Why doesn't the Southeast thrive?

[supersop]

I think I just came up with a recruiting angle for Southern corps ... after all .. our military is highly supported by Southern States which are traditionally Republican and highly Patriotic.

[Rifuarian]

I will say this with regards to the topic .... Southern folk ( and I have many many many of them in my family ) coddle their children. They're very overprotective. It's a bible belt thing I guess. If more parents understood what drum corps was in the South .. they would be more willing to cut the umbilical cord and let their kids get a great experience in DCI. I think this is a challenge for any corps in the South from an administrative standpoint. DCI is almost like joining the military .. once the young person belongs to the corps ... that's it. Coddling over. Their bottom belongs to the corps.... and Momma don't like that much.

Err . . . what? There are plenty of stereotypes about the South, some true, some not. This is the first I've ever heard of this one. Wish it were true though. Then maybe my parents wouldn't have had me strip all that god####ed tobacco every year.

Once again, recruitment is not the problem in the South. Lots and lots of Southern kids in drum corps, lots more who want to march. The problemsare: 1. Drum corps never thrived in the South during the "Golden Age", for various reasons. 2. Non-Southern corps holding camps and auditions in the South which, alongside the number of these corps within easy driving distance of the South, draw kids away. 3. General lack of adults with enough experience and competence to keep a corps on the field, which IMO is directly related to problem 1.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Rifuarian

[Carolina09Spirit]

Hey supersop, check your messages

[Kamarag]

I will say this with regards to the topic .... Southern folk ( and I have many many many of them in my family ) coddle their children. They're very overprotective.

Newsflash: That's not a southern thing, that's a modern America thing. It's happening in large numbers all over the country, including wherever you live.

[supersop]

Err . . . what? There are plenty of stereotypes about the South, some true, some not. This is the first I've ever heard of this one. Wish it were true though. Then maybe my parents wouldn't have had me strip all that god####ed tobacco every year.

Once again, recruitment is not the problem in the South. Lots and lots of Southern kids in drum corps, lots more who want to march. The problemsare: 1. Drum corps never thrived in the South during the "Golden Age", for various reasons. 2. Non-Southern corps holding camps and auditions in the South which, alongside the number of these corps within easy driving distance of the South, draw kids away. 3. General lack of adults with enough experience and competence to keep a corps on the field, which IMO is directly related to problem 1.

It's not a "stereotype" persay ... it's just how I see it. Within my own family and at numberous camps that I've been to all around the country. I see my example the most in the South. I didn't say EVERYONE from the South .. but it's more common down there .. and that's from an Administrators point of view.

[supersop]

Newsflash: That's not a southern thing, that's a modern America thing. It's happening in large numbers all over the country, including wherever you live.

^5 ... I know it

[OleMissRebel]

There are tons of corps style bands in the southeast that are doing fairly well. The majority of bands in the south are corps style bands. There are not as many "show style bands in the south as you might think. Of course they are there but are actually decreasing in popularity. I can speak for Mississippi and Alabama because I was born in Mississippi raised in Alabama and went to college and work in Mississippi (Hotty Toddy! Go Rebs!). The reason why corps struggle in the south is not because of lack of wealthy people but rather because of a lack of motivation. In the South sports are king, especially baseball and football. They are cash cows and anyone who has money including former musicians and band members would rather give to their university of choice or community sports team rather then to a corps or fine art. That's the truth. In the south we put value on different things. Not saying it's right but thats life. There are tons of healthy corps style bands that feed corps but there will never be the proper funding of a multiple corps in the southeast because it is hard to motivate individuals to give to the arts in the south. Just my opinion.

[andyboy252]

There are a few reasons. For one thing it is really hot down here. While I was enjoying mid 70 degree temperatures in Baraboo, Wisconsin I had other friends back home marching Spirit who were dealing with 100+ degree temperatures. Another thing is that kids are going to march where they want to march. Sure, I could have saved around $1500 in travel expenses to have stayed home and marched Spirit but I wanted to march with the Madison Scouts and I was willing to work extra hard to come up with the money. I just think that most people would rather march with a corps that has an excellent history and is stable rather than taking there chance with a new corps trying to start up in the south. Had more corps been started here in the 60s or 70s I think it would be a different story. When I was a freshman my college marching band had over 80 people who had marched with world class drum corps and we had several people with rings. There is definitely a good southern representation in drum corps. Oh, and the notion that kids from the south are babied more than kids from other parts of the country is absolutely crazy.

Edited July 19, 2012 by andyboy252

[supersop]

There are a few reasons. For one thing it is really hot down here. While I was enjoying mid 70 degree temperatures in Baraboo, Wisconsin I had other friends back home marching Spirit who were dealing with 100+ degree temperatures. Another thing is that kids are going to march where they want to march. Sure, I could have saved around $1500 in travel expenses to have stayed home and marched Spirit but I wanted to march with the Madison Scouts and I was willing to work extra hard to come up with the money. I just think that most people would rather march with a corps that has an excellent history and is stable than taking there chance with a new corps trying to start up in the south. Had more corps been started here in the 60s or 70s I think it would be a different story. Oh, and the notion that kids from the south are babied more than kids from other parts of the country is absolutely crazy.

I buy that 100%. That goes for any new startup corps. Look at Legends in Michigan. How long have they been around? 4-5 years? HOw many kids leave Michigan to march elsewhere ... TONS! MSU and UofM .. not to mention Central U., Eastern and even Western have great music programs in those Universities. Not a single kid is from those Universities are marching Legends. They all do PR, Scouts, Cavies, Coats, Cadets, Spirit .. you name it. Michigan feeds the top 12 like crazy!

Not until Legends struggles to become a full corps (whether OC or WC) will they begin to draw attention from the college students in this State. I'm sure it's the same all over. I will say that Music City has a great shot at getting some draw next year. They made a huge impression in Minnesota. So did Legends for that matter ... but they're not going to have a full brass section for a while (unless they win the lottery and lower touring fees below $2800 not including housing, camps, audition fees etc etc etc.).

[azul]

I know of several very successful corps style bands from the south. There's Kennesaw Mountain, Tarpon Springs, Science Hill, Bourbon County, and shoot a lot of them leave my mind as I try to think of them but the lack of corps style bands is definitely not the problem especially in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Don't know much about Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama.