Women in Drum Corps History

[byline]

Did a bit of Googling and found this RAMD post; 1980 is the correct year:

1980 - Ratified Rules Changes

DCN by Donna J. Ashe, DCI Assoc. PR Director

DCI executive director Don Pesceone has announced the ratified rule changes that were voted by the congress delegates at the 1979 Drum Corps Rules Congress held in Chicago in November.

On the morning of November 18, the congress delegates met to vote on proposed changes in rules that govern their respective corps. The following information highlights those changes.

1.) A unit will now be given the option to carry its national colors on the field. As a result of this change, all contest sponsors will be requested to either post the national color center stage, or have the color raised on their stadium flag staff with the appropriate ceremony before the show.

2.) Those corps which choose to use the national color in competition will be permitted to post the national color in an inanimate receptacle located on the front sideline during the corps warm-up, prior to the performance; the national color must be retrieved prior to the last member leaving the contest field. Previous to this ratification, posting of the national color had to have occurred after the first note of music, and retrieval prior to the end of the performance. Time in motion will not be judged.

3.) Corps will no longer be required to have eight minutes of their judged program in motion; previous to this, they had to be in motion eight minutes of their 11 1/2 minutes. This change gives corps an opportunity to design their programs in whatever fashion they feel appropriate for their competitive success.

4.) The 1979 Rules Congress appointed the DCI board to determine an alternative to disqualification. When this is decided, an amendment to this rule will be published by the DCI office.

5.) The next issue concerns itself with individual rule errors, i.e.., dropped equipment, competitive flag code, entry to or exit from the field of competition, boundary violations, and individuals who fall while performing. Congress approved that these traditional penalties will become errors in execution, rather than isolated penalties shown separate from the ranking and rating tabulation.

6.) There will no longer be a penalty for retrieving dropped equipment. Performers will, henceforth, be permitted to pick up the equipment they have dropped.

7.) Congress asked the DCI task force to study the feasibility of changing the existing two piston valve bugle pitched in the key of G, and having the capability of playing keys F and F sharp. This study will consider adding a slip-slide to the existing 2-valve bugle so that the A flat and E flat can be played.

8.) Congress approved a proposal which requests that self-contained motors be permitted on vibraphones only. This motor is not for amplification, but rather will produce a tremolo effect.

9.) Congress passed a "Touring Corps Code of Conduct." This code will give the corps guidelines on what conduct is expected of them while traveling, and what penalties will be handed out for unprofessional handling and / or behavior.

10.) Congress has accepted, for immediate implementation, a scoring system which will align all three captions judged.

Each caption will have one or two judges judging field execution (knock-down caption).

Each caption will have an analysis judge to evaluate exposure and demand of the program, as well as the performers degree of excellence.

Each caption will evaluate the effectiveness of the programs - - the repertoire, the showmanship, and the coordination.

This system is not drastically different from the previous scoring system; it simply aligns so that each caption is more in balance with the others.

The balance of the changes were of a housekeeping nature, that is, changes in the actual wording and terminology of various rules, in an effort to clarify any misunderstandings, particularly on the scoring system and scoring sheets.

The congress voted on the above changes in only 29 minutes, probably the shortest DCI Rules Congress voting session in history!

OK, back to our originally scheduled discussion! :)

[jbl]

Wasn't Kimella Hillary the 1st female in SCV's percussion section (in the pit, IIRC)??

She was. With Peggy Watson (who played with BD in 84) and Carol Everett all played mallets for SCV in 83.

That year the biggest complaints about women in the drumline came from the colorguard.

Sam I don't know if you knew this but Kim had played baritone for the San Jose Raiders before she played mallets for SCV.

Edited September 20, 2007 by jbl

[HUGADA]

Curt Moore and Ralph Hardimon worked hard to get me into the '81 SCV corps, to no avail. Putting that aside, I have respect for Corps rules and in this case, Gail Royer. I am surprised about the Color guard's reaction, however.

[byline]

I am surprised about the Color guard's reaction, however.

Out of curiosity, what was it?

[Tansea]

Curt Moore and Ralph Hardimon worked hard to get me into the '81 SCV corps, to no avail. Putting that aside, I have respect for Corps rules and in this case, Gail Royer. I am surprised about the Color guard's reaction, however.

Gail was a mysogynistic bas#$rd. Was that out loud? B)

[john2780]

Gail was a mysogynistic bas#$rd. ? B)

Not only that I hear He didn't like women either

Impressive vocabulary Mike b**bs

Edited September 26, 2007 by john2780

[Tansea]

Not only that I hear He didn't like women either

Impressive vocabulary Mike b**bs

What, bas#$rd?

Mother was sedused by a rich count...what can I say. B)

[jbl]

I am surprised about the Color guard's reaction, however.

It was kind of bizarre and I really wouldn't have believed it happened except seeing it first hand. I should clarify this complaining didn't happen the entire season but during the beginning (and ended when Joey told the biggest complainers to stop because the three were members of the drumline and not guard members). And it was more from some long term members than the whole guard in general.

[jbl]

Out of curiosity, what was it?

Sue

It was a general complaint that they were corrupting SCV's traditions (that the musical lines were all male and they were changing it, blah blah blah). Some guard members had even gone so far to insist that three follow the guard hair requirements (I don't recall the details but they wanted them to put their hair up a certain way under their hats).

[MsBusDriver]

Sue

... Some guard members had even gone so far to insist that three follow the guard hair requirements (I don't recall the details but they wanted them to put their hair up a certain way under their hats).

I'm guessing......... HAIR NETS! :sshh: