Santa Clara Vanguard 2024

[Jeff Ream]

43 minutes ago, 2muchcoffeeman said:

True enough, but VMAPA doesn't need their votes. It needs only a majority of the votes of the DCI members in the room. 

correct. then other agendas will have to wait and see how the chips fall

[Jeff Ream]

33 minutes ago, MikeN said:

I'm the second longest-tenured member remaining on DCP (behind George D, the founder).  And DCP is now so old it's in it's age-out year.  😞

MIke

and i'm not far behind you.

 

#### we're old

[Weaklefthand4ever]

33 minutes ago, MarimbaManiac said:

I really don't know what you're talking about when you say "other agendas." Universally, people want the organization to heal and get back to the field. There is no one wishing for the corps to fail, as far as I can tell. However they DO want this experience to come with some accountability and transparency for an organization that has avoided it for decades. 

Honestly, have you seen or heard anything in the last year that has shown that the organization is taking transparency and accountability seriously? They included nice words about honesty and transparency in their "we're back" announcement, but have you seen any ACTION that shows they are actually trying to make that happen?

Frankly, I think that the people who really have alternative agendas, are those that are ignoring the many red flags shown over the last year and are ready to just accept the corps coming back under any means necessary. This was and is a huge blow to the orgs credibility, and I don't understand how people can just default to blind trust after that.

And it's a double edged sword really. No corps wants to have to constantly have every issue aired in public. It hampers your ability to pivot quickly. That being said, by the time that something comes to light in the DCI world, it's already typically a potentially corps ending issue. There has to be a middle ground somewhere. 

I simply don't understand the DCI model I guess. It's an organization that has one, tentative foot in oversight, but only as a reaction to large issues. The model worked for as long as it has because most things simply never came to the light of day it seems. With social media, that landscape has changed and so to should the model in some way. 

Just my opinion

[keystone3ply]

52 minutes ago, MikeN said:

I'm the second longest-tenured member remaining on DCP (behind George D, the founder).  And DCP is now so old it's in it's age-out year.  😞

MIke

I salute you @MikeN.  I was just communicating with @Terri Schehr via the DM that I miss her posts.  I've learned so much from you "seasoned alumni" from the 60s-70s.  I watched my first corps show as a HS student in Birmingham in 1979. (also attended in 1980.)  Think some of y'all were marching my in my favorite corps. Much respect!  

Edited September 11, 2023 by keystone3ply
cx

[keystone3ply]

19 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

and i'm not far behind you.

 

#### we're old

We need an assisted living facility in Florida, on the water, with all drum corps folks.  They can play shows 24/7 in the commons area & have drum corps trivia games, etc.  Maybe some drum corps style dance classes, circle drumming, &  small brass ensembles. (We could perform at grand openings & parades.)  

To keep on topic, hopefully we would be able to play the SCV 2024 performance.  

Edited September 11, 2023 by keystone3ply
cx

[scheherazadesghost]

17 minutes ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

And it's a double edged sword really. No corps wants to have to constantly have every issue aired in public. It hampers your ability to pivot quickly. That being said, by the time that something comes to light in the DCI world, it's already typically a potentially corps ending issue. There has to be a middle ground somewhere. 

The nonprofit model is not designed (and are rarely ever able) to pivot quickly. That's why transparency is supposed to be built in, so when quick pivots are absolutely necessary, they can accomplish them with minimal damage. They're supposed to be constantly stoking and reinforcing trust with all kinds of diversified constituents to help with that. When they silo or whittle down their revenue streams and constituents, they risk their capacity to pivot with the support of other entities like they're designed to.

Point taken about the drum corps world, and corps' historically being able to do damage control before things come to light. And yes, re: the rest of your post... we're in a new era and it's only going to get faster. DCI has not provided adequate oversight for corps in a variety of areas, historically or recently, to prevent disasters. Not sure what, if anything, can give here though. It's why I encourage young members to do their homework.

Appreciating your thoughts.

[greg_orangecounty]

18 minutes ago, keystone3ply said:

We need an assisted living facility in Florida, on the water, with all drum corps folks.  They can play shows 24/7 in the commons area & have drum corps trivia games, etc.  Maybe some drum corps style dance classes, circle drumming, &  small brass ensembles. (We could perform at grand openings & parades.)  

To keep on topic, hopefully we would be able to play the SCV 2024 performance.  

If they accept Medicare I'm in!  

[IllianaLancerContra]

52 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

correct. then other agendas will have to wait and see how the chips fall

And after the chips fall, the herd moves on

[Weaklefthand4ever]

26 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

The nonprofit model is not designed (and are rarely ever able) to pivot quickly. That's why transparency is supposed to be built in, so when quick pivots are absolutely necessary, they can accomplish them with minimal damage.

Point very well stated. The corporate model wouldn't work in a plug and play type of format for sure. I think pieces of it could, but some of the wheels spokes would definitely have to be reinvented. I would, however wonder if it's the model that wouldn't work or it's a will vs skill type of scenario at some level.

As we traverse the many major reported incidents across several corps (SCV is not the first and unfortunately will most likely not be the last,) the pattern of corps seems to be the "We do things the way that we do them because it's always how we've done them." Change only occurs at two levels:

1. Willingness to change in order to keep moving forward with minimal risk of future issues

2. Force by circumstance.

I don't know what the right answer is. And I'm smart enough to realize that there may not be an easy model/answer. But if corps aren't striving for transparency until they get punched in the jaw, that's a recipe for disaster. 

[KVG_DC]

1 hour ago, keystone3ply said:

I salute you @MikeN.  I was just communicating with @Terri Schehr via the DM that I miss her posts.  I've learned so much from you "seasoned alumni" from the 60s-70s.  I watched my first corps show as a HS student in Birmingham in 1979. (also attended in 1980.)  Think some of y'all were marching my in my favorite corps. Much respect!  

Totally.  I was in the bando world in the 80s to a degree that was 'corps adjacent' to some degree given to who was doing the creative work and some instruction for us.   But not on discussion boards for the activity until my 2014 return to following it more closely.  I blame seeing Bloo on fire in Ft. Wayne for that return. I immediately "hmmm. i bet there's a forum for yammering about all this somewhere."  And DCP is what sprung up.

But I love the yesteryear legacy conversations.  Heck, I've shared my dad's 1956 experience as a teen marching with a bunch of war vets in a corps where he was brought on board because, "you're the only one who can read the sheet music for the battery."  Hearing him tell stories about the show, the stays overnight they did at some places, etc. never really gets old for me.  I also love him seeing boggle on where the activity has gone now and his appreciation for it...including some droll dry lines.