Santa Clara Vanguard 2023 Announcement Thread

[C.Holland]

4 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

Indeed a nonprofit service industry that gatekeeps its expressed educational mission behind paywalls looks a little strange on paper... meanwhile, some of us have been saying hm, that's weird for a long time but were shoved out by jerks who weren't even alum.

(Not directed at you:) Don't tell me this is the beginning of the end... if you believe that, then you haven't been paying attention to the whistleblowers and survivors who have been shouting it from the rooftops for a long time.

Also don't even tell me it's actually the end when, as an alum, I have full faith that my fellow alum will turn this around. Actually, I take pride in the fact that they had the humility to call it before it got worse. Humility is not something I generally associate with my corps leadership, so it's a welcome breath of fresh air honestly.

No worries, Reamy, you're all good. There's a difference between folks having consistent personal connections to the corps/wanting to help and the AMG IT'S THE END crowd.

the end started in the 00's.  when schools were no longer free to use, sheets increasingly moved into design first and student execution second, and standards of touring raised.  For good.  Busses outsourced, trucks outsourced, healthcare, feeding, etc all outsourced are a good thing, because then accountability and safety become a larger part of the equation.  

[C.Holland]

3 minutes ago, MarimbaManiac said:

Maybe they should stop holding camps in Texas and return to being a local organization that services students in the Bay Area? Maybe they should make better choices with their money than caving to the Rennicks who want SCV to become a UNT feeder organization. 

I'm frankly disgusted. 

its cheaper to go where your paying students are. sending staff to the customer brings you more customers than asking the customer to come to you.  when the school helps to host the camp, you dont incur the same costs.  this is also where your talent comes from.  good programs, where students are already trained.  means you spend less time teaching how to move/play, and more time teaching show elements. (just like broadway, we dont teach you to dance, we teach you THE dances)

Edited December 13, 2022 by C.Holland

[C.Holland]

3 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

Sadly tho…. Is this the start of a scarier trend?

if the board of an org keeps the mission at the forefront, and development aligns with it, and they live within the budget.  they'll be fine.  though the activity needs to shift to accommodate students.  

though this may need a full revamp of the ACTUAL mission of DCI versus what the actions are behind the blurb on the website.  

[MarimbaManiac]

Just now, C.Holland said:

its cheaper to go where your paying students are.  when the school helps to host the camp, you dont incur the same costs.  this is also where your talent comes from.  good programs, where students are already trained.  means you spend less time teaching how to move/play, and more time teaching show elements. (just like broadway, we dont teach you to dance, we teach you THE dances)

Then you recruit DIFFERENT students. The corps already has access to a bingo hall with plenty of space to run camps and auditions. The parking lot, corps rooms, hall, and surrounding neighborhood has plenty of spaces for them to do everything they need to do for the early camps without spending a dime on venues (I know, I participated in them as a member and taught for them as a staff member). 

The problem is it became more about moving the corps recruitment operations to Texas, instead of investing in the education of local students (of which there are MANY). 

Hopefully this is a wake up call for those people that stay that they need to realign their mission to focus on educating bay area students, and growing their footprint locally. 

[C.Holland]

1 minute ago, MarimbaManiac said:

Then you recruit DIFFERENT students. The corps already has access to a bingo hall with plenty of space to run camps and auditions. The parking lot, corps rooms, hall, and surrounding neighborhood has plenty of spaces for them to do everything they need to do for the early camps without spending a dime on venues (I know, I participated in them as a member and taught for them as a staff member). 

The problem is it became more about moving the corps recruitment operations to Texas, instead of investing in the education of local students (of which there are MANY). 

Hopefully this is a wake up call for those people that stay that they need to realign their mission to focus on educating bay area students, and growing their footprint locally. 

does it cost more to close the hall for camps, than it does to host a camp elsewhere?   whats the daily revenue on a sat and sun? 

please keep in mind. this isnt an education and service industry.  its a sold experience to high level student performers.  they arent interesting in teaching performance methods, only the performance.  Thats how success is gained easier. 

[scheherazadesghost]

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Edited June 13, 2023 by scheherazadesghost

[MarimbaManiac]

6 minutes ago, C.Holland said:

please keep in mind. this isnt an education and service industry.  its a sold experience to high level student performers.  they arent interesting in teaching performance methods, only the performance.  Thats how success is gained easier. 

...and that is where you are wrong. It is 100% an education and service organization, as it has been since its inception. The mission statement states "Our mission is to inspire communities and enrich lives by increasing opportunities for participation, education, and excellence in the performing arts."

It's about providing students with educational and performance opportunities focused in the bay area. The problem is that they were getting their butts kicked throughout the 2000s, and tried everything to throw money at the problem instead of dealing with their own internal disfunction, which pulled them further and further from their main missions. 

Unless you've sat in that hall and participated in "tradition moments" with the staff, and really BREATHED in the soul and history of that organization, you really have no idea what you're talking about. 

 

6 minutes ago, C.Holland said:

does it cost more to close the hall for camps, than it does to host a camp elsewhere?   whats the daily revenue on a sat and sun? 

 

They can have both occurring at the same time. There is plenty of outdoor space and the weather is always mild, even in the winter. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by MarimbaManiac

[Terri Schehr]

19 minutes ago, MarimbaManiac said:

Maybe they should stop holding camps in Texas and return to being a local organization that services students in the Bay Area? Maybe they should make better choices with their money than caving to the Rennicks who want SCV to become a UNT feeder organization. 

I'm frankly disgusted. 

“…services students in the Bay Area.”  🤔You may be onto something here.

Everything old is new again.

[MarimbaManiac]

6 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

 

@MarimbaManiac makes solid points. I directed the colorguard at Santa Teresa HS when I still lived in the Bay and just before I hit the glass ceiling at SCV. There's plenty of talent in the Bay pull from. And when you train up locals at SCVC but don't do the work of ushering them into SCV, as would be the natural progression, you're only shooting yourself in the foot.

Edit to add: everything I've alluded to above is publicly-available info.

Yes! There is an almost unlimited pool of high quality talent in the bay area. The entire region is filled with large, well funded, and high performing fall and winter programs. The issue isn't the availability of students, it's staff who want THEIR students from THEIR programs. 

[Terri Schehr]

Just now, Terri Schehr said:

“…services students in the Bay Area.”  🤔You may be onto something here.

Everything old is new again.

Hardly any of these corps have a local footprint. They just wear the shirts, like Seinfeld said.