Not Marching DCA After Ageing Out

[JimF-LowBari]

Don't have their permission so I'm not going to name the folks hashing this out on another thread. As we know there is bad feelings between some people in the DCI and DCA camps.

WELL I AIN'T GOING TALK ABOUT THAT (maybe).....

My question is why Junior corps members don't march Seniors after they age out. If you don't like the Senior style or whatever, fine. Just say it in a respectful manner as I would like to keep this thread open so we all might learn something that might help the activity.

My story is I quit marching at age 22 due to getting a job after college and had to work all shifts and weekends. Sounds like a Jr corps story except I marched a Senior corps. :P

Edited September 28, 2005 by JimF-xWSMBari

[sburstall]

Jim, I can see the burn-out factor being part of the reason. Give them a few years to recharge.

[JimF-LowBari]

Jim, I can see the burn-out factor being part of the reason. Give them a few years to recharge.

Have heard that as a big reason but got my info second hand. Hope to see some first person accounts.

#### I was pretty burnt out after six years myself.

PS - In case anyones worried, this is not a recruiting tool. :P Nothing like the Anderson Window people in the mall with their "contest". Your enter the contest and next week someone tried to sell you something. <**>

[Malibu]

Jim, my mistake was joining right after I aged out. The intensity wasn't the same (at least for Buc's at that time). The guard book was too easy and I got bored real quick. I only marched half a season because of a broken ankle (Thanks Ralph!). I did attend shows and helped out the guard for the remainder of the year, but I didn't go back.

It wasn't until years later that I found myself missing it. I am tempted to check out a local senior or All Age corps now.

[RegimentContra94]

I think the demands of real life take over after college. It is more difficult to devote that much time to something other than a wife and kids.

[Eddie]

totally. No way I was able to do both a senior corps and try to finish school at the same time. I tried it with a new group in Portland, but had to step aside after a month because of conflicts with school.

However now, no school, 5-day-a-week job w/ open weekends, I have the time and energy to persue life after DCI, which why I'm now marching in a DCJ corps.

Edited September 28, 2005 by bari_benzo

[ssorrell]

For those of us in the deep south that aged out anytime prior to the mid to late 90s, there was not a DCA corps close to home. There are several DCA corps in the south now, but in the 80s if I wanted to march, I would have had to have traveled great distances.

I loved marching and I loved drum corps, but I had put off my "real" life long enough and it was time to devote all my time and energy into building a career. After I achieved that, it was time to build a family. For some, balancing all of that along with drum corps was more easily achieved...but for me, it was impossible. 3-5 years ago I was heavily involved behind the scenes with Spirit and I was invited to take on a more significant role eventually, but I had to withdraw as I just don't have the time with a business to run and two kids to raise (not to mention being quite active with my daugher's high school band). If I couldn't handle volunteer work and administration work, I certainly would have a hard time marching in a corps, even if it is a weekend gig.

Edited September 28, 2005 by ssorrell

[Bob Brady]

I've got to agree with some of the other posters Jim-

When I aged out of juniors (81) I was kind of burned out after 13 years of marching. Although I probably would have marched if I could have, at that time the Senior activity was primarily an East Coast thing, and the travel time and expense was prohibitive at the time as I was trying rejoin the "real world"

I was always a fan of the Seniors, My first experiences with Drum Corps were around Senior Corps! (My Dad marched)

I've just finally reached a point where I've been able to seriously entertain the thought (and dream) of marching again............However , it looks like it will be with the resurection of my all time favorite corps from the west coast! So we'll just have to see where it goes from there! :)

[dckid80]

My weekends are devoted to family and I'm not willing to sacrifice that.

The other thing, though it's minor, is I hated marching parades. Not everything about drum corps is rosy you know.

[Imperial]

I can definitelty understand why a transition from DCI to DCA at age 22 could be a tough one. But if you have marched DCI until age out and you do love drum corps, just take a decade or two off to go to school and get married, etc. Then check out DCA... By that time you will welcome the more relaxed schedule and practice intensity and you will marvel how you ever cut it in DCI. I know I do/did.

Also, in DCA, experience and talent -placed strategically- makes up for the lack of very long rehearsals, a la DCI. All age corps is a different experience, but to me (I've marched DCI and all age), it's all drum corps and part of who I am.

I've found with our new corps we have members who are either teenage or middle age . Our young people either can't commit to the rigors of DCI or don't have enough experience yet, or simply aren't interested. Our older members tend to be settled have have some more time to commit. Our older members are generally in their late 30's or early 40's .

The great thing is that increasingly, drum corps is expanding to offer programs which fit your life style. :)

John Stark Director - Imperials

Edited September 28, 2005 by Imperial