Marching in both a competing and alumni corps?

[Fran Haring]

I got nothin' here.

I have my hands full with three rehearsals and one performance yearly with the Westshoremen Alumni.

[Cathie Wiener]

Also to clarify for those who don't know, when I mentioned dual participation with those of us in Freelancers Alumni, it's important to note Freelancers Alumni does not do the full-fledged marching field shows like Cabs Alumni or Bridgemen. Therefore, I would assume it's not quite the same commitment as the Alumni Corps on the East Coast. That being said, our two guys that did Freelancers and Renegades simultaneously did have fully "staged" mini corps shows to learn and try to perfect with two shows' worth of music to memorize each of the years they did this. It was still incredibly hectic for them.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Cathie Wiener

[dasboot]

It IS possible to do both, as I have helped the Cabs Alumni while performing with the Cabs competing corps. (Never the other way around)...BUT.....if there ever was a conflict, the Competing corps ALWAYS came first...no ifs, ands or buts about it. (AND I NEVER did both during the competition season.(June - Sept) It was one or the other....never both.)

It's a tough decision to make Will.....as you are young, and you probably feel like you can do both. But....it you were thinking about auditioning for Cabs, and they ever found out you were performing with an alumni when you should have been at a Cabs rehearsal/parade/performance, there might be some backlash. (They have eyes everywhere!! LOL)

Seriously think about what you really want to do....both (competing and alumni) are definitely fun for what they are!

Thanks for the advice Frank. I appreciate the advice, and I believe I know what I will do!

[FPonzo]

Glad I could help Will.....and I do hope to see you at OUR Open house! :-)

[dasboot]

Glad I could help Will.....and I do hope to see you at OUR Open house! :-)

Oh you will, don't worry

[Donny Drum Corps]

I have taught and played with mini corps, DCA competition corps and Alumni corps in the same year several times. But it was mostly as a teacher with the competitive corps I was with, perhaps if I were a performer, it would have only been in the pit.

But it was very difficult.

Donny

[rayfallon]

It IS possible to do both, as I have helped the Cabs Alumni while performing with the Cabs competing corps. (Never the other way around)...BUT.....if there ever was a conflict, the Competing corps ALWAYS came first...no ifs, ands or buts about it. (AND I NEVER did both during the competition season.(June - Sept) It was one or the other....never both.)

It's a tough decision to make Will.....as you are young, and you probably feel like you can do both. But....it you were thinking about auditioning for Cabs, and they ever found out you were performing with an alumni when you should have been at a Cabs rehearsal/parade/performance, there might be some backlash. (They have eyes everywhere!! LOL)

Seriously think about what you really want to do....both (competing and alumni) are definitely fun for what they are!

Remember the old tv clips that said "Kids, don't try this at home!"

I'm going to go on record, respectfully (and Frank - I know you know I mean that) as saying that anyone that reads this and thinks "Wow, if Frank Ponzo can do it, then I can do it" is in for a long summer, and likely to be a disppointment to not one drum corps, but two or more.

Can Frank do it? Yes. Can Donny Allen do it? Yes. I could make this list a couple of names longer, but it's never going to be a long list.

Again, in my not nearly humble enough opinion, drum corps is a team activity. You commit yourselves to your team-mates and you show up and throw down, week after week. 1980/1981/1982 CT Hurricanes baritone line - no stars (I don't think any of them would be angry at me for saying that). At the beginning of that run not even all solid players - some had come over from color guard and drum lines in 1977/1978. They scheduled weekly sectionals at a place called simply "Limo's garage" (enough said about that). No one ever missed the extra rehearsal. By 1980 they were starting to get solid, 1981 and 1982, although there was not a solid college music major in the bunch I would have put them up against any Senior baritone line. You do it for each other.

The number of players that can do that for more than one corps per year is an extremely limited bunch, which heretofore could be described simply as "Frank Ponzo and Pals".

Kids, don't try it at home. Choose your corps, dig in, dedicate yourself, give it your all.

You'll thank me later. So will the second corps you don't "help out."

Edited November 18, 2013 by rayfallon

[camel lips]

If u have never marched with a top 10 competitive DCA corps before u really have no idea the time commitment and demand it takes to be able to keep up with the rehearsal and performance schedule. Once the performance season kicks into high gear you are practicing or rehearsing almost every weekend and if you are a dedicated responciple member of the corps u are practicing like a fiend during ur corps away time.

[Fran Haring]

LOL.... late 1990s, at one of the alumni-corps indoor concerts, one of my friends was performing with something like four or five corps in the same show.

I asked him, "Isn't the idea of alumni corps supposed to be a vehicle to do LESS (rehearsal time, commitment, etc.) than competition corps???"

[FPonzo]

Remember the old tv clips that said "Kids, don't try this at home!"

I'm going to go on record, respectfully (and Frank - I know you know I mean that) as saying that anyone that reads this and thinks "Wow, if Frank Ponzo can do it, then I can do it" is in for a long summer, and likely to be a disppointment to not one drum corps, but two or more.

Can Frank do it? Yes. Can Donny Allen do it? Yes. I could make this list a couple of names longer, but it's never going to be a long list.

Again, in my not nearly humble enough opinion, drum corps is a team activity. You commit yourselves to your team-mates and you show up and throw down, week after week. 1980/1981/1982 CT Hurricanes baritone line - no stars (I don't think any of them would be angry at me for saying that). At the beginning of that run not even all solid players - some had come over from color guard and drum lines in 1977/1978. They scheduled weekly sectionals at a place called simply "Limo's garage" (enough said about that). No one ever missed the extra rehearsal. By 1980 they were starting to get solid, 1981 and 1982, although there was not a solid college music major in the bunch I would have put them up against any Senior baritone line. You do it for each other.

The number of players that can do that for more than one corps per year is an extremely limited bunch, which heretofore could be described simply as "Frank Ponzo and Pals".

Kids, don't try it at home. Choose your corps, dig in, dedicate yourself, give it your all.

You'll thank me later. So will the second corps you don't "help out."

Sorry I was late to the party here.....

Not offended at all Ray....I always take great pleasure reading your posts!!

Seriously....these days, marching (and I use that term very loosly) with the Cabs, there really is no time to do anything else.

I support my Alumni Corps wherever they are, and if they came to me on a show day and asked for my help, I would consider it, but I would have to get special permission from the Admin of the Competing corps to do so, and I would also ask the admin of the Alumni to do the same thing...ask permission from the admin of the competing corps. If they said no, then no it is. If they said yes, and as long as it does not interfere with anything competing corps related (rehearsal for one), I would definitely consider it to help them out....as long as it is after my rehearsal, and after my performance with the competing corps. I would never go out there and ask THEM if they needed help....that is just flat out wrong.

These days I really don't think I could do 2 corps. Maybe I'm old school in that, I am very loyal to the organization I belong to even if that organization has it's own Alumni Corps. If it were the off season and there was no conflict, then yeah...I would help out in a heartbeat if they asked. But on a show day....can't say I would.