JamesKPolk Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I would take over the Blue Devils organization. I would disband the A corps and let the staff fall into various corps across the country. I would take the B corps and make it world class, as is. C corps as is. I would then take the A corps budget and start about 5 Open Class corps. I would funnel a few million dollars into supporting the corps movement via education and knowledge seminars, and help on the paperwork end. The hard work would be up to the local corps directors. It was a great run fellas, but time for a shake up at the top. Why not just disband the B corps and feed money to make several open class corps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totaleefree Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 If I just had the money without having to takeover a corps I would go to a big city that has limited music education programs, get staff from some corps who have teaching credentials probably some from open class an lower level corps. Invite all kids in the city who want to join to come up and start with 500 or so 15 and 16 year olds. Start with the basics do parades an such for a year, second year break into two open class corps then the 3rd year take the best hardest working 150 of the bunch and have an open class corp. The basic programs will continue to feed younger members in. In the end the world class corp could have a lot of college music majors who decided to try college because of the great musical experience they had with the corp. Instead of a bunch of music majors trying out corps it would be gang bangers being converted into college students and musicians through Drum Cors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveKathyG Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 No. What I was trying to say is that the BD, and their fans, all they care about is winning, not about the activity in general and everything else that goes with it. Yeah competition is a part of it, but for most other corps, it isn't the most important thing. With the Blue Devils, it IS the first thing. And yes, I am daring to contend that the Blue Devils staff only cares about trying to win, and cares nothing for the other aspects of the drum corps experience. That's why they create shows that are boring and tedious to MOST people, but cater to judge specifics. They don't give a flying f* about entertaining the crowd. I thought maybe this year they had a change of heart. So I reserved judgement until I saw their show. And then I saw their show, and it was the same show they've done the past 4 years. Anyways, I shouldn't have gone off track. If I could take over a corps and money isn't an issue, well I guess at this point I probably would pass up the opportunity. Drum corps is incredibly stressful on a daily basis for the ones who run them. I don't know whether BD's philosophy is win-at-any-cost, but I do think they are very surgical about constructing shows that will position the corps to optimize points. And I know I haven't found their shows consistently entertaining since the '90s. More interesting to me was the much discussed guard feature in "Be Italian." This was my first viewing. Holy freaking cow. I was at the theater tonight with a friend who's a former Laker girl. She was like...wow, we never did anything nearly that bawdy. THAT...my friends...is saying a lot. My reaction was...if any of either of my girls wanted to be in that guard...the answer would be heeeeell no. I don't have any over-18 kids yet..but even when they're adults, I don't imagine providing $$ to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 No. What I was trying to say is that the BD, and their fans, all they care about is winning, not about the activity in general and everything else that goes with it. Yeah competition is a part of it, but for most other corps, it isn't the most important thing. With the Blue Devils, it IS the first thing. And yes, I am daring to contend that the Blue Devils staff only cares about trying to win, and cares nothing for the other aspects of the drum corps experience. That's why they create shows that are boring and tedious to MOST people, but cater to judge specifics. They don't give a flying f* about entertaining the crowd. I thought maybe this year they had a change of heart. So I reserved judgement until I saw their show. And then I saw their show, and it was the same show they've done the past 4 years. Anyways, I shouldn't have gone off track. If I could take over a corps and money isn't an issue, well I guess at this point I probably would pass up the opportunity. Drum corps is incredibly stressful on a daily basis for the ones who run them. Make no mistake, they're in it to win, more so than any other except maybe the Cadets. But what you say is a gross exaggeration. Try spending some time around BD and you'll quickly see otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Smith Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Here is an easy thought experiment: what would DCI be like if it did not include competition at all? Would this increase or decrease the level of entertainment? This needs to be a standalone thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 No. What I was trying to say is that the BD, and their fans, all they care about is winning, not about the activity in general and everything else that goes with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 (edited) Perhaps I was too "out there", probably shouldn't have said what I said about BD. Kinda going through a very, very tough time in personal life, shouldn't have let my frustrations spill over into this forum. Yeah I think the BD are in it to win every year. But they push the envelope, innovate in ways we haven't seen before. I'm aware they aren't the only ones. Cavaliers 2000-2006 pushed the activity big time, and then even Cadets with their Oprah shows, narration, even Crown last year, a lot of innovation. I guess its not for me to try and judge this corps or that corps about certain things. I just try to enjoy the activity. Blue Devils are so consistently good every single year. The execution is simply incredibly. I just wish they would utilize that talent and do a show that I would really enjoy. I want to see them to something sentimental. Something with emotional ups and downs. A reprise. Give me a reason to cry! But their shows have just been so emotionally flat, visually generic, cold, and calculated, impassive. Winged Victory was a show I liked. How about something without jazz for once? How about something like Cadets 2000? Their visual program has normally been so generic, that one is almost better off just closing their eyes and enjoying the music. It's like their visual program has almost nothing to do with the music. I've become sick and tired of this corps winning with shows that don't cater to my own personal tastes. (At least I'm honest about it.) But it's not just my own personal tastes, I know a lot of people feel the same. Again I've gone off topic. I just wanted to stick my foot in my mouth one more time. Sorry. If I could take over a corps, and in a post earlier I said I probably wouldn't, but if I did, it would probably be an inactive corps, and make a SoundSport team out of it, like some have done, and do something constructive. Edited August 8, 2014 by BoyWonder1911 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesKPolk Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Perhaps I was too "out there", probably shouldn't have said what I said about BD. Kinda going through a very, very tough time in personal life, shouldn't have let my frustrations spill over into this forum. Yeah I think the BD are in it to win every year. But they push the envelope, innovate in ways we haven't seen before. I'm aware they aren't the only ones. Cavaliers 2000-2006 pushed the activity big time, and then even Cadets with their Oprah shows, narration, even Crown last year, a lot of innovation. I guess its not for me to try and judge this corps or that corps about certain things. I just try to enjoy the activity. Blue Devils are so consistently good every single year. The execution is simply incredibly. I just wish they would utilize that talent and do a show that I would really enjoy. I want to see them to something sentimental. Something with emotional ups and downs. A reprise. Give me a reason to cry! But their shows have just been so emotionally flat, visually generic, cold, and calculated, impassive. Winged Victory was a show I liked. How about something without jazz for once? How about something like Cadets 2000? Their visual program has normally been so generic, that one is almost better off just closing their eyes and enjoying the music. It's like their visual program has almost nothing to do with the music. Again I've gone off topic. I just wanted to stick my foot in my mouth one more time. Sorry. If I could take over a corps, and in a post earlier I said I probably wouldn't, but if I did, it would probably be an inactive corps, and make a SoundSport team out of it, like some have done, and do something constructive. Asking BD not to do jazz is like asking Jersey Surf to do a boring show. On BD's tour jackets it says "jazz" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I want to see them to something sentimental. Something with emotional ups and downs. A reprise. Give me a reason to cry! But their shows have just been so emotionally flat, visually generic, cold, and calculated, impassive. Winged Victory was a show I liked. How about something without jazz for once? How about something like Cadets 2000? Like 1998? Or 2000...2006...2008? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I've never seen them do anything emotional. 2008 was the opposite of emotional. The others I'm not sure. Those are the olden days. Everyone and everything was different back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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