Pioneer 2014

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Furthermore, getting into finals AND consistently remaining in finals is insanely difficult: just ask staff members from Spirit, Colts, Troopers, Crossmen, and Cascades.

The 02 Crown analogy doesn't hold for the reasons you stated, plus that year ended with a huge overhaul in design/music staff.

That said: I have a ton of respect for Pioneer and its members. Many WC corps have finished ahead of them since the early 2000s. Many members of said corps have cracked wise about Pioneer’s placements, show designs, philosophy, etc. I’ve heard the same snarky play on “Better Every Day” for too long.

But many of those corps are long gone.

I think there’s a definite structure for Pioneer to be competitively successful. It’s really more of a question of how much they’re willing to A) spend on an elite staff and other show-specific resources, and B) modify their current philosophy of being both a competitive WC corps AND a musical outreach organization (remember they take in a lot of people that don't have the typical music education background). With the exception of organizations like YEA and BDE, it’s really hard to do both.

Definitely wouldn't place Spirit in the same "staff bucket" as Troopers, Crossmen, Colts or Cascades...

But anyways. Yes. It is hard.

[N.E. Brigand]

Definitely wouldn't place Spirit in the same "staff bucket" as Troopers, Crossmen, Colts or Cascades...

Not sure how pertinent the following is to your statement, but...

Appearances at DCI Championship:

41 - Troopers

40 - Colts

38 - Crossmen

36 - Spirit of Atlanta

24 - Cascades (9 in Div. II/III)

Appearances at DCI Finals:

23 - Crossmen

20 - Spirit of Atlanta

9 - Troopers

8 - Colts

1 - Cascades

Average World Class Placement (only for years appearing at Championships):

11.6 - Crossmen

12.1 - Spirit of Atlanta

16.1 - Troopers

18.4 - Colts

22.3 - Cascades

Average World Class Placement in Past 15 Years (non-appearance years treated as 26th place):

12.6 - Crossmen

13.1 - Spirit of Atlanta

13.9 - Colts

18.7 - Troopers

20.5 - Cascades

[Lansing R. Dimon]

Good afternoon, everyone!

It's wonderful to see the enthusiasm for this years show and to see some overall positive feedback for our program. I do want to address a couple of things mentioned. I don't have the ability to quote via iPhone, so I can't reference exact quotes or authors.

First: someone mentioned the fact that there were some "big names" coming in... And the right staff would change everything. With all due respect to whomever they're referencing... The only big name that matters in this discussion is Roman Blenski. While the design work is of course due to our designers, we do indeed have programming parameters that can inhibit us, and Roman does remind us as per tradition and his philosophy... they are fairly unmovable. Being involved with this both as a caption head and now as admin and in my 6th season... I can assure you that no matter what staff you being in and whatever big names you want to throw out there, Roman has a vested interest in those decisions and makes it known were we to stray from them.

Additionally, as far as 'big names' coming in... nothing to report there. As someone mentioned... that's not the priority. Roman certainly isn't thinking of that at the moment, nor is anyone else. Our focus is on THIS season... so I'm not sure where that's coming from but it's also not the first time I've heard that... it's been said in previous years too. Our focus is on 2014; as a Director of Operations, I'm certainly thinking of what can be improved and added in 2015, but that's still months away. I'm certain the rest of the corps and its' leadership is in the same frame of mind, in fact everyone is focused entirely on this program, this show. As it should be.

That being said, the staff we do have is by and large a very talented and diverse staff and works hard to take those parameters and guidelines from Roman and create a program that both meets his dictates, is appropriate to the level of the marching members while pushing them, and does whatever it can to maximize the potential of the judging sheets. We have a balance of Pioneer alums which helps maintain a smooth transition of procedures and tradition from alum to vet to roomie, and we also have many instructors with outstanding credentials, some of which include gold at WGI Guard and Percussion. Many staff have marched a wise range of corps, including Glassmen, Cadets, Spirit, SCV, Bluecoats and several others. To say an "über staff" could come in and change everything to top 12 status isn't seeing the whole picture. If you haven't spent a day with us at Pioneerland (especially recently), you really don't fully comprehend. I imagine the same is true elsewhere.

Furthermore, this had been changing in this direction slowly for a few years now, so anyone with past experience with us would see a much improved and different staff dynamic and higher efficiently (my area of specialty, as the staff and students access instructional materials on google drive, access videos on the road of prior shows and use cloud technology to improve learning). While some corps don't allow smart devices, we use it to our advantage. Almost all paperwork, finances, drill, music, animated video of drill, video of performances for study and other information are shared via google drive and email while on the road. This allows me to manage those resources for the corps while I'm not able to be there (I'm currently at Ohio State at a Strings teaching conference, but can still manage the corps social media and instructional materials). Change is happening.

One of the greatest changes recently had been our social media and pr push using twitter and Facebook. Both have increased about 1000-2000 followers since spring 2013. This directly led to an increase of almost 3times as many information requests for membership in 2014, from about 175 in 2013 to 458 in 2014.

I appreciate the passion for our program and the corps, as does the corps itself. The greatest benefit would come of more people using social media outlets to get the word out. Social media is the single most effective way to get interest generated and build numbers for smaller corps like ours.

Thanks and don't hesitate to ask more questions. If I can answer them I will.

Best regards,
Lansing R Dimon
Director of Operations
Pioneer Drum And Bugle Corps

Edited July 9, 2014 by Lansing R. Dimon

[Lansing R. Dimon]

Also... Please pardon the typos as I wrote that on the iPhone... Not as forgiving as the laptop!

It should say cloud technology (for example)

LRD.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Thanks and don't hesitate to ask more questions. If I can answer them I will.

Best regards,
Lansing R Dimon
Director of Operations
Pioneer Drum And Bugle Corps

OK, I'll bite - would a show based my idea of a West Side Story merged w/ the Irish/UK conflict of the late 20th century (aka 'The Troubles') fall with Mr Blenski's programming parameters?

[corps8294]

OK, I'll bite - would a show based my idea of a West Side Story merged w/ the Irish/UK conflict of the late 20th century (aka 'The Troubles') fall with Mr Blenski's programming parameters?

Thanks and don't hesitate to ask more questions. If I can answer them I will.

Best regards,
Lansing R Dimon
Director of Operations
Pioneer Drum And Bugle Corps

OK, I'll bite - would a show based my idea of a West Side Story merged w/ the Irish/UK conflict of the late 20th century (aka 'The Troubles') fall with Mr Blenski's programming parameters?

Why not? Heck, they took Oliver Twist and changed him into a little Irish boy to fulfill their programming rules.

[Brian Tuma]

Thanks and don't hesitate to ask more questions. If I can answer them I will.

Best regards,

Lansing R Dimon

Director of Operations

Pioneer Drum And Bugle Corps

OK, I'll bite - would a show based my idea of a West Side Story merged w/ the Irish/UK conflict of the late 20th century (aka 'The Troubles') fall with Mr Blenski's programming parameters?

Romanticizing genocide and hunger strikes? Tell me more.

[MotorCityMusician]

Im gonna be honest here. Pio should be scoring higher. They looked better at Muncie than Surf did last night. These kids are working but I feel like they are kind of getting screwed because we are used to seeing them in certain placements so the judges kind of slot it. From the first time i saw Pio around 04-05 they are way better and still around. This is a great corps that almost always has a turnover every year. Its great to see the clovers on the field every year.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Romanticizing genocide and hunger strikes? Tell me more.

Hunger strikes - well they are self-inflicted. Genocide - that is a bit harsh. Boston is doing Animal Farm, which is based on the Russian Revolution where 8 million were killed - I have not heard complaints re genocide with them. How about the many shows with WW2 songs - millions killed there as well. Troopers play 'How the West was Won' - ask the First Nation peoples about genocide, but no critique of Troopers. Phantom & Spartacus - Blue Devils & The Godfather and so on and on ...

This is NOT a slam at the aforementioned corps, just an observation at what has scored well

My point is, that shows concerning conflict, which is often involves bloodshed, seem to score well. What I suggested is a way for Pioneer to design a show within their 'Irish' identity that has elements that seem to impress the judges.

[BozzlyB]

Good afternoon, everyone!

It's wonderful to see the enthusiasm for this years show and to see some overall positive feedback for our program. I do want to address a couple of things mentioned. I don't have the ability to quote via iPhone, so I can't reference exact quotes or authors.

First: someone mentioned the fact that there were some "big names" coming in... And the right staff would change everything. With all due respect to whomever they're referencing... The only big name that matters in this discussion is Roman Blenski. While the design work is of course due to our designers, we do indeed have programming parameters that can inhibit us, and Roman does remind us as per tradition and his philosophy... they are fairly unmovable. Being involved with this both as a caption head and now as admin and in my 6th season... I can assure you that no matter what staff you being in and whatever big names you want to throw out there, Roman has a vested interest in those decisions and makes it known were we to stray from them.

Additionally, as far as 'big names' coming in... nothing to report there. As someone mentioned... that's not the priority. Roman certainly isn't thinking of that at the moment, nor is anyone else. Our focus is on THIS season... so I'm not sure where that's coming from but it's also not the first time I've heard that... it's been said in previous years too. Our focus is on 2014; as a Director of Operations, I'm certainly thinking of what can be improved and added in 2015, but that's still months away. I'm certain the rest of the corps and its' leadership is in the same frame of mind, in fact everyone is focused entirely on this program, this show. As it should be.

That being said, the staff we do have is by and large a very talented and diverse staff and works hard to take those parameters and guidelines from Roman and create a program that both meets his dictates, is appropriate to the level of the marching members while pushing them, and does whatever it can to maximize the potential of the judging sheets. We have a balance of Pioneer alums which helps maintain a smooth transition of procedures and tradition from alum to vet to roomie, and we also have many instructors with outstanding credentials, some of which include gold at WGI Guard and Percussion. Many staff have marched a wise range of corps, including Glassmen, Cadets, Spirit, SCV, Bluecoats and several others. To say an "über staff" could come in and change everything to top 12 status isn't seeing the whole picture. If you haven't spent a day with us at Pioneerland (especially recently), you really don't fully comprehend. I imagine the same is true elsewhere.

Furthermore, this had been changing in this direction slowly for a few years now, so anyone with past experience with us would see a much improved and different staff dynamic and higher efficiently (my area of specialty, as the staff and students access instructional materials on google drive, access videos on the road of prior shows and use cloud technology to improve learning). While some corps don't allow smart devices, we use it to our advantage. Almost all paperwork, finances, drill, music, animated video of drill, video of performances for study and other information are shared via google drive and email while on the road. This allows me to manage those resources for the corps while I'm not able to be there (I'm currently at Ohio State at a Strings teaching conference, but can still manage the corps social media and instructional materials). Change is happening.

One of the greatest changes recently had been our social media and pr push using twitter and Facebook. Both have increased about 1000-2000 followers since spring 2013. This directly led to an increase of almost 3times as many information requests for membership in 2014, from about 175 in 2013 to 458 in 2014.

I appreciate the passion for our program and the corps, as does the corps itself. The greatest benefit would come of more people using social media outlets to get the word out. Social media is the single most effective way to get interest generated and build numbers for smaller corps like ours.

Thanks and don't hesitate to ask more questions. If I can answer them I will.

Best regards,

Lansing R Dimon

Director of Operations

Pioneer Drum And Bugle Corps

Thanks for all that info! I used to criticize Pioneer quite a bit, mostly because of the unusual "hierarchy" that exists there with Roman being so in control of everything. I've come to appreciate this corps for their mission of teaching and bringing kids into the activity who otherwise may not have a shot at participating, because that is so much more important than competitive success. Looks like Pioneer might be moving up the ranks a bit this year, best of luck!