Beginners

[MikeD]

Not to mention I suspect beginners would likely want to be in a DCI tour if that's their end goal, rather than a corps in a completely different circuit competing against totally different corps than DCI.

There is also the problem for some that DCA champs are Labor Day weekend, and a lot of the country is already into their school year, including marching band season.

[perc2100]

In another thread Garfield pointed out the problem that many potential corps members may not even try out for a corps because they believe they are not good enough, given the evidence of the top corps. This would be a shame, given that many corps toward the bottom of the list would likely take most potential members willing to work at it.

I wonder how many people discover drum corps in the Fall when a friend announces they are trying out for a corps. After watching some videos the kid realizes how much fun it would be, but believe there's no way they could march - after all, they don't know how to play, toss, spin, etc. They don't know that if they were to really bust their butt all Winter, there's no reason they couldn't make it somewhere in OC.

The idea: Could/should DCI establish a standard slogan or trademark for corps to advertise that would essentially mean that the corps will potentially accept relative beginners. "Greenie-Friendly" or just "Beginner-Friendly" spring to mind. DCI could then list these corps on a page for that purpose to make it easier for new folks to check them out.

By beginners I mean people who during audition season (the Fall) are just beginning an academic program in their school for the instrument in question, or just joined a guard or dance class somewhere. Additionally they would have to commit to specific training goals and be evaluated later as well to ensure they have gained enough skills to make the line. And of course they need the attitude and any other requirements (fees) as any other member. There are no guarantees here.

Advantage to the corps: They get a bigger pool of applicants, including not only those mentioned above but also those who do have a year or two of performing arts education under their belt and still think it's impossible to get in, having seen only the top 12 on video. "If they're taking beginners, they'll take me."

Advantage to the member: They get a goal: to learn an instrument well enough to march in a DCI drum corps!

Thoughts?

I suspect there are far more potentially members who either don't want to, or can't dedicate the time and money necessary to march a season of drum corps. As has been pointed out in another thread, Open Class corps have member fees very similar to WC corps so I would bet there are more kids who are able to do drum corps from a talent level who just can't commit the time or money

[Grumpy]

DCA isn't just "old farts" any more...for example, C2 comes immediately to mind but I would say that the trend in DCA has been getting younger as the shows are becoming more sophisticated...especially the guard and drill. I also think that many DCA corps now recognize this and have adapted to make both younger members and their parents more comfortable. I was involved in an alumni corps for several years over a decade ago, and we had to establish some ground rules even then to protect younger members as well as ourselves (specifically the policy on adult beverage consumption).

[Eleran]

Grumpy - I used the term "old farts" affectionately. Fact is, my own son chose DCI over DCA in part because he wanted the experience to be about time with his own age group, or at least people that were fairly close to him in age. Not people that were out in the real world working jobs already (i.e. "old farts"). I don't think we can discount the importance of the bonding aspect as one of the lures of drum corps, and people in their late 20s and older just aren't the crowd my son wanted to hang out with all summer. I presume other "beginners" would have similar feelings.

And of course, when I threw out the idea that I could return to marching and go with him if he chose DCA, he ruled out that option right quick!

[GUARDLING]

Grumpy - I used the term "old farts" affectionately. Fact is, my own son chose DCI over DCA in part because he wanted the experience to be about time with his own age group, or at least people that were fairly close to him in age. Not people that were out in the real world working jobs already (i.e. "old farts"). I don't think we can discount the importance of the bonding aspect as one of the lures of drum corps, and people in their late 20s and older just aren't the crowd my son wanted to hang out with all summer. I presume other "beginners" would have similar feelings.

And of course, when I threw out the idea that I could return to marching and go with him if he chose DCA, he ruled out that option right quick!

part of the learning process for a member is to get away from parents also. It is most likely their 1st time treated as an adult and expected to respond as one. This also is very attractive to a young person.

[perc2100]

part of the learning process for a member is to get away from parents also. It is most likely their 1st time treated as an adult and expected to respond as one. This also is very attractive to a young person.

This is true, even for me though I was engage the two summers I marched drum corps. Part of the allure of DCI is the summer-long tour, playing 25-30+ performances all over the country, etc. I know I learned how to do laundry the first time while on tour (which made my wife very happy) and while I was living on my own for the academic year leading up to my rookie year of drum corps I still felt more on-my-own on tour than I did previously.

And that's one of those things that is seemingly universal regardless of era, and also one of the hardest to really quantify to outsiders. You experience all of this stuff with a hundred+ other young adults roughly the same age, learn from the vets who have been there/done that, go through the learning curve with other rookies close to your age. I think all of that is the most important/beneficial aspects of drum corps that hasn't really changed much: and it's something that may not be offered by DCA or even WGI.

[perc2100]

Grumpy - I used the term "old farts" affectionately. Fact is, my own son chose DCI over DCA in part because he wanted the experience to be about time with his own age group, or at least people that were fairly close to him in age. Not people that were out in the real world working jobs already (i.e. "old farts"). I don't think we can discount the importance of the bonding aspect as one of the lures of drum corps, and people in their late 20s and older just aren't the crowd my son wanted to hang out with all summer. I presume other "beginners" would have similar feelings.

And of course, when I threw out the idea that I could return to marching and go with him if he chose DCA, he ruled out that option right quick!

I also wonder if there is a perception of "old farts" in DCA from DCI folks lacking experience. There certainly was when I was a member in the late 90's: enough of a perception to not have any desire to check out DCA and experience the realities on my own. I know people who marched DCA close to my age at that time, and they flat out seemed to tell stories that personified that perception a bit, and older folks I know who marched certainly did. Things might've changed, or maybe I only heard the crazier/exaggerated stories. Perhaps that perception is still there with many of the DCI MM-aged folks (people I know who march DCI or recently aged-out seem to share that perception about DCA being a bunch of old farts who don't come anywhere near the levels of achievement and excellence as DCI)

[GUARDLING]

This is true, even for me though I was engage the two summers I marched drum corps. Part of the allure of DCI is the summer-long tour, playing 25-30+ performances all over the country, etc. I know I learned how to do laundry the first time while on tour (which made my wife very happy) and while I was living on my own for the academic year leading up to my rookie year of drum corps I still felt more on-my-own on tour than I did previously.

And that's one of those things that is seemingly universal regardless of era, and also one of the hardest to really quantify to outsiders. You experience all of this stuff with a hundred+ other young adults roughly the same age, learn from the vets who have been there/done that, go through the learning curve with other rookies close to your age. I think all of that is the most important/beneficial aspects of drum corps that hasn't really changed much: and it's something that may not be offered by DCA or even WGI.

very true, in addition to all the things you said and being responsible for yourself, a person also has to learn how to handle relationships. We all see how many go south (relationships) during hot long rehearsals, long bus rides, lines for food and to do laundry and just being that close to other people and CAN"T get away.lol. Another reason ( from another thread ) that it's all about the fitting in and less about the standing out.

Edited May 19, 2014 by GUARDLING

[BRASSO]

: just looked up the DCI/DCA corps distribution, and exactly half the states in the Union do NOT have corps within their state borders. Granted, there may be corps in an adjacent state which are relatively close to their borders, but by the same token, there are plenty of large states where the only corps may still be hundreds of miles away, even though within the same state.

No question that the lack of Corps in regions close to where beginners live is a problem that earlier beginners in earlier eras did not generally have to face. I recognize that regrettably distance is an issue that some beginners would have to overcome now if they intend to participate.

Edited May 19, 2014 by BRASSO

[Tim K]

When I was in junior high/high school, there were still many small local corps that provided musical training and color guard instruction. My assumption is that most, if not all corps today provide little musical training with perhaps the exception being if a member switches instruments mid season which if it happens, is not the norm. In a sense, any kid who auditions is not a beginner. As far as marching, most corps have their own style, but again most kids would arrive at a camp with at least some basic training. Regarding OC, people I've spoken with from the two corps in NE claim that more than half of their members could probably march with a WC corps but finances and being unable to travel for the summer are the major reasons they choose an OC corps. Yes an OC corps is more beginner friendly, they are not for complete novices.

We also need to keep in mind when there were more local corps, Key of G instruments were used, so the corps had to provide training. Today that's no longer the case.