Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Jeff: If you do some research, and go back trough older DCP threads, you will discover that the D-Ray really does not care to adhere to things like The Constitution or Bylaws; in fact he makes light of them. To him The Constitution and Bylaws are merely theoretical pliable silly putty. Stu, and as you know, I enjoy smacking people in the face with reality Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 The voting membership of DCI is made up of the organizations, not individual corps directors. If the corps themselves decided to change the Board structure, it would require a majority of the organizations to agree to send representatives to the next meeting (or call a meeting) and vote on a change in the bylaws that instituted an all outside Board. It wouldn't really be that difficult. oh I think it'd be very difficult actually. The whole G7 things was about money and control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 For several years now, there's always some discussion about how the judges let the corps know what they like no matter how well the show is executed. To reach the goal this topic is covering, does the judging community have to make changes in how they approach their roles, or does the "sheets" need more tweaking? training as to how to use the new sheet is best. The new sheets themselves, if applied correctly, are awesome. What needs to be fixed is the numbers....performance needs more weight than repertoire, and maybe GE needs to be lessened in weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 A couple of years back, DCI organized a pre season sit down between the judges and some of the DCI show designers so that the show designers could explain verbally to the judges what the theme for the coming season would be all about and what they would be attempting to convey musically and visually in the show. This no doubt must have been set up so that even the DCI judges themselves would not be confused with the show. We could possibly all agree here it would seem to me that changes are needed if a preseason meeting has to be set up with the judges by show designers so that the judges will themselves understand the show, and not be confused by the theme, and by what exactly is being attempted to convey in the coming show to those unafiliated with that Corps. Does anybody here know if these preseason meetings between judges and show designers still take place to allow the show designers the opportunity to explain verbally their show and theme ? The audience gets no such one on one opoortunity to have this show " explanation ", and thats unfortunate, imo. If the DCI judging community itself needs to have a Corps show " explained " to them, then it seems to me it illustrates how far off the track we may have gone of late. I don't know if the meetings still happen, but this ties back to the single greatest line I have ever heard in critique at a band show: "If it took you that long to describe and explain your show, you over wrote and fans will be confused as hell" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 But to be honest, I've never 'enjoyed' an era of drum corps were there weren't loud complainers. I started going to drum corps shows in 1991, and ever since that first show I've heard PLENTY of complaining, every year, about how "things were better in the old days" as far as show design. Talking to friends who marched in the 80's, the share similar stories that they heard. Same with people I know who marched in the 70's. There will ALWAYS be a vocal minority of unhappy "fans:" of people who left the activity for one reason or the other, and love to justify their decision by telling you how much modern drum corps sucks compared to what they "remember." Absolutely. Complaining goes way back, only with no internet it wasn't as loud. Look at various letters to the editor of Drum Corps News on NanciD's great site, where one guy wrote a letter about how adding contras turned drum corps into band...around 1962 or thereabouts. Or Dick Blake's editorial deriding the use of themed shows in 1971 with the Scouts, Cavies and Cadets...along with the 'Day Drum Corps Died' t-shirt for the same year (though I think Blake eventually took it back once he actually SAW the shows he was complaining about during the winter). Or the clamor about BAC using bells (not to mantion the clamor OF those bells ) in 1969...and the VFW making them eliminate them before champs. Or Bayonne 1976 with the banana unis. Some old time "legacy" fans in the audience HATED every minute of their show that year...today they are celebrated as one of the great corps of all time (and rightly so). One thing that hasn't changed...people complained about the Blue Devils being so darn good even in the mid-70's, at lest here in the East. In my years as a drum corps fan, I've found there are two ways to look at the activity: focus on what annoys me, or focus on what thrills me. I spent a while after aging out focusing on what annoyed me, and even stopped following the activity for awhile. After time away I came back with the thought of "what cool stuff is out there now?" and I tend to really enjoy a lot of the activity. There are plenty of things that annoy/bore/displease me when it comes to individual shows, but there are just as many or more things that excite me. I really do take the good with the bad, and enjoy the stuff every year that excites me (even if it means a show I dislike wins & a favorite gets panned by judges). Like I've said before, looking at any random Legacy DVD and comparing it to 2012 Finals DVD, there are just as many shows I live & dislike in any given year on average. IMO that shows that DCI hasn't radically changed over the years, and just like all entertainment/art forms some stuff I like, some stuff I don't. I tend to focus on the shows I like each year, and it quite changeable, and often does not include the top three finishers. What I 'like' as a fan is more a visceral reaction to a show an what it pulls out of me as an audience member. 2012 the top "like" show was the Blue Knights. 2011 happened to be the DCI winner, The Cadets. Placement makes no difference to what I like. But...looking at the scores and placements, I usually agree on the ranking and rating. I've liked Crown a LOT most years this century, but it had nothing to do with placements; for me the shows like the Industry show and the great 2004 show are my favorite Crown shows, long before they were knocking at the door to win champs. Probably the only corps of the last 25 years that has been on my favorite list almost EVERY year is Regiment, but they have not usually placed in the top 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Stu, and as you know, I enjoy smacking people in the face with reality ...or your version of it, anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Speaking for myself now as an audience member, I don't care about "DCI" and don't equate that organization at all with the shows when I go to allentown, giant's stadium, etc. To me its a "parent company".. When I'm at KFC (rarely), I don't care that it is (was?) owned by PepsiCo. I care that the food I'm getting is satisfying my needs. When I go to a drum corps show, it's the same way.. I want to see quality shows that entertain me and the people I bring. Sorry to say, but even though I marched with a low-tier corps at one point and wouldn't give up the experience for anything, I typically show up at Allentown a few corps in because 8-10 really don't represent what I consider to be high level entertaining drum corps. I know the kids work their butts off, and are getting tons out of it, but a 30 member horn line doing some esoteric chop-and-bop arrangement doesn't do it for me. I find it harder each year to make the trek out (and to the movies), but I do.. partially just to support the activity I was a part of in my youth. But I've said on other threads - I always try and bring people.. my kids, friends, etc.. most have no interest in going back.. they will mention a few shows they really liked, and would be more apt to go to a show of just those corps (akin to what the G7/TOC stuff seems to think). I know that wasn't really a directly response to your post, I just wanted to throw that out there. I marched, I love drum corps. I don't care about the inner workings of "DCI", I just want to be entertained with full, powerful corps with memorable shows (and not memorable in the "what the heck was that" way, like I was with BD last year). So to me, its all about the product on the field, which has been getting less interesting year afer year to me (with exceptions here and there). If I didn't have a past with the activity and it wasn't a tradition to go to Allentown each year, I'd probably not even care if I didn't go. I agree with you on the on field product 100%. Many others do as well, butwhen you say that on here, you're just some stuck in the mud out of touch old timer. This is a real concern for DCI, and one it really tries to blow off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 I beg to differ. I have observed over the last 13 years that a very high majority of Board Members of the corps that compose DCI have little to no idea what's going on within DCI. The individual corps directors ARE the corps, at DCI meetings. yup. hence my many references to corps boards that are just yes men Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Again, what is" boring " ( or not ) is a thoroughly personal opinion statement. Some could state that having just 3 " teams " for 35 years win over 80% of the titles... whether deserving or not.... quite " boring "; ..and be just as " accurate " as your statement regarding such a personal obervation. many fans care more about being entertained than who places where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Several of us here have heard from several sources is that there's been a sea change on that front in the last few weeks. I'd look for more corps Board members to be much more aware of what their directors are saying and doing in their organization's names, and that the votes that happen at the DCI level will be much more informed by active Board member discussion back home. The day of the lone warrior corps director at the DCI meetings has pretty much passed. It's taken a few decades, but the activity finally has Boards of Directors at the corps level that are starting to provide leadership rather than rubber stamping. It's a very healthy development. but one notable team had no players there. very telling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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