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How will All-Age Drum Corps recover from COVID?


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On 11/19/2020 at 7:05 PM, downtown said:

When we finally do come out from under this pandemic cloud, ALL of Drum Corps is going to struggle a little to get back to normal. It was mentioned that DCA Leadership may end up doing other things to occupy their time and it's more than likely that many members from Corps in DCA will do the same. You are correct. DCA as we know it it dead. That being said I do believe that if DCI were to take on All-Age and grow the product it could work. DCI would have no strict timeline to go follow. Because it's under DCI's umbrella they might be able to sell the idea of All-Age to member DCI Corps. An excellent way to keep age-outs engaged. I also see a way for DCI to grow DCI Championships by making it an entire week of all Drum Corps activity represented. Everyone comes to Indianapolis. Something for everyone and DCI counts the money. Yes, it will start out small I'm sure but has the potential to grow into something real special.

I think there was a time and a place for DCI to take DCA under their umbrella but that time has far past. DCI is going to have its hands full trying to put the pieces back together in 3-5 years from now and trying to get a NE Regional activity like DCA is going to be so low on the totem pole its not going to be funny.

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, Poppycock said:

Yes!

DCA has a purpose. but how it's been run has made getting that message out is the biggest issue. you can see the corps that do it right, and those that don't. the organization is not nearly as structured business wise like DCI is.

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10 minutes ago, camel lips said:

I think there was a time and a place for DCI to take DCA under their umbrella but that time has far past. DCI is going to have its hands full trying to put the pieces back together in 3-5 years from now and trying to get a NE Regional activity like DCA is going to be so low on the totem pole its not going to be funny.

 

 

 

DCI will have to alter their structure and set up. they specifically call themselves a youth activity. While DCA is a lot younger now, it's not all kids.

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5 hours ago, Poppycock said:

What are you comparing this opinion to? What is right to you? I’ve yet to see any comparisons to DCI performances. In fact DCA would be better to scale it down. 

right is the corps that continue to show growth on and off the field and maintain a quality organization. Cabs...around 75 years, always in the mix. Bucs basically the best corps in the circuit for 15 years now. Atlanta CV, a finalist for what 20 years and climbing the ranks? Fusion, a "Core" showing slow and steady growth year after year. White Sabres, again another one with slow and steady growth...Cincy tradition looking to show those types of growth the last few years.

 

Now has DCA done many good things as a circuit? Oh no. the move to Williamsport was pretty much as I predicted. the marketing is horrific. I realize DCA isn't run like DCI is, with an office and full time staff, but the previous administration burned a ton of bridges and folks willing to offer to help in a myriad of ways. It's going to take a while to get back to where it was even 10 years ago, and the individual corps need to look had into the mirror. Serious structural changes are needed top to bottom.

 

But DCA has value, and that value can become more apparent with those changes. Not sure when you last saw a DCA corps but there is good stuff out there for weekends only. I wish C2 was here, but they were a victim of all of the YEA ineptitude that almost killed C1. One nice trend i noticed in 18 and 19 was kids coming back to do DCA after aging out of DCI. that can't be anything but good.

 

of course i realize your joy at ####### on anything DCA will probably leave you thinking up the appropriate snarky response, but the ranks of DCI since day 1 is littered with people that started in DCA, and many came back to it too. But before you hold DCI up as the gold standard, you have to admit they have their own issues as well. At least for now DCA hasn't gotten into bed with Varsity

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In an effort to not jab, here's my thought.....

 

    Drum corps as a whole is in a "not so good" place! With some not so nice news stories the past few years and the canceling of 2020 (and probably 2021) I don't think that many corps can sustain. Kids today find other avenues and if drum corps isn't available to them, they will find other things. Maybe finding a job (if possible). 

The whole concept of drum corps is to rehearse and learn a show in the winter months to take on tour to compete against other corps and end up at DCI Championships (run on sentence but you get it right?). Now corps can't get together face to face so that eliminates the socialness of drum corps. Sound of being virtual is not adequate so why bother? 

My point? Can all corps sustain for another year (or more)? If corps utilize area schools, will the districts allow outside groups to use facilities for winter and summer? My guess is not a lot of them. Vaccine or no vaccine our world is not what it was. If you believe that this will blow over in 6 months or a year, you aren't seeing the big picture. I won't share that picture because it would seem like political jabbing. The truth is it's beyond politics!

 

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7 hours ago, KeithHall said:

In an effort to not jab, here's my thought.....

 

    Drum corps as a whole is in a "not so good" place! With some not so nice news stories the past few years and the canceling of 2020 (and probably 2021) I don't think that many corps can sustain. Kids today find other avenues and if drum corps isn't available to them, they will find other things. Maybe finding a job (if possible). 

The whole concept of drum corps is to rehearse and learn a show in the winter months to take on tour to compete against other corps and end up at DCI Championships (run on sentence but you get it right?). Now corps can't get together face to face so that eliminates the socialness of drum corps. Sound of being virtual is not adequate so why bother? 

My point? Can all corps sustain for another year (or more)? If corps utilize area schools, will the districts allow outside groups to use facilities for winter and summer? My guess is not a lot of them. Vaccine or no vaccine our world is not what it was. If you believe that this will blow over in 6 months or a year, you aren't seeing the big picture. I won't share that picture because it would seem like political jabbing. The truth is it's beyond politics!

 

in many ways i think DCA corps may be financially better off to survive than DCI corps. far less overhead

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9 hours ago, KeithHall said:

 

My point? Can all corps sustain for another year (or more)? If corps utilize area schools, will the districts allow outside groups to use facilities for winter and summer? My guess is not a lot of them. Vaccine or no vaccine our world is not what it was. If you believe that this will blow over in 6 months or a year, you aren't seeing the big picture. I won't share that picture because it would seem like political jabbing. The truth is it's beyond politics!

 

Agree with what I quoted. Even after  the vaccines have been given there is going to be a lot of shell shock. Also facilities people are not going to be as willing to allow others to use things like in the past “just in case” something like this starts again.

I worked Dept of Defense 9/11. The US never went totally back to same old same old even today. Just drive Baltimore or DC beltway over a holiday. If the message signs don’t warn you of a wreck they all say “IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, REPORT IT”. And they’re not talking about bad drivers.

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