GUARDLING Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 (edited) I agree wholeheartedly with whoever raised the "not in my backyard" comment. The first objection brought up by Guardling was that it could hurt the existing corps. A completely unrealistic attack on the idea, but if a competing DCA corps really is so weak that a fledgling youth corps of 12-18 year olds could pull members away from it, there are bigger problems in play and that corps is probably going to die anyway. I know the HS bands contribute members - but it's not the panacea. There must be thousands of bands in the USA but a handful of drum corps are competing at the highest levels. What does this say? It's just a small percentage of those kids that are interested enough to go into drum corps. It's not where they come from. What if kids grew up in the drum corps activity? DCI - sorry but it's too expensive for members and organizations alike. Young corps have a much better chance of being financially responsible with the DCA, weekend only model. And yes - it can be done, I know because we've done it in an area with virtually no high school band scene to support us. If some folks here would desist from the noisy negativist mantra and actually roll up their sleeves to find a way to make it happen - good stuff can follow. Grow drum corps. Try folks. Try.... I will address this because you mentioned me. You fail to mentioned that i am all for growing drum corps as I said, the way we did in the past, never, ONLY if done in a very smart way. Know the old saying/ " the road to hell is paved with good intentions? " it's very true , Ive seen it in the activity way to many times. Drum Corps in general is quite fragile , even the best of them. I said, to be clear, taking, some age limit and creating a division, which i do not believe would be supported especially in DCA , all one has to do is take a realistic look at DCI and open class to prove my point, Youre looking for kids growing up in the activity, I think thats all but gone. We grew up in it basically because we had nothing else to do, Times were very different and to save drum corps, as you seem to want to,going back to some archaic thinking of the 60s or 70s will certainly experience the same death the corps who refused to change or couldn't change did. The problem with the weekend only model is not within the corps BUT imo with DCA. Gone are the days of this as a hobby. The admin. CAN NOT look at it this way any longer. IMO It needs full time EMPLOYEES working night and day to sustain the activity and find ways to financially do this. The smallest of winter programs suffer financially. Gone are the days of free gyms to practice, shoe string budgets for equipment etc etc,. Try running one. I know it 1st hand and also saw very good hearted people with the thought it could be as it was once fail miserably and unfortunately take others down with them. Many young newbies to the activity never returning. We tend sometimes to live in this activity in some bubble thinking the world doesn't effect us in any way, so not true. We need realists in this activity and maybe a little less dreamers. Dreams are great but it takes a realists to make it happen. Been there! You say it has happened in your area. Ok Where? how, with who? I know many in Your area who struggled just to survive a winter program and hear the nightmare stories all the time BUT that aside, where and what level has it worked? I really am interested. You can look as it being negativity I dont at all, REALISTS, You know whats negative? A director or staff making promises they don't keep to members, Directors promising staff the world and produce nothing, running out of money and not finishing a season, Having and promising a 3 year plan ( many do ) and never getting past year 2, not having food or a plan B to service your members, Members who promise and dont pay, ego over whats real, YES these things i find very negative more so than someone challenging the " Dream " Sorry for the rant but there's plenty of experience behind the rant as well as dozens of times bailing those out who had the dream and no sense. It get's old for sure. Cadets 2 in DCA have an age limit and their dues for weekend only is high compared to other corps in DCA BUT with kids you house them, feed them,transport them etc etc. Even weekend only in DCA you dont send 12 to 18 year olds off to eat on their own, so where's that money come from? AGAIN, lets be real about this. PS: Just for the record, as one who does auditions for hundreds of kids every year winter and summer. Don't underestimate the value as well as the amount of HS kids who in many cases saved the activity and encompass a huge part of the membership today. I don't have to assume this , I live it every year. I know you or many don't know exactly who I am ( nor does it matter )BUT I have a reputation for taking crappy and making it happy..lol..I also have taken what some would consider the less desirable potential member and made them finalists and in many cases medalists and this is in every arena. I say this ONLY because I have learned to see potential, see a vision BUT smartly look and realistically know if or may not be possible. I never say never but will never wear the rose colored glasses. i've seen to many who do and that's all well and good , until they drag others into that and can't produce....as always JMO Edited September 25, 2015 by GUARDLING 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I know the HS bands contribute members - but it's not the panacea. There must be thousands of bands in the USA but a handful of drum corps are competing at the highest levels. What does this say? It's just a small percentage of those kids that are interested enough to go into drum corps. It's not where they come from. What if kids grew up in the drum corps activity? In the years I've been teaching DCA, I'd say that easily 99% of the members of the corps I've taught marched in high school bands. It absolutely IS where they come from. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 In the years I've been teaching DCA, I'd say that easily 99% of the members of the corps I've taught marched in high school bands. It absolutely IS where they come from. Same here, it has changed dramatically , especially in the last several years. One must know their members, who they are as well as where they come from to service them properly. Something we never had to do in old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 And it is a small percentage of the kids competing in the scholastic circuits. Why? When they look at the level of commitment even in DCA as compared to their HS program, it's a ride awakening for many. Then they look at the schedule. No time off on the weekends for goofing off with friends. Missing the Prom for corps practice, etc. Many parents also freak out at the schedule then pull kids out. It's always been a fairly select very elite few even at the DCA level that come aboard. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Drum Corps in general is quite fragile , even the best of them. I said, to be clear, taking, some age limit and creating a division, which i do not believe would be supported especially in DCA , all one has to do is take a realistic look at DCI and open class to prove my point, I think I lost track of what that point was. Looking at open class today, I see a bunch of corps who have grown steadily over a decade, and are now quite impressive. Meanwhile, how fragile are the top corps, really? They keep coming back for more every year, some for 40 years or more. Those corps do not look so fragile as to preclude DCI from having any other divisions. Maybe your point is that open class is not "supported" by DCI in a dollars-and-cents sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I know the HS bands contribute members - but it's not the panacea. There must be thousands of bands in the USA but a handful of drum corps are competing at the highest levels. What does this say? It's just a small percentage of those kids that are interested enough to go into drum corps. It's not where they come from. What if kids grew up in the drum corps activity? Grass roots corps would be great, especially in areas that the HS marching band activity does not serve. The problem, IMO, is that grass roots corps can no longer compete successfully with corps full of experienced band kids, and thus have almost completely faded away. I think at this stage, for grass roots corps to take root, a separate local circuit would be their best planting ground. DCI - sorry but it's too expensive for members and organizations alike. Young corps have a much better chance of being financially responsible with the DCA, weekend only model. I keep thinking that... but then I see new corps in DCI doing 3-day tours and staying local, and getting 100 kids on board with that. Maybe some are finding ways to do DCI on a budget after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I think I lost track of what that point was. Looking at open class today, I see a bunch of corps who have grown steadily over a decade, and are now quite impressive. Meanwhile, how fragile are the top corps, really? They keep coming back for more every year, some for 40 years or more. Those corps do not look so fragile as to preclude DCI from having any other divisions. Maybe your point is that open class is not "supported" by DCI in a dollars-and-cents sense. YES>>>>>The OC of DCI gets very little to no support. If something new is to start or become part of DCA it had better carry it's weight. The point of the topic was bringing new people in and also to add to attendance OC clearly does not do this Corps are fragile. even the top. All it would take is one source of income to stop and that would be it. Dues no matter how high doesnt come close to paying the bills. I know it was a rant , Sorry for that. I have just seen so much go down in our activity because of un clear thinking and the dream so to speak and personally had to bail out or at very least help out some who were to stubborn to listen to people actually involved and actually living the activity and I might add successfully that it gets very old sometimes. I know grandpa is passionate about the ideas and thats great, now implement them BUT look at it realistically and listen to those who might have at least an inside view BUT a realistic view before more damage has been done and it has in many cases. JMO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 And it is a small percentage of the kids competing in the scholastic circuits. Why? When they look at the level of commitment even in DCA as compared to their HS program, it's a ride awakening for many. Then they look at the schedule. No time off on the weekends for goofing off with friends. Missing the Prom for corps practice, etc. Many parents also freak out at the schedule then pull kids out. It's always been a fairly select very elite few even at the DCA level that come aboard. And then there are HS programs that make DCA look like a walk in the park. I have been with several that its 5 nights a week plus performances plus other things like jazz band, winter guard, indoor percussion. BUT you are right for some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpsman Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Although new to this thread, I'd like to offer another proposal. I have read the comments where even most of the locals didn't know about the Championships being held. To fill this void, DCA should hire a part time publicist, preferably from the Rochester area. Offer him or her a commission of a buck or two on each ticket sold above the 2015 paid admissions baseline. A thousand more fans in the stands would be a couple of thousand bucks in their pocket and $30,000 more to DCA. This would be a worthwhile investment for DCA as they're currently not making ANYTHING on those unsold seats. Yes, I know that the DCA organization is all volunteer, but if we're to grow the brand, investments must be made. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpsman Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 ...and furthermore... Other ideas such as super-cheap GA all event wristbands and more block tickets to corps were good ideas. Does DCA have a mailing list to send out invitations to out of area former patrons? How about a combination pass to nearby Six-Flags Darrien Lakes for families? $5 block seats offered to all high school bands within a 100 miles could be sold which would bring in more young fans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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