DCA, The Savior of Drum and Bugle Corps

[cmdiddle]

This topic has been beaten to death yet again, but hey, who am I to keep quiet?  :) So I'll repeat an observation I've made many times before:

I think we have to get over the fact that DCI has changed it's product and changed it's focus.  You now have to think of the DCI product in the same way as a Broadway touring show.  That is their intent.  They simply want to have 18-20 corps that they can "package" and send off around the country to make money for the parent corporation, which then distributes money back to the member corps.  They are long since past the time when they cared about expanding the activity.  They do not necessarily want expansion.  They want top-quality performances that can be marketed to a wider audience on ESPN and other entertainment outlets.

Don't take this to mean they are only in it for the money however.  I do believe DCI when they say they are still very concerned about the educational aspect and life-changing experiences available to those who participate in their product.  And they still support - albeit weakly - the idea of Div II/III as a way of allowing future products to move upward through their organization, if they can survive the test of time and quality.

DCI is moving much closer to "Blast" than it is to the DCA model.  DCI and DCA are apples and oranges that just happen to both contain some Vitamin C.  DCI is no longer community-based though they may claim to be.  It is a touring production based nowhere that uses corps from different cities for the purpose of claiming competitive drama.  And I wouldn't even be surprised to eventually see the elimination of competition in favor of a broad notion of "entertainment" if the rules of competition constrict DCI's view of what appeals to a mass audience.  I doubt that will happen though.

There is nothing wrong about DCI's path.  But it is not a path I would like to follow and I simply prefer DCA's approach to drum corps.  DCI is almost too perfect, rehearsed and polished for me.  I prefer to see the real struggle among competitors that succeed in spite of all the challenges that face a senior corps today.  Competitors that have personality, history and pride that extends back through generations of participants and that are actually from somewhere.  I don't need to see a corporate product that has all the depth of the latest marketing campaign for designer jeans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ron, it is refreshing to find such a thoughtful, concise, and flame-free post. Also, thought provoking.

My first thoughts are 1). because of the vast amounts of money changing hands and the fact that DCI is way more exclusionary than inclusive, I'm wondering if either it is at risk for being sued by various private entities, or by the IRS challenging its non-profit status. 2). for the same reasons, will the "kids" go the way of university teaching assistants and at some point demand compensation? I am by no means a lawyer and have no evidence, just thinking out loud.

By the way, drum corps does not need saving. DCA is the only drum corps entity that I support, and it is doing nicely on its own.

[mellonick]

As a bit of an educational aside, I think this whole "well rounded" desire is a crock. Since when is being excellent at an activity whether it be cello, mellophone, or lacrosse be a bad thing. I'm sure I'm not the only person that has been frustrated at "I can only be at band once a week, because I have soccer". Excellence at one sure beats mediocre at many.

::stepping off soapbox::

[LegalEagle50]

sure maybe it does ~ but making it into a good school beats flipping burgers at Burger King any day of the week

:P

[Mick Krackin']

This was brought up in the Historical area, so I brought it over.  As DCI dies this slow death and DCA grows, I believe that we will look to the Senior circuit to keep the activity growing.

What do you all think?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude,

Were you at any of the DCI shows last week? 53 corps competing in Div I, II & III prelims & finals with my guess of 15,000+ at semi-finals and well over 25,000 at finals hardly seems like a "slow death".

The corps put on fantastic performances and the audience was eating it up. (Yes, I was there.) The corps members, instructors, designers and administrations deserve a lot of credit for putting on another great season of drum corps.

I have been involved with drum corps for 20+ years, both DCA & DCI and the one thing that has been constant is change. Change is good, especially if it allows more people to participate and attend shows.

DCI & DCA are circuits made up of the member corps and they are put together to serve the best interests of those member corps. They vote on all of the rule changes and they have very intense debates about the pros and cons of each of them. No one is trying to change the activity for the worse.

It's fine to not like a certain style or the use of certain effects or equipment, but it is important to not lose sight of the fact that the members of the drum corps, DCI & DCA alike, are still doing what they always have been doing....working their ###es off to put on the best performance they possibly can for the audience and for themselves. This is what has always been and will continue to be so appealing about drum corps, no matter what changes come to the activity.

[Jeff Ream]

what are you even talking about?    Do you read to "respond" or to "react"??? 

this DCI/DCA crap is childish and pathetic

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i respong to what you said. you lumped all into one category. if you READ this thread, you will not ALL are trashing DCI in here. yet you just lump all together just because of a topic title.

I know you hate that when it's done in CE, so remember that here.

just because the title may be wrong, doesn't mean all who post agree with it

[Jeff Ream]

but DCA isn't (currently) heading down it's own path - it's just "DCI-lite" or "DCA-late" depending on the issue.  The "lite" is the time available for program design, teaching and rehearsal.  The "late" is the fact that DCA follows each and every major DCI change - just a couple of years later...

Re DCA being the "savior" in terms of numbers of corps - it's important to note that historically speaking Senior Corps has PLUMMETED as a vibrant activity to a much greater degree than junior corps.  Senior Corps used to be the end-all end-all both in numbers and quality. 

DCI has major faults.  DCA is copying DCI.  You be the judge as to which is more silly. DCA is growing again.  DCI has been addressing it's faults.  IMO that's a good thing in both cases.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

maybe, just maybe, DCA is seeing what's going on in DCI and starting to realize if they don't go hand in hand, maybe they can benefit.

after all, amps didnt even make it to a vote this past year. if they do follow DCI's flight path, we have 14 more years til amps come :P

[bawker]

if they do follow DCI's flight path, we have 14 more years til amps come :P

It's official: No amps until 2019. :P

[Jeff Ream]

especially when it is coming from people who have not spent one red cent on a junior show this year.  Or perhaps not for several years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

we missed you. say hi to Jim for me

[FuzZyBeaR]

The "late" is the fact that DCA follows each and every major DCI change - just a couple of years later...

I believe the rule change to allow Bb in DCA was done for different reasons than it was in DCI. Without the major DCI corps buying G's the company's making them were liking to raise their price for less demand or stop making them in the long run. DCA's rule change was more of a look to the future where a DCA corps could possibly not afford G's.

We changed the 128 marching members to not include Drum Majors but that's the only number change we did right?

We can do moving unjudged warm ups but how often is that utilized?

What other major changes am I missing? We don't have woodwinds at I&E this year do we? How many cymbal lines will we have in the top 10 this year? I'm hoping it's more than one compared to DCI.

[KeithHall]

Dude,

Were you at any of the DCI shows last week?  53 corps competing in Div I, II & III prelims & finals with my guess of 15,000+ at semi-finals and well over 25,000 at finals hardly seems like a "slow death". 

Wow, 53 corps!  I didn't think there were that many junior corps.  I remember when there were 80 corps and not to long before that there were probably over 150.  So what that 25,000 people saw it this year, how many people came to Buffalo to see it?  More than that and that was over 10 years ago.  The last junior corps I saw played half notes and quarter notes and were top 15.

The corps put on fantastic performances and the audience was eating it up.  (Yes, I was there.)  The corps members, instructors, designers and administrations deserve a lot of credit for putting on another great season of drum corps.   

I have been involved with drum corps for 20+ years, both DCA & DCI and the one thing that has been constant is change.  Change is good, especially if it allows more people to participate and attend shows.

CHange is good and I agree!  You just mentioned more people to participate

but, if there are less junior corps how can more people participate?  The could go to a DCA corps because that is where the growth is right?

DCI & DCA are circuits made up of the member corps and they are put together to serve the best interests of those member corps.  They vote on all of the rule changes and they have very intense debates about the pros and cons of each of them.  No one is trying to change the activity for the worse.

It's fine to not like a certain style or the use of certain effects or equipment, but it is important to not lose sight of the fact that the members of the drum corps, DCI & DCA alike, are still doing what they always have been doing....working their ###es off to put on the best performance they possibly can for the audience and for themselves.  This is what has always been and will continue to be so appealing about drum corps, no matter what changes come to the activity.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree they work hard, that isn't the issue. The issue is this (once again):

Look at the numbers of corps that participated in DCI, US Open, A-I Open, etc back "in the day" and then look at 1977 until now and tell me that there is growth in junior corps.

By the way, my name is Keith or Mr. Hall, nowhere in my screen name do I have Dude.