mellowalker Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I agree that the activity is heading more in the marching band direction but what most people dont care to take the time to understand is that most people that march the activity now a days, including myself, do NOT want it to head to marching band. If they wanted to march in a marching band they would have. For me it is extremly discouraging to see people degrade the activity because of the way it is today. We as marchers, well most of use, can not do anything about the way the drum corps world progresses and i think it is wrong to not support a corps because they use amps or sing or something of that nature. Do you honestly think that most members wanted it to head to this. But although they may not have wanted it they still worked the butts off just like corps of later years did. So you should support the kids that march and the hard work they put into the activity to keep it alive. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Brady Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 What do you mean when you ask about loyalty?As for more traditional drum corps, DCA is where it's at. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I suppose I should have been more specific-It seems that today there is not the kind of loyalty to "your corps" that there used to be .Sure, there wrere always people jumping from corps to corps when I marched, but it seems much more prevelant today. Speaking only for myself, The last two years that I marched,my corps was REALLY bad! We were putting the corps back together after several years of inactivity, had only a handful of people with any experience at all,and it was really tough to stick it out. I had auditioned for a top 12 corps and made the line. After a lot of soul searching I wound up staying where I was those last two years.and watched the "Big Corps" finish in the top 3. I know it sounds sappy, but it was loyalty to my corps,AND to all the friends in it that helped me make my choice. I've never regretted it. As I said before, I'm speaking only about myself but I know alot of other prople who went through the same kind of thing. As for DCA- You got it!! It's good to see some traditional corps out there-keep it up!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abgiles Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Amen I agree that the activity is heading more in the marching band direction but what most people dont care to take the time to understand is that most people that march the activity now a days, including myself, do NOT want it to head to marching band. If they wanted to march in a marching band they would have. For me it is extremly discouraging to see people degrade the activity because of the way it is today. We as marchers, well most of use, can not do anything about the way the drum corps world progresses and i think it is wrong to not support a corps because they use amps or sing or something of that nature. Do you honestly think that most members wanted it to head to this. But although they may not have wanted it they still worked the butts off just like corps of later years did. So you should support the kids that march and the hard work they put into the activity to keep it alive. Just my opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kksop17 Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I've said it before and I'll say it again, I wonder if anyone in DCI has polled the marching members and band community to see what they want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Brady Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I agree that the activity is heading more in the marching band direction but what most people dont care to take the time to understand is that most people that march the activity now a days, including myself, do NOT want it to head to marching band. If they wanted to march in a marching band they would have. For me it is extremly discouraging to see people degrade the activity because of the way it is today. We as marchers, well most of use, can not do anything about the way the drum corps world progresses and i think it is wrong to not support a corps because they use amps or sing or something of that nature. Do you honestly think that most members wanted it to head to this. But although they may not have wanted it they still worked the butts off just like corps of later years did. So you should support the kids that march and the hard work they put into the activity to keep it alive. Just my opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I couldn't agree with you more!! It's encouraging to hear that viewpoint from someone who's out there marching today. Although some are, I really don't think too many of us "old phartes" are degrading the activity though. I think it's exactly the oppisite. Alot of of us care about this activity very passionatly,and want to see it continue to grow. I for one have nothing but the highest regard for the kids who are marching today-the level of talent is incredible.The point many of us have been trying to make is that it seems Drum Corps is losing it's uniqness. We used to pride ourselves on being different from other marching/musical activities, and now it seems as if that no longer the case. This isn't the fault of the members. Not All change is good,just like NO change would result in stagnation. But to turn our activity into what we didnt want to be in the first place just rubs some us the wrong way. I for one DO still support the activity-I always will,but I don't have to be happy with everything I see. For alot of us who were there when DCI was first created,and remember the reasons WHY, it's tough to see alot of those original principals fall by the wayside. In the meantime-Keep up the good work!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffernbus3 Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 (edited) Uh, Squish, were you trying to tell me something back there about peg-leg style? And count me in as one of the older members of the drum corps community in the cheap seats that sees with my own eyes how much harder both the music and the field presentations of today are than when I marched. I will take absolutely nothing away from today's marchers and performers. Go back and look at the old b&w films to see how archaic the marching style of then, with its squad and platoon style, looks today. The fact it was done cleanly doesn't make it any near as hard as it is today. I wonder if today I would have been half as good as I was then, which I'm pretty certain was at a quite high caliber, or so I have been told. It'd be fun to find out, but this back problem kind of puts a crimp on that.....so I just have to enjoy from the stands and make the same old plea: "Entertain me!" RON HOUSLEY Edited March 8, 2005 by ffernbus3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deftguy Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I agree that the activity is heading more in the marching band direction but what most people dont care to take the time to understand is that most people that march the activity now a days, including myself, do NOT want it to head to marching band. If they wanted to march in a marching band they would have. If this is the case, them maybe(in mass) the members need to go and tell the instructors and corps leaders this. Otherwise your silence is tacit approval, as is your support. For me it is extremly discouraging to see people degrade the activity because of the way it is today. It is even more discouraging to watch it turn into what it is now. We as marchers, well most of use, can not do anything about the way the drum corps world progresses and i think it is wrong to not support a corps because they use amps or sing or something of that nature. Well, I think it is more wrong to support something you do not care for. To support it means you approve of it. Drum corps today is VERY difficult to watch. I however love the drill design and the music(I avoid looking at the colorguard if I can help it)but that is all I can stand. I am certainly not going to support something that I can only partially watch. Do you honestly think that most members wanted it to head to this. But although they may not have wanted it they still worked the butts off just like corps of later years did. If you don't want it to be this way, be vocal and full of action. What is so harmful about vocalizing your dissatisfaction with the direction things are going? I'll give you a good example of how to change a direction. A year before I joined my high schools colorguard, we had a band director that was very old fashioned. He liked the prance step style of marching. The entire band hated it. When the question was ask who will audition for marching band next year(auditions for both band and colorguard were exceptionally competitive as there are a set number of spots), very few people said they wanted to march. When asked why, the guys just told the school administration that they did not want to march in any band this director was in charge of. Well the school not wanting to see its only claim to fame killed replaced the band director with somebody who marched in drum corps. The band had a 100% return rate(less graduates), and fielded the best most sucessful band and colorguard the school ever had. Had we continued to support band in the business as usual fashion, this would not have ever happened. So you should support the kids that march and the hard work they put into the activity to keep it alive. Just my opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Unfortunately this is too expensive an activity to just support it just for the kids. DCI markets themselves much like a business, and like any business if you don't put out a product the public likes, they are not going to buy it. The kids are in the middle unfortunately. Also I like many others feel that DCI wants us to just disappear(the old school alumni) so without protest they can make whatever mainstream creation they desire(marching band I suspect). Some people will be vocal protesters, and others like myself will just stop going to DCI shows, and support DCA as a participant and/or donor. When I see DCI putting on shows that capture my interest, I will return along with my consumer dollars. Until then, thank God for legacy videos and DCA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tansea Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I agree that the activity is heading more in the marching band direction but what most people dont care to take the time to understand is that most people that march the activity now a days, including myself, do NOT want it to head to marching band. If they wanted to march in a marching band they would have. For me it is extremly discouraging to see people degrade the activity because of the way it is today. We as marchers, well most of use, can not do anything about the way the drum corps world progresses and i think it is wrong to not support a corps because they use amps or sing or something of that nature. Do you honestly think that most members wanted it to head to this. But although they may not have wanted it they still worked the butts off just like corps of later years did. So you should support the kids that march and the hard work they put into the activity to keep it alive. Just my opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fight it from within. Become management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srmumz Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I do not know if I could have made the cut in today's corps. And I have a tremendous amount of respect for those that do. My beef is with the BOD and DCI. -- not with any of the hard working marching members. Just remember who the Board is ---- PLEASE make your concerns known! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance Of Vengeance Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Is this all you people spend your time doing? Whining about the activity dieing? Jesus christ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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