Marching arts leaders meet in Indianapolis . . .

[bawker]

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=9d19118c-90da-4c06-98f4-dd9a38425f7d

Not much to go on with this, but it's nice to see DCA given an equal seat at the table.

I imagine we'll get more information going forward, but what sort of collaboration would you like to see between circuits?

Granted, there's a big overlap in fan bases, and probably a little too much insularity overall with these circuits to break too far out of the norms, but what avenues haven't been explored yet?

[Jeff Ream]

show options with corps from both circuits in attendance.

a rumor ( unconfirmed) is DCI said no to All Age members about attending shows this summer. if true, the corps and the fans lose.

Would have been nice to see some of the larger regional band circuits invited too

Edited July 12, 2012 by Jeff Ream

[skywhopper]

Maybe they'll all merge into a new marching arts league with five-plus circuits... junior corps, all-age corps, scholastic marching band, indoor flag, and indoor percussion.

I don't have a clue, but I'd assume none of the separate groups would actually want to deal with the side effects of such a merge, but I'll be honest: it's the first thing that came to my mind when I read the headline here. This is exactly the kind of thing I would expect to hear first *if* they were talking about a big merger.

So... if there were a super-umbrella group for all five types of competition, would that be a good thing? Are there efficiencies to be gained? Would it lead to more of a homogenization of rules and approaches, or would it allow a better separation between different styles of event and encourage rule *differences*?

[Jeff Ream]

Maybe they'll all merge into a new marching arts league with five-plus circuits... junior corps, all-age corps, scholastic marching band, indoor flag, and indoor percussion.

I don't have a clue, but I'd assume none of the separate groups would actually want to deal with the side effects of such a merge, but I'll be honest: it's the first thing that came to my mind when I read the headline here. This is exactly the kind of thing I would expect to hear first *if* they were talking about a big merger.

So... if there were a super-umbrella group for all five types of competition, would that be a good thing? Are there efficiencies to be gained? Would it lead to more of a homogenization of rules and approaches, or would it allow a better separation between different styles of event and encourage rule *differences*?

I can imagine DCI and DCA want no parts of tying into groups that have scholastic units

[kaseyW]

I can imagine DCI and DCA want no parts of tying into groups that have scholastic units

Why not? Don't both organizations want to promote education through the arts (not referencing YEA)?

[Jeff Ream]

Why not? Don't both organizations want to promote education through the arts (not referencing YEA)?

it would require charters, bylaws, finances etc to change.

you can promote education without being tied to scholastic programs.

[jwillis35]

I do not think DCI and DCA want anything to do with joining scholastic ranks. Too many rules, requirements for paper work, licensures (teaching certificates, etc.), and just too much overhead. Drum & Bugle Corps (DCI/DCA) want to remain non-profit organizations that can control their own destiny. Additionally, they deal with summer more than anything. DCI and DCA have a lot they can talk about, and my feeling is that more kids will march DCA in the near future anyway due to finances and the economy. It makes more sense, so I think DCI needs to look closely at how they and DCA can work together.

As for working with scholastic bands, that is a much broader issue if you ask me.

The band world can be broken into many parts:

1) College Band (non compeitive, a varied set of styles but it's about the football gameday atmosphere, probably 92% of the schools)

2) College Band (competitive, Historic Black Colleges of America, and a very small group of corps-style competitors [like uMass])

3) High School Band (non-competitive, showband, swing band, dance, scramble, and military styles, maybe 70 to 75% of the groups)

4) High School Band (competitive, parade groups [like in Minnesota], and corps-style field groups [bOA, US Bands, MENC State-Run Shows], maybe 25 to 30% of the groups)

It seems to me that any collaborative events in which a drum and bugle corps is going to be present and perform at a show where bands will also perform would have to take place in the SUMMER. Other than weekend mini-camps from January thru April, and two audition dates in November and December, the drum corps does not perform during what is called the "Academic Year." Now, there used to be a summer curcuit that led to BOA (MBA) and a number of others. I think MACBDA might still be going, but it's small now, and the Great Lakes Band circuit died back in the early-to-mid 80s I think.

Should be interesting to see what they talk about.

Edited July 12, 2012 by jwillis35

[jwillis35]

double post - sorry

Edited July 12, 2012 by jwillis35

[Henson]

As different as these organizations all are, I just do not see any type of merger happening. Collaboration, on the other hand....

I take the press release at face value. They're looking for ways to collaborate. I can see some overlap in some of the business functions these groups perform under the hood - copyright and permissions work, for instance, as well as marketing or event planning and travel management - that could be approached MUCH more efficiently if they all worked together on them or subcontracted the functions out to each other. It would give a group of organizations that are all trying very hard to do some good in the face of declining incomes a way to leverage their combined expertise in areas that logically overlap. That's not a merger. It's just good sense.