Cadets 2013 - A Requiem for DCI...

[cixelsyd]

Complicated issue. Can't say I agree more or disagree more, but I will say that to my knowledge no one has offered their ideas and pulled together others to try and affect change, so, he is the target to that is easy to see. He threw his idea out there, if other corps don't like it, they should put forth their idea.

They did - in fact, their ideas were formulated into a 5-year business plan that was ratified by DCI in 2009 by a vote that was unanimous, except for one dissenter (George Hopkins).

[JKT90]

Slide 40, he advocates for a fan vote, would count for 10% of the total.

[garfield]

Complicated issue. Can't say I agree more or disagree more, but I will say that to my knowledge no one has offered their ideas and pulled together others to try and affect change, so, he is the target to that is easy to see. He threw his idea out there, if other corps don't like it, they should put forth their idea.

Just months before the May, 2010 G7 coup attempt, DCI released their 5-year plan that, by the way had been voted on and ratified at the January, 2010 DCI Janual.

The Other-15 (O-15) now have a plan for organic growth of the activity that benefits all corps in both the G7 and O15: DrumLine Battle and Soundsport.

[jasgre2000]

Would love for the G-7 to leave DCI they would fall flat on there faces .Not enought interest in anyone of there shows to pack a staduim .Its all the corps that bring in the crowds not just the G-7 The moive preview In NYC had a total of 18 people thier ,Less than 30 in each of the theartes on Long Island .Yet DCI semi Finals fills the NYC moive house ,The G-7 alone can't do that.

And you think the rest of DCI would do any better? The attendance at the TOC shows have much more to do with WHEN and WHERE they are held than who is participating in them.

Edited July 28, 2013 by jasgre2000

[Fran Haring]

As many of us said at the time, the whole G7-thing will finally filter out to the masses. One at a time, slowly but surely.

While I appreciate burning the forest once in a while, the fire already occurred in 2010 and the forest management brought in new trees. In 2012, the Seven tried to change to a different tree, but the forest managers said no and have continued to plant.

The Seven are now trying to decide if the soil is rich enough for them to grow their trees in DCI's forest. There's a chance that they may clear land elsewhere and plant their own trees.

Fully grown trees don't transplant well. They're big, require heavy equipment to move, and a large majority of them die.

Properly nourished saplings grow over time to be big, strong trees even as the big transplanted ones fail to take root and fall over.

The "Joyce Kilmer Theory" regarding the G7.

[JKT90]

1375034853[/url]' post='3295760']

They did - in fact, their ideas were formulated into a 5-year business plan that was ratified by DCI in 2009 by a vote that was unanimous, except for one dissenter (George Hopkins).

Oh, cool, didn't know...what was their plan?

[JKT90]

1375034853[/url]' post='3295760']

They did - in fact, their ideas were formulated into a 5-year business plan that was ratified by DCI in 2009 by a vote that was unanimous, except for one dissenter (George Hopkins).

No simple answers to gain a consensus.

Edited July 28, 2013 by JKT90

[skywhopper]

Complicated issue. Can't say I agree more or disagree more, but I will say that to my knowledge no one has offered their ideas and pulled together others to try and affect change, so, he is the target to that is easy to see. He threw his idea out there, if other corps don't like it, they should put forth their idea.

The flaw in this argument is the premise that there has to be a "big idea". How about just focusing on growing the activity, strengthening existing corps, seeding new ones, and finding new ways to engage the fan base?

But, as it happens, there have been multiple attempts to do exactly this in the past few years. In 2009 there was a big new business plan (still available online if you want to see what they were going for, also the related article). Part of that involved stuff like special Blu-ray products which we've now started to see (the upscaled/restored historic performances), expanding the Fan Network, adding the start-of-season live cinecast. So that's been underway for a while now. No idea if it's meeting the revenue goals set by DCI in the business plan, but they *are* following the plan.

Then, there are other initiatives that have come from outside the G7. There was a "DCI Next" proposal that was never made public that was presented by Dan Acheson to the membership in 2012, but my understanding is that it was voted down,

The whole SoundSport thing is a HUGE step forward, IMO, and we've already seen its effects in terms of a number of new and resurrected corps in miniature form, some of whom have performed at DCI events this year. I hope we start seeing more structured SoundSport performances in the coming years, and that we some some of these corps grown into full-scale DCI corps in their own right. This idea did not come out of the G7.

Fact is, the G7 proposal was not made in the spirit of working together, and the presentation is explicit about the idea that the non-G7 corps are not worth supporting, and that Open Class should be thrown away. Doing nothing would be better than following the G7 proposal. But DCI was already on a path of improving things, and is doing even more now to grow the activity. What are the G7 doing, except having back-room pow-wows to ##### about DCI and sending the occasional threat saying "hey, just let us run things, won't ya?"

Edited July 29, 2013 by skywhopper

[LSU GRAD 82]

In the words of the current director, the show does not need a libretto or doctorate in philosophy to understand it. It is meant to be savored and enjoyed.

Well then, it's different than most shows. Like I've said many times on here, I'm not going to a show to think or try to understand the meaning of the production. Either entertain me or I will not be in the stadium.

[brassEXPERT]

Forgive me if this has been discussed to death elsewhere (if so, mods, feel free to close after the re-direct), BUT, having just seen this years version of the Cadets, a few things occurred to me and I am interested to see what the rest of you think:

Cadets 2013, originally titled Both Sides Now (an obvious allusion to a desire for resolution to the problems between certain G7 Directors and the rest of DCI), then re-titled Side By Side (seemingly an allusion to the drum corps nuclear option of the G7 breakaway organization Music in Motion), seems to tell the story of the last few years of internal strife within the DCI organization. This post is about what I think I saw based on my initial viewing, though I will stop short of applying the interpretation to specific events of the past few years. Perhaps others can help fill in the gaps if you agree?

To start, the towers are purple and we have two sides. The music here is the Barber Adagio for Strings, a piece known to be played as a requiem (at the death of FDR, JFK, Einstein, many times after 9/11, etc.). This sets the scene for what is to come. One side goes to join the other and there is a good deal of turbulence through Symphony No. 1 as both sides are working.

As the second production begins, we have some back and forth call and response and the towers change from purple (both sides) to redish, showing us what is happening on that "side" only (or perhaps that things are controlled by that side?). The Adagio continues to hang over and haunt the production as things get more and more intense leading to a big clash at the end of the red tower section.

The towers turn again and show us what is happening on the back "side" of things as there is much lamenting over the issues at hand.

The final tower turn brings on the mash-up of Medea and Adagio and brings us to the viewpoint of the other "side".

After writing all this out, perhaps I will try a stab at applying to specific events:

Purple: G7 goes to DCI board meeting with the G7 Presentation, arguments ensue.

Redish: G7 Directors are ousted from DCI Board of Directors and DCI is controlled by the other (non-G7) "side".

Muted Yellow: A period of sadness follows.

Bright Yellow: A resolution is reached by the G7 "side" to break away from DCI and exist "Side By Side" with it as MiM.

They are playing Medea to remind us of the last thing that was played on a DCI field by Star before they broke away (successfully) from DCI to pursue another venture that was not exactly drum corps, but used the drum corps model at first. They are playing Adagio as a requiem for what DCI has been and has meant to them, providing personal closure to the issue before breaking away themselves. They bookend with Adagio and leave with their backs to us because they do not intend to come back after 2013.

Thoughts?

A few notes on your recap....

G7 proposal well represented, definitely need some work coming out of the reddish section, potentially some darker colors to convey better sadness. Kids really stepping it up, but whats left? Where do they go? How can they become better, sad performers.....

It is just a game? What is left for us to teach in the last two weeks.

-Hard work

-Kids keep working hard

-Push to end and work hard

-Wake up in the morning and work hard

Sometimes it feels that nobody is listening. Other times it feels as if people are listening. Very different days....

And so I sit here writing, reading reviews and preparing myself to be a better teacher for tomorrow. Where does Medea actually come into play?... If this is a reference to star leaving DCI, maybe cadets become brass theatre. That already exists.....

Next Idea....

Music in Motion. Yes. Kids will have opportunity to continue learning to work hard. Yellow definitely describes, design team in favor. Must wake up and work hard tomorrow. Proud of team.... Blue devils show must also be reference to conspiracy. Poles represent years they have been in DCI. 100 poles. Genius. All 100 years of DCI. Can we beat them? Up to judges......

-Georg.....I mean

-The brassEXPERT