Did DCI Get it Right?

[RetiredJedi]

Just like the individual drum corps shows take time to develop, so will the new judging system.

One thing is for sure: the three judges on the field, and at least two in the box aren't judging entertainment, crowd-appeal, congeniality, or anything else related to fandom. You just can't look at total scores on this (or any other system thus far) and say with any credibility that the "system" did or didn't reward "fan-friendly" shows.

Anyone who says they can sit in the stands (or in front of a computer screen) and tell if "DCI got it right" is delusional.

Noticed you pulled your name out of your sig.

I didn't know DCI judges were supposed to post on DCP.

The good ones don't.

[drumno5]

If what matters is a corps' connection with individual audience members, why should their connections (or not) with you matter more than their connections (or not) with me, even if you outnumber me? Why should your feelings have more weight in their fate than mine, or vice versa? To me, what needs to change are not the judges' sheets, but the fans' ways of understanding what a score means versus what a performance makes them feel. It doesn't matter that I think Cadets 2011 was corny, because it did truly outperform the shows that spoke more directly to me. I can respect that it won without needing the judges to validate my feelings.

Because if what matters is that corps are connecting with people -- someone, anyone -- then the only true disqualifier would be a corps that connected with no one, and that's never the case. Beyond that, it has to be legitimate that some shows simply aren't made to please everyone, in part because of every audience members' inherent biases, in part because pleasing everyone is impossible, and in part because universal populism would eventually get boring.

These are artistic choices, and corps should be free to make them.

Very valid, and well stated. thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Fred O.

[charlie1223]

I feel like this is a BD thread in disguise!

Cadets last year won and it was definetly a crowd favorite. 2008 crowd favorite. 2005 (my personal favorite). So past 6 years can be considered "recent years". I think The only shows that the OP is addressing as "artsy" and received mild applause were BD winning shows.

I mean it seems like BD's show design this year hasn't changed and they still have that identity intact whether it still pleases the new sheets has yet to be determined.

Edited June 21, 2012 by charlie1223

[chaos001]

Noticed you pulled your name out of your sig.

The good ones don't.

LOL! His handle gave him away...not to mention I know hat he reads DCP.

[MartinO]

I don't say in taking in audience connection that all other aspects of performance should be thrown out. Everything else should be judged as it always has been. All I am saying is this: take two corps that are generally performing at an equal level, executing a basically equal level of difficulty. If the audience is sitting on their hands for much of one show because there is no connection, and on the other show they are going crazy, that this should be taken into account. If they are judged this way, no one is going to let up on their performance level. It remains as it always has. All this does is incentivizes the design staffs to remember that there are fans in the stands who want to be entertained. This factor may make as little difference as one point in the overall scoring system, but designers would have to keep in mind that this one point sometimes makes all the difference in Indianapolis. I'm trying to see where anyone loses out in this kind of scheme.

[Jeff Ream]

until you get enough major players together at a few shows, say after San Antonio, you have no way of knowing

[Wadep66]

There haven't been enough shows with a full panel. Other than that, I can't tell a difference. Looks to me like what scored high in the past is scoring high now.

[JamMan]

What if a fan favorite is also artsy?

[Ed from Kansas]

What if a fan favorite is also artsy?

Then you have the best of both worlds.

[kaseyW]

"Artsy and gets mild applause will win again, business as usual in DCI."

So drum corps shouldn't be "artsy"? I think you're confusing the term with avant garde. As far as I'm concerned, there are only a few corps out there practicing avant garde entertainment. And since when has entertainment and artsy NOT been a term used together? Culture, anyone? What about the simple fact that culture is about art, and entertaining an audience, and intriguing the audience in a way that evokes emotion from them. Maybe a reason that fine arts funding in schools is being cut is because people are refusing to accept that art is a natural progression of culture. Art is supposed to reflect what is happening NOW. In my opinion, Michael Cesario (and George Hopkins - OMG I said the "G" word) is doing a fabulous job with trying to move the art of drum corps with the natural progression of culture (no I'm not talking about woodwinds).

Okay now to step off my soap box. I think...

Edited June 30, 2012 by kaseyW