year1buick Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 ABSOLUTELY WRONG. The corps are guests on these campuses; and they do not pay any fees to use the facilities. They try to dictate the usage of those facilities and in most cases they will be asked not to come. Most high schools are not maximum secujrity facilities (and if they were, I would even question my group staying there!); they are open public facilities; and in many areas if corps tried to dictate terms to the hosts the boards would say "You are staying here under are good graces. If you do not like it you find somewhere else! My school is hosting 2 corps this year; and I know that we had to really work the board of ed to allow them to stay. If they come in and try to restrict the usage of our facilities they would be told to leave. This is NOT national security, this is a musical activity; do not get too self-important about the need for secrecy. Before it is impossible for the corps to stay anywhere. And when that happens, it it bye bye, DCI. It usually has more to do with minimizing distractions during the most important rehearsal week of the summer, and less with "secrecy." I think it's a little ridiculous to assume that, just because the corps are guests, they have no right to ask for a little privacy at times. Do you use the same logic for guests that stay in your home? Probably not. I mean, come on-- all legal semantics aside, wouldn't common sense dictate that you wouldn't want casual spectators roaming through the gym sleeping area whenever they wanted to? Of course not. If you can assume that, then doesn't it follow that sometimes corps may also feel the need for a little privacy during rehearsals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigal bari Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 (edited) It usually has more to do with minimizing distractions during the most important rehearsal week of the summer, and less with "secrecy." I think it's a little ridiculous to assume that, just because the corps are guests, they have no right to ask for a little privacy at times. Do you use the same logic for guests that stay in your home? Probably not. I mean, come on-- all legal semantics aside, wouldn't common sense dictate that you wouldn't want casual spectators roaming through the gym sleeping area whenever they wanted to? Of course not. If you can assume that, then doesn't it follow that sometimes corps may also feel the need for a little privacy during rehearsals? Give me a break. The public is not allowed into dressing rooms and sleeping areas. You know that. On the other hand, they are allowed into field and stadium areas; and so are students and faculty. Privacy for sleeping and dressing are fine; but to restrict access to public areas will insure the refusal of schools to allow corps to stay in their facilities. Most of the rationale for allowing corps to stay is the benefit that the HS students get in observing the rehearsal process; and the PR that the school receives for hosting the corps. In return the corps should expect to be observed in their rehearsal proceedures. If they have a home facility; they have the right to ask for privacy in their rehearsals. In public, no. In all due respect, your example is invalid in this situation. Also; host schools do not receive renumeration for the facilities. (I know; we are hosting..) So it is a tradeoff that is expected; and should not be violated. Besides, if a corp must have that much secrecy for their rehearsal, then they have the insecurity problem. Edited July 10, 2006 by prodigal bari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortAndFast Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I gotta think this is more myth than fact. Over the years, I've watched rehearsals from plenty of corps: Cadets, BD, SCV, Scouts, Cavaliers. During finals week, before major regionals, you name it. You just walk into the stadium and sit down and watch. Hard to believe that any staff member is actually going to hassle you about that, as long as you keep quiet and out of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raphael18 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Most corps more than welcome spectators during rehearsal - however, finals week is a differnet monster altogether. Regiment for example, doesn't want spectators there, because that's just how it is. ANY other day during tour - the members/staff, etc. - are more than happy to have people watching (thogh, it means that staff have to be a tad bit nicer~and yes, they are nicer when your there than when it's just the corps), but during finals week the mentality is totally different. Most of the people in the activity can understand, and comply with those good-natured wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
year1buick Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Give me a break. The public is not allowed into dressing rooms and sleeping areas. You know that. Of course I do-- that's why I used it as an analogy. Remember, this isn't the norm for 90% of the season. For example, Phantom Regiment (now) only impliments this during finals week. It's not to "diss" any fans (or phamily) but to keep rehearsal distractions to a minimum. (It has nothing to do with "insecurity" or maintaining secrets...) I honestly doubt this ever becomes a serious issue, with school officials getting into a pissing match with corps staff over who can sit in the stands. (More often than not, the problem is corps members sneaking to off-limits parts of the school in the middle of the night!) I have a feeling that if a corps goes so far as to put this into their planning, as far back as winter break, they must be comming up with some some kind of agreement with their housing site for Finals week. Even so, it's not any kind of lockdown prison yard situation. And, as I mentioned before, any other time of the year, it's completely cool (if not welcome.) I'm trying to remember if we had closed rehearsals when I marched-- I just don't remember... Even if we "officially" did, there were a few folks up in the stands. (The only "trouble" came when the DM's decided to play an Adam Sandler tape thru the Dr. Beat amplifier while we stretched. The staff thought it gave the wrong kind of impression...) Don't get me wrong-- I completely understand that it would be a drag not getting to see a corps practice when in town (especially before finals)--if Regiment were in my area, I'd be first in line to sneak in... B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clark Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 This is an interesting topic. I keep wondering about how difficult it might have been, back in the day, for SCV to surprise the Finals crowd so effectively with the "Bottle Dance" if the internet and boards like DCP had been around. A little secrecy isn't necessarily a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACMellos2010 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 We used to have closed rehearsals while in Bloomington. It is more about the distraction and not targeted at the non attached fan it is more to keep friends and family from being a distraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malibu Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 This is an interesting topic.I keep wondering about how difficult it might have been, back in the day, for SCV to surprise the Finals crowd so effectively with the "Bottle Dance" if the internet and boards like DCP had been around. A little secrecy isn't necessarily a bad thing. Back in '82 rumors were being spread that SCV was adding the Bottle Dance in a closed rehearsal. Someone in the know could tell us more. I use closed rehearsals for my indoor guard. It's to keep members focused without their boyfriends or parents coming in to distract them. It is something that has been used for dance studios for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 And, yes, the corps DOES have obligations to their hosts. There is MUCH work involved in being a host. I speak from MANY years of experience. I also speak from knowing that MOST school districts (and band directors) are not willing to be hosts for drum corps. Very true...districts are very leery on that....every year we (the band I teach) attempt to get permission for a corps to stay but have been turned down by the admin every time. Watching a corps rehearse would be great for our band kids...but as of yet it's a non-starter to our admin. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clark Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 When Finals was in Atlanta, Spirit stayed as far away as they could to avoid distraction. No closed rehearsals, just a long drive to the night show... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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