Starting a Corps... Guidelines?

[Pinwiz]

...yes, I know about the Royal Airs and the fact that they're not around at the moment.

I've been thinking for a while now that Chicago needs a Real Senior Corps. Considering the amount of talent in the general area, it should be easy to field a competetive corps with a #### of a lot of work. However, there are so many details that have to be ironed out that it's impossible to find a place to start.

Can anyone give advice on materials to read so I can start wrapping my mind around the task, should I choose to start pushing?

(Picture it: "On The Field, From Chicago, IL, 'ON THE 50'!!!"... or not. :) )

[USNA90_Mello]

Start slow. Don't expect to field a 130 member corps in 2007. Figure out where your revenue stream will come from. Not having a steady revenue stream will kill you quicker then anything else. The nice thing about starting slow is you can ramp that up as you go along.

Perhaps for a few years come out as a small mini-corps, do parades, exhibition performances, etc. Get some vis, get some excitement, build a competent board of directors, establish a vision for what this group will be, and execute.

As for all the other things, horns, drums, equipment, trucks, etc. They will slowly fall into place given the other things. Find other like-minded people and just start moving forward.

For stuff to read, I personally don't know of anything out there that is spot-on topic. However, I would recommend any decent leadership, or management book that speaks to you (some of them are all about theory, etc. Find the ones that are about the experiences and challenges that were overcome). Also, look into books about starting-up businesses and non-profit management . At the end of the day, each of our corps is a business. Our product is put on the field, but it is the business of the corps that keeps it going.

We would love to see an all-age corps in the Chicago area, and another member of DCA-C. If there is anything Chops can ever do for you, give me a call.

Bob

Edited July 11, 2006 by USNA90_Mello

[Shadow_7]

It's possible. However there are real DCA corps and non-DCA corps within 200 miles of Chicago. Chicago is a large city, which should help with recruitment. There's other large cities out there that host two or more DCA corps, so the potential is there.

[sop16]

You may want to look through the archives of DCP. There were at least a couple of corps for whom you can track the early progress to the present day from postings in this forum.

[Blackstar]

P-Wiz,

I've asked (PM'd and on DCP) several people how they went about starting a corps and got zero responses besides "take you time and plan"

I was beginning to think it was some type of secret society or something.

[JerseyDigger29]

You may want to look through the archives of DCP. There were at least a couple of corps for whom you can track the early progress to the present day from postings in this forum.

To the best of my memory, the last non-alumni senior corps in the Chicago metro area was the Chicago Connection (my alma mater). I marched with them until DCA 79.

If you would like some good management advice, see if you can locate Tom Day in the Chicago area. I don't know his address but I think I heard recently that he is still there. He may or may not be involved with the Royal Aires. If you can find him, tell him I said hello. I was one of the Connection's lead sopranos from 77 to 79.

Thom Fontannaz B)

[sop16]

I didn't mean corps from Chicago. I meant corps from anywhere which are now active in DCA and started within the past few years. Music City Legend comes to mind, and there are others as well.

I would imagine the first step would be to have a meeting/info seesion/informal rehearsal for all interested parties. If you can get enough people together who really want to start something then you'll know you might be on to something.

[CSGreen]

DCI has a management guide that was a HUGE help when I helped start Carolina Gold, Frontier and others.

Also, talk to directors AND founders. There is a great deal of resource out there, and I have found many in the *know* are willing to share and help as they can

[MiniSopGuy]

If you would like some good management advice, see if you can locate Tom Day in the Chicago area. I don't know his address but I think I heard recently that he is still there. He may or may not be involved with the Royal Aires. If you can find him, tell him I said hello. I was one of the Connection's lead sopranos from 77 to 79.

Thom Fontannaz B)

If you want to get in touch with Tom, he now lives in Berwyn Il. He started a nationwide organization that I joined called "Bugles Across America". There are now nearly 5000 buglers commited to having "Taps" rendered by a live bugler instead of a recording. You can get his contact information from the home page at www.BuglesAcrossAmerica.org

[00Sop]

Starting this discussion in a DCP thread is just that, a start. If you want a detailed game plan on building a drum corps, I would encourage any wannabe corps founder to talk to those who have been down the road recently (Chris Green, Lee Rudnicki, Brent Unger, Matt Basey, Jeff Pastor, etc.). I can talk a lot faster than I can type. I've been fortunate to accumulate a fair amount of drum corps administrative knowledge in three years and no DCP post would do it justice. If you'd like to talk sometime, PM me and we can exchange phone numbers. Good luck!