Jump to content

What Is the Latest from DCI/Corps on 2021?


Recommended Posts

Virtual contests.  Impossible, you say?

Well, we are already staging a contest online.  The battle of fears.  In one corner, fear of the virus and its associated lockdown, lodging and liability impacts.  In the opposite corner, fear of losing DCI and/or their corps to financial failure or loss of tenuously held relevance/support in the face of consecutive cancelled competition campaigns.

Which will win?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Think the year Cadets used picnic tables was 2006. Horn line came out with horn in one hand and corner of a table in another. First thought was “I paid $$$ in fees to move furniture “ 🙄

I always thought Les Chatelaines de Laval were the first corps to use "furniture" but I might be wrong.

10 drum corps hats worthy of the Kentucky Derby

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Continental said:

Your answer raises some interesting ideas so thank you.

There is the challenge of housing if corps are to perform in the same venue.  Some in the know on here have already stated how challenging housing was before the pandemic.  If schools are resistant to housing, perhaps hotels could accommodate corps members at reduced rates for the short tour.  The hotel industry is as severely affected by current events as many others.  Just a thought.

___________

As for corps member performing via zoom from home (wondering if said in jest), I suspect drill aka "marching and maneuvering" would be affected by the placement of home furnishings.  Formations might not be as perfect as possible due to the lack of space caused by couches, desks, comfy chairs, etc.  Tripping on a throw rug could completely offset a company front.

Would that require a temporary new judging category perhaps called "GF" (General Furnishing)?  If so would it be incorporated as part of GE or Guard?  If cushions are used as part of the performance perhaps it would be part of Guard as they are easy to toss. 

Maybe have them march outside & Have the members all wear a GPS unit.  Define a point, set it in GPS, and all individual drill is relative to that point.  Each member marches their own drill, and the GPS data is uploaded to a central computer where they are all merged together.  Voila'  - remote drill.  Computer could layer on music, uniforms, the whole shebang.

NOTE - this is an attempt at humor.  I know the technology exists (surveyors sometimes use something similar), but it would cost serious $ to outfit 130 field performers (intentionally not including pit).

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

I can't imagine anything before next year. with cases surging now, making an announcement could explode on them

Agree, but I hope that somewhere in DCI's super-secret conference room the directors have come to a consensus on what the decision date is, even if they don't advertise it.

In some ways Drum Corps is like it was in 1971.  Gale Royer, Don Warren, Geo. Bonfiglio, Dave Kampschroer, Jim Jones et al., took great personal risks to break away from AL/VFW/CYO to run the shows themselves.  Who are their current equivalents?  I know there is at least one Bonfiglio still in the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Maybe have them march outside & Have the members all wear a GPS unit.  Define a point, set it in GPS, and all individual drill is relative to that point.  Each member marches their own drill, and the GPS data is uploaded to a central computer where they are all merged together.  Voila'  - remote drill.  Computer could layer on music, uniforms, the whole shebang.

NOTE - this is an attempt at humor.  I know the technology exists (surveyors sometimes use something similar), but it would cost serious $ to outfit 130 field performers (intentionally not including pit).

 

I really like your idea and I think with the use of app technology and cell phones it is achievable.

However, how do you account for rabid squirrels attacking individual members marching outside?  Worse yet, say you are a member from the upper west who now has Murder Hornets to deal with - and while doing your GPS drill suddenly have to fend off an attack?  What kinds of uniforms would protect from stings from Murder Hornets?  I suspect shakos would regain popularity as they at least protect the head until a Murder Hornet discovers a space between head and shako. 

I hope scenarios like this are accounted for. 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Continental said:

I really like your idea and I think with the use of app technology and cell phones it is achievable.

However, how do you account for rabid squirrels attacking individual members marching outside?  Worse yet, say you are a member from the upper west who now has Murder Hornets to deal with - and while doing your GPS drill suddenly have to fend off an attack?  What kinds of uniforms would protect from stings from Murder Hornets?  I suspect shakos would regain popularity as they at least protect the head until a Murder Hornet discovers a space between head and shako. 

I hope scenarios like this are accounted for. 

IDK about now, but BITD the pain inflicted by a rabid squirrel or a murder hornet would be far less than the pain inflicted by the instructors if we broke form...

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be all in favor of some news ideas. Standstill performances, drum battles, Sound Sport on a larger level. Let's not worry about competition for the next few years and work on slowly and meticulously growing the activity. It's going to take at least a decade for us to work our way back up to where things were. Let's not rush it. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Newseditor44 said:

I would be all in favor of some news ideas. Standstill performances, drum battles, Sound Sport on a larger level. Let's not worry about competition for the next few years and work on slowly and meticulously growing the activity. It's going to take at least a decade for us to work our way back up to where things were. Let's not rush it. 

Yes lot of businesses and activities will be hitting the same issues. DCI will not be in their own little vacuum here.  Hope DCI will be planning for long term survival instead of trying to jump back to “the way things used to be”. Like we said after 9/11, it will be a different world.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cixelsyd that was a valiant effort by these kids and young adults that tried to do the virtual march on. But I am in the opinion camp that believes virtual is a waste of time and energy and is in some ways a joke. 

From the majority of active posters on the message board is that the hope for a season is over. The hope for corps not to fold is also fading. 

As someone has mentioned in another post, we are 7 months away from a season. There is no press releases coming from any of the corps. They are out of the proverbial F's to give.  

Also another person who has been ridiculed for their opinion of getting on with a season with fans and judges. All shot down here. This is the can't do anything area don't step on the lawn! 

Anyway budgets cuts are coming to schools and the first budget to go will be fine arts. Among the fine arts Marching band will lead those budget cuts. Art class stands a way better chance of getting funded before band. Keep on banging the doom and gloom 5 gallon buckets. 

 

  • Thanks 1
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...