ajlisko Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 For those of you that marched in those earlier corps days...what were rehearsals like? Because I know in the present days in DCI, DCA, and even competitive high school marching bands you've got maybe 6 or 7 visual staff members yelling at you over a microphone or long ranger about dot accuracy and all the mussels you have to flex and engage to properly march! What kind of things were the directors always reminding/yelling at/telling/teaching you about? Because the format and judging captions and priorities were different in those days, I imagine that the way rehearsals were run was different than how it is today. In the 60's, our "season" would end sometime in late September/early October ... the final parade would ususally be on Columbus Day - somewhere ... then rehearsal for the next season would begin ... it was kind of fluid ... the horn instructor would usually pick a new opener (OTL) and thetn start teaching ... the drum instructor would ususlly start teaching a new drum solo, wait a few weeks until the hornline had a grasp of the OTL, tape it (yes, on a tape recorder) and then write out his drum chart (in rote) ... then the next number ... the next number ... and so on ... until the show was complete ... corps I was involved with rehearsed one or two time a week - 2-3 hours at a clip ... then one Sunday a month we would learn the drill in an armory - again, song by song ... the Color Guard was kept busy competing in guard shows through the winter and spring ... and, of course, there were I&E shows all across the NY Metro area (and beyond) ... I made more friends at the I&E and guard shows than any field show ... I do not recall any extensive yelling by our horn or drum guy ... the drill guy(s) usually got a little testy and physical ... until they were rebuked by a peer (or a Priest - LOL) ... so ... one instructor per caption ... no "intense" instruction - all very constructive ... more of a nice youth activity - but we did learn well ... and social outlet for city kids ... we routinely met during "non" drum corps hours to do stuff together ... kind of like "lean on me" on steroids ... :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 In the 60's, our "season" would end sometime in late September/early October ... the final parade would ususally be on Columbus Day - somewhere ... then rehearsal for the next season would begin ... it was kind of fluid ... the horn instructor would usually pick a new opener (OTL) and thetn start teaching ... the drum instructor would ususlly start teaching a new drum solo, wait a few weeks until the hornline had a grasp of the OTL, tape it (yes, on a tape recorder) and then write out his drum chart (in rote) ... then the next number ... the next number ... and so on ... until the show was complete ... corps I was involved with rehearsed one or two time a week - 2-3 hours at a clip ... then one Sunday a month we would learn the drill in an armory - again, song by song ... the Color Guard was kept busy competing in guard shows through the winter and spring ... and, of course, there were I&E shows all across the NY Metro area (and beyond) ... I made more friends at the I&E and guard shows than any field show ... I do not recall any extensive yelling by our horn or drum guy ... the drill guy(s) usually got a little testy and physical ... until they were rebuked by a peer (or a Priest - LOL) ... so ... one instructor per caption ... no "intense" instruction - all very constructive ... more of a nice youth activity - but we did learn well ... and social outlet for city kids ... we routinely met during "non" drum corps hours to do stuff together ... kind of like "lean on me" on steroids ... :-) The I&E shows were the best, and I credit the BHoF for rekindling that flame, but the recent shows have had the feel of the GAS Reunion to them. Mainly old farts like us instead of the 15 - 21 year old youngsters (like us) BITD. I think the venue is right, but somehow we need to get some of these young talented kids attending - I wonder sometimes whether having the events at night would help? I remember going on after 1am in shows in Brooklyn (sometimes for the 5th time between quartet, duet, bari solo, contra, whatever else). I'm proud of what BHoF has done with these shows but wish I could crack the code for making these popular with kids. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) I have to agree with those who posted "This is the best thread EVER started here. I dunno Ray it just cost me almost $10 on eBay... After I posted about Posts that no long exist I googled the VFW Post that sponsored Westshoremen to see if it still existed or where it is located today. LOL, live one town over and NO idea.... Then I found this... and gave myself a late B-day present.... Edited August 20, 2013 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) Move the Color Pre up to song #2 or #3 ... Ballads were usually played backfield to set up for a final Production number ... then an Exit to leave the field ... Drum Solos could pop up anywhere ... some as short as 32 counts ... Here's an example of the 1964 St. Raphael's Bucs: OTL - Gabriel, Come Bolw Your Horn #2 - Out of Nowhere (played backfield) Drum Solo Color Pre - Victory March #4 - Mississippi Mud Concert - Cry Me a River #6 - Up a Lazy River Drum Solo Production - How The West Was Won Drum Solo Exit - In This Whole World You'll find other similar formats in corpsreps.com This thread is really good ... chock full of history and information ... let's keep it going ... ask more questions!!!! :-) I remember in 1971, when Blue Rock's "American Salute" opener also served as their color presentation. A radical move for those days!!! Edited August 20, 2013 by Fran Haring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I dunno Ray it just cost me almost $10 on eBay... :tongue:/> After I posted about Posts that no long exist I googled the VFW Post that sponsored Westshoremen to see if it still existed or where it is located today. LOL, live one town over and NO idea.... Then I found this... and gave myself a late B-day present.... Nice find, Jim!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RKF Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 In the early years of DCA, was DCA bigger than the AL or VFW circuits? Actually DCA started off fairly small in numbers. There were only six corps at the first DCA championship in 1965. Most seniors remained outside of DCA during the 64 and 65 seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) Nice find, Jim!!! Thanks, I showed it to my wife and the quote was something like... "NEAT!!.... oh, you just bought that right? Weird thing is a year or so ago my dad gave us a kind of ugly but unique wooden wishing well that my grandfather bought about 70 years back. Inside was matchbook cover with my granddads Hudson dealer info on it. Still gently cleaning the 50+ years of filth off of it but would make a nice pairing... Edited August 20, 2013 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) Actually DCA started off fairly small in numbers. There were only six corps at the first DCA championship in 1965. Most seniors remained outside of DCA during the 64 and 65 seasons. True. For perspective, as the question was about Senior Corps participation relative to AL/ VFW : in '64 the AL Chammpionships were late that year ( Sept.21st ) and held in Dallas. 7 Seniors competed, only 2 ( Cabs & Brigs ) from back East. In '65, the AL Championships were in Portland, Ore. and only 5 Seniors competed, 2 from East ( Roch. Cru & Cabs ). In '64, '65, no Seniors competed these years at the VFW Nationals. In '64, '65, these were bridge years for the Seniors, as they were in the process of convincing others to join them in their new Circuit, DCA and some Corps were unsure if they wanted to jump in with both feet or not. Meanwhile during this time frame, the AL And the VFW were already planning their Conventions without many of the elite Senior Corps in their planning. Edited August 20, 2013 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) True. For perspective, as the question was about Senior Corps participation relative to AL/ VFW : in '64 the AL Chammpionships were late that year ( Sept.21st ) and held in Dallas. 7 Seniors competed, only 2 ( Cabs & Brigs ) from back East. In '65, the AL Championships were in Portland, Ore. and only 5 Seniors competed, 2 from East ( Roch. Cru & Cabs ). In '64, '65, no Seniors competed these years at the VFW Nationals. In '64, '65, these were bridge years for the Seniors, as they were in the process of convincing others to join them in their new Circuit, DCA and some Corps were unsure if they wanted to jump in with both feet or not. Meanwhile during this time frame, the AL And the VFW were already planning their Conventions without many of the elite Senior Corps in their planning. But either 1962 or 1963 was the last year for Senior corps at VFW Nats ever. IIRC it was VFW who made the decision to go Jr only. Who wants to relate 1966 AL Nats and how it helped DCA? Edited August 20, 2013 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) Who wants to relate 1966 AL Nats and how it helped DCA? :devil:/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/>/> '66 AL Nats were in RFK Stadium, Wash. D.C.. Because of its eastern location, there were close to 50 Junior Corps that competed in the Prelims, but only 5 Seniors decided to go and participate in the Senior Corps competition Division. Interestingly enough, after the AL Championships in Late August of '66, one month later in Late Sept., DCA held their DCA Circuit Championships ( Bridgeport, Ct.) Their DCA Circuit Championship Finals placements and scores however looked little like the Al Championships placement and scores from 3 weeks earlier among the handful of the top Senior Corps that went to both. ( not that an unusual occurance at all however in the 50's, 60's,in either the Juniors or the Seniors Corps ranks. ) Edited August 20, 2013 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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