free time during dinner/show prep blocks where I would call my wife on a pay phone and work out wedding details (she was on staff with another drum corps, so that made the situation even more...interesting). It's definitely possible to march drum corps and deal with life changes. But not everyone is as adept as taking care of business (I was lucky that my wife is older than me and used to 'real life' living: if I had to rely on just myself to get everything done I would've had MAJOR problems). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 No one knows your situation better than you do. You've marched a season, so you know what you'd be missing out on. If you feel you need or want to skip a season, then go ahead and do so. It won't be the end of the world. It's becoming more and more common for members to take breaks, skip seasons, or even to quit marching period after one or two seasons. Usually for financial reasons, but not always. Just make sure you use the time you don't spend marching wisely, and there will be no regrets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHdork Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 <There are FAR better ways of networking outside of drum corps. I know that's a popular train of thought in the Music Ed world (and it's not invalid, per say), but to be honest marching drum corps only maybe helps you get a job as a tech or a coach somewhere while in college. What's FAR more important is what/how you do in college and student teaching, as well as practical teaching experience you gain along the way. > While this is true on its face, the author is ignoring - or is not aware of - the enormous intangibles one learns in drum corps...top among them are responsibility, persistence, tenacity, and the ability to keep trying despite falling short of the goal. Drum corps people learn something the average above average (think about it...) college student simply does not learn - and mostly likely CANNOT learn in college. What drum corps truly teaches has nothing to do with music of movement...those are simply the method by which drum corps transforms the young members. To the OP: you've gotten some good advice here, from many folks. The reason to march are given in these answers. The reasons NOT to march...well, only you can know those. But a teenager's wont is to lay about, get little done, eat too much, and make pretty poor use of time. All the old farts here know this, for we speak from experience. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) I've always thought that young people in drum corps are super-motivated, which I said in my reply, but if you got an apartment and you and your wife planned a wedding, all while marching, you're porof positve of my theory! FWIW my age-out year (and my second year in the corps) I left the corps the evening after one show and met up with them the following afternoon so I could sign a lease on an apartment. The corps admin and staff were pretty accommodating, and the shows were in the same (smallish) state so I only needed to be driven around. While it was nice sleeping in my bed for the night, it was REALLY awkward for me not to wake up to the DM! Also, my age-out year, I was in the midst of planning a my wedding (I got married in the December following my age-out summer). There would be free time during dinner/show prep blocks where I would call my wife on a pay phone and work out wedding details (she was on staff with another drum corps, so that made the situation even more...interesting). It's definitely possible to march drum corps and deal with life changes. But not everyone is as adept as taking care of business (I was lucky that my wife is older than me and used to 'real life' living: if I had to rely on just myself to get everything done I would've had MAJOR problems). Edited December 10, 2011 by Tim K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 If your goal is to land a spot in the Blue Devils hornline in the future ~ then do what ya gotta do to achieve that goal. If it means gaining another year of experience at Academy then so be it. Just give 100% while you're there. The thought of not giving 100% at Academy is really a non-starter anyway. Logic dictates that 100% will be required for you to level up your chops to make BD's hornline so not giving 100% is counter productive. As for "using" Academy as a stepping stone to get to Blue Devils? Ask any of the purists here if they still work at their first job in the same position that they started in for the same pay. It's no different. There is absolutely no shame in setting a goal for yourself, making a plan, then executing that plan. The very best of luck to you in whatever you decide. you are so right about setting goals,following dreams, jobs etc etc BUT the flip side is no one wants to see a corps hopper, ring chaser, dead beat member and there are plenty of those who flit around for the sake of advancement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredJedi Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 (edited) you are so right about setting goals,following dreams, jobs etc etc BUT the flip side is no one wants to see a corps hopper, ring chaser, dead beat member and there are plenty of those who flit around for the sake of advancement. For the sake of discussion. <-- Note this, please. Who really cares if a person hops from Corps to Corps if they're giving 100% while they're doing it? As long as that person doesn't let me or the Corps down during that season then that's what counts. The flip side to that? There have been returning vets that have been cut to make room for incoming talent so hornline, drumline, and guard caption heads have no problem with trading up either. Ring Chasers? I come from the "It just doesn't matter." and "Do your best." school. It didn't motivate me personally. BUT, people are motivated by different things. Not everyone is the same. Dead beats. Meh. No time for them in any situation. As long as the person is giving 100% then who am I to judge what they do the following year? Edited December 11, 2011 by RetiredJedi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I would be careful about burning any bridges. When most corps cut the rope they don't use a dull knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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