Beginners

[GUARDLING]

lots of kids look at DCA and see it as training for DCI. the smart DCA corps recruit this way:

"come here, learn how it's done, then go to DCI...and remember, we're here when you age out".

if you look at the top corps in DCA, this approach has been happening for many years

all very true and has worked for many, those members have gone back to their DCA corps and come back with alot more to offer. ( sometimes..lol.)

[TRacer]

I am going through this now with my son...despite having only a couple years under his belt on trumpet and attending a middle school that has an indoors-only program, he was accepted into an OC corps in our area even though he was (a) a late member (workshops started in November, and he joined in February) and (b) he was under their minimum age. My knowing some of the admins & corps founders helped, but my son has been to exposed to DC since he came out of the chute (euphemistically speaking) and has watched his parents (his mom marched VK and BK) do alumni corps gigs like KAC, which got pretty hard core as the summer wore on in 2007. So, he did have something of a head start.

After watching the first show live in Fresno in 2014, my kid accurately predicted Carolina Crown would win in August and said, "I want to march with them...no offense, Dad." But, even at his age he recognizes that he doesn't have the ability or physical strength necessary to do World Class, and that he needs to build up to it. In speaking with corps staff just this past weekend, they remarked what a wonderful "can't give up" attitude he brings to the table, and this to me is the most important component.

My son is also fortunate that his middle school feeds into a high school whose music program is under the leadership of a Cavie alum/Boston Crusaders' new director, and I'm sure my kid will be encouraged to keep improving on his skills when he joins the marching band there.

Edited May 20, 2014 by TRacer

[Eleran]

We have two DCA corps very nearby. We went to the first one's audition day in November, and were turned away because my son was not 15 (even though no such age limit was posted on the website, and I had sent emails specifically mentioning it). The second one said age wasn't a problem - the Director himself has a child marching at age 13 or 14. But we are lucky - we live within 1.5 hours' drive to 4 DCA corps, 1 DCI Open Class and 2 DCI World Class corps. But those corps represent 11% of all the DCA/DCI corps in North America combined. The rest of the country probably isn't so lucky, and I don't know how many beginners are going to join a DCA corps that is more than a 2-3 hours drive away.

[quietcity]

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?

First, I wonder if you are offering a solution for a problem that does not exist. Do we know that kids are too intimidated to join a corps? I know that when I was a snot-nosed 13 year old in a rinky-dink local corps, my first thought upon seeing SCV was not, "am I good enough?" but rather, "Someday..." Kids are grandiose and willing to work hard to achieve seemingly unreachable goals. I don't think a WC corps would want a kid so easily discouraged.

Your proposed solution actually highlights the more substantial problem: the demise of neighborhood corps and regional circuits. It used to be that new kids did not worry about being good enough for this or that corps; they just joined the nearest one, and worked their way up.

Nowadays, we have a situation that is in essence an impressive major league with a feeble farm system. As such, I applaud DCI's efforts at Soundsport and Drum Battle. These small, local units are the bridges for those drum corps-curious kids.

[frachel]

And I think that the OP could get his wish if DCI broke off into more classes, like the WGI classifications. I know people don't want to talk about that, but if there were 8 World Classes, 8 Open Class, and the rest 'A' Class people would EASILY know 'A' is for beginner skills, Open intermediate, and World advanced. But people seem to want to keep the "they're all equal, even the corps with lower-achieving members/designers/staffers" mentality which makes it hard to promote the lower-achieving corps when you're comparing 23rd place WC corps to Blue Devils.

Maybe I'm a snob in my older age - but for paid entertainment I really wouldn't have an interest in going to shows of corps that are geared towards "beginners". I'd imagine the audiences would be minimal and mostly parents/friends at best.

[Eleran]

Well, if fear (for lack of a better word) does exist, it certainly won't be helped by so many World Class corps beginning residency now, when the younger kids still have another month of high school to finish out. I can imagine the thought of having to 'catch up' a whole month of rehearsal might be a problem.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Eleran

[garfield]

First, I wonder if you are offering a solution for a problem that does not exist. Do we know that kids are too intimidated to join a corps? I know that when I was a snot-nosed 13 year old in a rinky-dink local corps, my first thought upon seeing SCV was not, "am I good enough?" but rather, "Someday..." Kids are grandiose and willing to work hard to achieve seemingly unreachable goals. I don't think a WC corps would want a kid so easily discouraged.

Your proposed solution actually highlights the more substantial problem: the demise of neighborhood corps and regional circuits. It used to be that new kids did not worry about being good enough for this or that corps; they just joined the nearest one, and worked their way up.

Nowadays, we have a situation that is in essence an impressive major league with a feeble farm system. As such, I applaud DCI's efforts at Soundsport and Drum Battle. These small, local units are the bridges for those drum corps-curious kids.

I know of more than one drum corps that has a psychologist on staff to identify this trait in new kids and to help them overcome the feelings of being overwhelmed with self doubt.

It is real.

Is it a problem? Well, not if the activity is disinterested in welcoming the desire and growing the ability, IMO.

[GUARDLING]

Well, if fear (for lack of a better word) does exist, it certainly won't be helped by so many World Class corps beginning residency now, when the younger kids still have another month of high school to finish out. I can imagine the thought of having to 'catch up' a whole month of rehearsal might be a problem.

its just a fact of life ( drum corps life anyway ) and what it is. Kuids know this and yes it is stressful but has to be done. They usually get over it after a week or so.

[BRASSO]

Maybe I'm a snob in my older age - but for paid entertainment I really wouldn't have an interest in going to shows of corps that are geared towards "beginners". I'd imagine the audiences would be minimal and mostly parents/friends at best.

While true, if one broadens their horizons just a tad bit more, we see that most people in the public don't want to attend DCIWorld Class Division performances either as they don't consider these performers as professionals, but as young amateur beginner musicians as well. Its partly why the DCI WC Div audiences are comparatively relatively small ( yet albeit larger than Open Class or DCA ) and likewise filled with lots of friends, family, alums and so forth too. That said, you're not a snob, imo for preferring to go watch the higher up amateur beginners perform in the DCI World Class Division level. I go watch both... and increasingly now, DCI has some of the WC and Open Class Corps perform at some of the same shows, so more and more you get to see both levels of the beginner amateurs for the price of your ticket. And its not unusual for me to find some of the Open Class Corps amateur performances as engaging and entertaining as some of the WC Div Corps. amateur performances too.

Edited May 20, 2014 by BRASSO

[GUARDLING]

I know of more than one drum corps that has a psychologist on staff to identify this trait in new kids and to help them overcome the feelings of being overwhelmed with self doubt.

It is real.

Is it a problem? Well, not if the activity is disinterested in welcoming the desire and growing the ability, IMO.

I have been in the position of helping kids like this and I have many times. I have also sent kids home many times who just aren't ready for the separation , stress, constant work, being corrected alot ( for many ) many enter thinking they know exactly what they are getting into but really do not. Welcoming has to be part of it, babysitting , no theses days, that's gone. Other activities I have found are no different today.