Jump to content

Will DCA be around in 5 years?


Will DCA be around in 5 years?  

99 members have voted

  1. 1. Will DCA be around in 5 years?

    • Yes
      33
    • No
      66


Recommended Posts

18 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Think Fran just missed Walt W like I did. Our Sky era DM was Butch who had that “clear the ####### field here we come” attitude like rest of the corps. Even my parents said it’s a show just watching them come out. 

DCI is unknown to me.

Hazy memory bitd of a DCI DM pulling out a camera and taking shot of Finals crowd during corps last chord sticks out in my mind. Wish I could remember not so little things like corps and year/decade 

Madison Scouts and Velvet Knights did this.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

no drum corps, electronics or not, could start up today on a shoestring budget. everything costs too much now, and not just the toys on the field.insurance, facilities, transportation....little is free anymore

I think it can be expensive, but doesn't have to be, and you can do it for about $5K if you go proof of concept in SoundSport , DCA Mini-Corps, SDCA and then grow. Specifically, I've worked with two corps closely that started up and made it to the field in DCA, and another in DCI Soundsport then WGI. It's actually relatively cheap especially since you can use band instruments, and there is a sea of costume and uniform options out there for low cost or free. A lot of this is just what WGI ensembles are already doing and it works well for them, so scaling it up for a drum corps isn't too hard.

Key points:

With many schools switching to costumes; many are giving away uniforms for free. We on average take in 2-3 donations of free uniforms and then turn around and donate them to programs in the Midwest who need help.

With so many WGI programs, there is a wash of Battery equipment for cheap; you can get a full line for $1500-3500 in decent condition. In many cases you can also rent from a local WGI ensemble or HS for very cheap.

Front Ensemble Equipment is also available to rent, or purchase used at a very affordable cost. The corps I work with only owns one Marimba, so we just rent every year for $500-600 per board which equals out to about 7-9 years of rental to reach the cost of a new board. You can also offset this by using electronics like the Pearl Mlletstation or a Software synth with a Mac Mini for about $400 a synth station + cost of making a cart or just run two synths off one machine.

Brass instruments; options to rent to own, or hook up with a new vendor who is looking for a test bed. Even if you buy used you can get a modest line for $12K used; or look to rent excess from corps that aren't using them. You could also use G Bugles and that would get you a full line of 20 horns 3 valve for about $3-4K. 

Transportation: limit travel as much as possible and do local shows. If you do have to travel look at more affordable options like school buses, church buses, or rental vans with captains chairs for comfort like a lot of the new Ford Transits. Where a bus for 50-60 people costs $3-4K daily, 5 vans for the same amount of people is about $1K daily plus your corps insured Non-Owned Hire drivers which can be a mix of cleared volunteers or contractors. A larger DCA corps of 90 people did this for some of their DCI events in 2017 and saved a lot (though they had to contend with drivers).

Facilities: For our org, we never stay in schools or even rehearse in schools as they are way too expensive. Try to find churches, community centers, camp grounds, charter schools, etc that will let you stay. Offer to hold a clinic for an hour for students, or perform some hymns and patriotic selections for the church and that usually is in-kind. We've been doing that for nearly 20 years and have only had one year we had to pay. The largest expenditure for facilities is Finals and we've negated that by using a Summer Camp which ended up being 75% less than hotels, plus gave us on site practice facilities. 

My personal opinion is this: It's the best time to start a corps; specifically an all-age corps in DCA or DCI SoundSport. With so many options in DCA, DCI, SDCA, MACBDA, and more you can grow gradually and find something that works for your financially or just decide to move in a different direction and become a competitive marching band like AZ's Phenom, or just do WGI like TX Horizon.

Edited by lcarlton
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Fran Haring said:

I remember him in front of the 1971 and '72 Skyliner corps... and then circa 1980, when he came out of retirement to be assistant DM to Butch Anderson for a season or two before suffering a stroke. 

Those two Skyliner DMs... two of the all-time great showmen, and conductors, in drum corps.

Ok then you go back further than I thought with the Jr corps. I discovered corps in 1974. And 1980-1982 I was working rotating shifts and only saw 2 shows that whole time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Ok then you go back further than I thought with the Jr corps. I discovered corps in 1974. And 1980-1982 I was working rotating shifts and only saw 2 shows that whole time. 

1971 was my first year marching. My older brothers got started in 1967, and I remember going to some shows to see them then.

#### I'm old. :tongue:

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Fran Haring said:

1971 was my first year marching. My older brothers got started in 1967, and I remember going to some shows to see them then.

#### I'm old. :tongue:

Was your sister invisible?

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, Bucbari said:

Was your sister invisible?

LOL!!!! 

She was only with the Raiders for a brief time, from what I remember. Drum corps was not her cup of tea. :laughing:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Poppycock said:

Circuit could use a good dose of honesty. BTW Stephan agreed with me you’re wonderful.

Flattery will get you everywhere. :tongue:

Bottom line... no one wants to see DCA fail. I certainly don't. And DCA will be around for however as long as the corps still in the circuit feel it's worth carrying on. 50-plus years already... quite a run.

Whatever form that takes, or however relevant it will be... who knows. Like I've said... I wish my friends well. Still a fan for now. If/when I go, I'll go quietly.  LOL.

I do think there is a shelf life to the entire drum corps activity as presently constituted... DCI, DCA/all-age, and alumni corps. And put it this way... I don't think DCI will be the first to roll up the sidewalks.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

LOL!!!! 

She was only with the Raiders for a brief time, from what I remember. Drum corps was not her cup of tea. :laughing:

Yeah but she married a drum corps bum....lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Bucbari said:

Yeah but she married a drum corps bum....lol

That she did!!! :tongue:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...