kdaddy Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 wow - are we rooting against it being "the fastest growing youth activity"? if they are talking the past few years - it could be the case! there's been a deep decline in football/baseball/soccer participation -- and a migration to other outdoor youth activities with a athletic component // hence the rise in activities such as archery, birders, and yes, marching arts... this plays right into our hands - hopefully DCI will work to open avenues to more "locally based" and assorted "skill level" summer groups via the percussion and small ensemble competitions they are currently exploring it may very well be the time to revisit a vibrant regional circuit approach for these smaller groups/ensembles -- at least an investment in the NE and CA areas -- say a five year plan, with six or so summer events. They could be coordinated at times with traditional DCI events to raise awareness and participation. C2, BD B, etc stand ready with organizations who could properly coordinate such a start up venture. IMHO World Class Open Class Regional Class Of course. Many of us have brought this up over the years. But isn't this counter to the G7? Counter to what George Hopkins proposed? (he gets to be the fall guy, as his proposal was made public, though many supported it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 My concern was people (cliché alert) counting their chickens before they are hatched by talking like a new corps will always be there. Kind of a take off on "Easy to get a customer in your door, hard part is getting them back". In this case IMO "the hard part is starting a new corps, the harder part is bringing that corps back each year". Your right, Jim. A few years back was the first time we had ZERO new corps come into the "activity" (there's that word again). It was a coincidence that we didn't lose any junior corps that particular year, but we also created no new (or resurrected) ones. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Wow, can I just say something about your comment here? I'm a music education major. I spend a lot of time with music students both in college and high school. Let me tell you: DCI is NOT losing it's fan base. Anyone who thinks DCI is dying hasn't spent some time around the marching band scene. Band students LOVE drum corps. Many have a strong desire to march. Over the past decade or so, DCI has become much more integrated with music education programs, and continues to do so now that many world class corps are offering educational camps for band students throughout the summer tour. So, no, drum corps is not dying. I'm sorry if you don't like the shows nowadays, but I really don't think drum corps is going anywhere any time soon. Thanks, have a nice day :) agreed...it's finally showing signs of growth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 It is huge now days. Just not the same junior corps as others are used to. There are lots of different types of band programs. If you think it is dying then go ahead and think that. band was an embarrassment to be in when I was in school. Now it is revered. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasgroh Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Drum corps participation seems to be undergoing an upswing in the past two years, especially this year. But that follows a decline. I've done some of this work before: Here are the number of corps who competed in DCI or DCA or the past eleven years, including this season. (In this list, DCA Minicorps and DCI SoundSport teams are not shown. DCI Div. II and Div. III are both included in Open Class. Numbers following a plus sign indicate corps who competed but didn't appear at championships, or if in parentheses, overseas corps who appeared at championships.) 2004 - 83 corps DCI World - 24 DCA Open - 12(+1) DCI Open - 27(+1)+8 DCA A - 7+3 2005 - 89 corps DCI World - 24 DCA Open - 16 DCI Open - 27(+2)+8 DCA A - 10+2 2006 - 70 corps DCI World - 23 DCA Open - 16 DCI Open - 17(+1)+5 DCA A - 7+1 2007 - 71 corps DCI World - 22 DCA Open - 13 DCI Open - 21(+1)+4 DCA A - 9+1 2008 - 72 corps DCI World - 20 DCA Open - 12 DCI Open - 21(+2)+4 DCA A - 12+1 2009 - 71 corps DCI World - 22 DCA Open - 13 DCI Open - 19+5 DCA A - 11+1 2010 - 70 corps DCI World - 23 DCA Open - 10(+1) DCI Open - 15(+1)+8 DCA A - 12 2011 - 69 corps DCI World - 23 DCA Open - 11 DCI Open - 16(+2)+6 DCA A - 10+1 2012 - 66 corps DCI World - 22+1 DCA Open - 11(+1)+1 DCI Open - 14+7 DCA A - 8+1 2013 - 64 corps DCI World - 22 DCA Open - 12 DCI Open - 13(+1)+4 DCA A - 10(+1)+1 2014 - 66 corps DCI World - 22 DCA Open - 14 DCI Open - 14(+1)+10 DCA A - 5 2015 - 72 corps DCI World - 22 DCA Open - 12(+1) DCI Open - 15(+3)+12 DCA A - 7 ...well, seems like there's a surge in Open Class. Here in SoCal we lost one this winter (City Sound) but one came back to the field (Incognito)...so we have 5 Opens within spitting distance of each other and the potential for one more to come back. Gold is stronger this year with a bunch of kids and Golden Empire from Bakersfield is pretty studly, too. Things are looking up in SoCal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasgroh Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 It is huge now days. Just not the same junior corps as others are used to. There are lots of different types of band programs. If you think it is dying then go ahead and think that. band was an embarrassment to be in when I was in school. Now it is revered. ...yup! In my area it has become hip to be in the band! Guards are thriving...Drumlines are everywhere...drumcorps are improving and gaining members...I love watching the growth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Where I live, 3 theaters show Big Loud and Live. All 3 have sold out each year for the past 3 years. I now have to pre-order tickets to be able to go BUT that is your area...I've gone to these events since inception (White Plains, NY) and my theater is lucky to have between a dozen and sometimes a bit more...perhaps 2 dozen...and I'm being generous in my numbers...I'm just saying the big picture might be different than what you are personally experiencing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogitom Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 It is huge now days. Just not the same junior corps as others are used to. There are lots of different types of band programs. If you think it is dying then go ahead and think that. band was an embarrassment to be in when I was in school. Now it is revered. Band is not Drum Corps. Apples and Oranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Band is not Drum Corps. Apples and Oranges. I'd say it's more like green apples and red apples. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I'd say it's the same save the circuit you compete in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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