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'Ontario Must Abandon DCI, Embrace Québec' - opinion piece


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https://sites.google.com/view/ontario-marching-arts/competitive-regionalism


Hello there, 

I'm a Canadian marching band director, I marched Boston '17 and admin'd for 7th Regiment '18. I've researched the history of drum corps in Canada extensively, and I've summarized my opinions in this article 'Competitive Regionalism: Ontario must abandon DCI, embrace Quebec'. I'd love to hear some outside perspectives on this, especially from an American perspective. 

Here's a summary of the arguments, which are at the end of the article:

https://sites.google.com/view/ontario-marching-arts/competitive-regionalism

A 2nd article, this one about the history of drum corps in Quebec and why it declined: "What Happened to Drum Corps Quebec?"

https://sites.google.com/view/ontario-marching-arts/what-happened-to-drum-corps-in-quebec?authuser=0

 

Summary of Arguments
The ‘Touring Model’ has eroded local support
Over-extended groups financially
- the US dollar
- customs
- the distance
Ontario Marching Arts was strongest when it was local
- 1950-1980 was the strongest period of the activity, before the touring model
We export our energy with no return
- Our activity was only sustainable when local performances worked to inspire younger members and local fans


DCI has no intentions of supporting Canada
DCI will never host an event in Canada
- Boston Crusaders will never cross the border, 7th Regiment will never either
- SoundSport is just a revenue-generating afterthought
- Even when reaching out to Canada, it was framed as US-centric “Great Lakes”
- I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth they work to create revenue for DCI
We need to control our own destiny as an activity
- We have unique advantages, needs, and need to emulate other national orgs
- We need to acknowledge what the ultimate goal of DCI is - consolidated supergroups
- the “end-goal” of Canada’s participation in DCI is misguided


We can do better with what we already have
Québec, Ontario have enough drumlines/guards to compete in the Winter, and enough marching bands in Summer to host a circuit, 
- we’re organizationally/personally disconnected
Québec and Ontario should reevaluate our seasons and schedules and consider our specific Canadian needs
- our Summer should not be built around DCI Finals
- our Winter should not be built around WGI Finals
We must pool our resources if the activity is to recover post-pandemic and this is the perfect moment in history to do so

Edited by QuinnFleming
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I wouldn't totally blame DCI for the demise of the drum corps activity in Canada. When the last handful of drum corps from Canada were competing at DCI, a number of them said that there wasn't enough support for music programs in Canada; especially drum corps. If something has changed since then and there is a resurgence of support for music programs and the performing/marching arts; that's amazing and I would love to see a Canadian drum corps revival. 

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21 minutes ago, Brian Tuma said:

I was surprised that Les Stentors did a California tour last season. Great experience for the kids but it must have broke the bank. 

Saw Les Stentors out here in Cali. I enjoyed them. Crowd did as well.

As always I appreciate all the corps that come out West.

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Touring in Canada is now much more complex than it was pre-9/11, purely because of the requirement that every member of the corps, the drivers, the staff, have passports. DCI did look at having an event  in Ontario a few years ago in the week leading up to Finals weekend, but the logistics made things fall apart.

But good news - you and others are free to develop your own circuit with your own rules and requirements, and there's nothing DCI can do to stop it. Put together a business plan, find 10 or 12 corps or bands who want to participate, and I'd imagine you'd be able to raise some funds for admin and operations from a lot of folks who want to support regionally focused drum corps. 

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13 hours ago, corps8294 said:

I wouldn't totally blame DCI for the demise of the drum corps activity in Canada. When the last handful of drum corps from Canada were competing at DCI, a number of them said that there wasn't enough support for music programs in Canada; especially drum corps. If something has changed since then and there is a resurgence of support for music programs and the performing/marching arts; that's amazing and I would love to see a Canadian drum corps revival. 

i agree, and i have seen many articles mention the lack of music education in schools did more than anything to hurt the growth of drum corps in Canada.

 

and touring is far more complicated as mentioned above. 

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Makes lots of sense to me that post-customs crackdown and our current economic reality that it's time for separate Winter and Summer opportunities. It'd be really cool if Canada built up something of same caliber as DCI.

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