DCA 2006 Line-Up

[Jeff Ream]

It's happening right now with the "regionals". DCA South and DCA Central are both hosting legitimate contests with a mix of open class and class "A" corps. The focus now is on growing these corps, building the market(s), and keeping everyone healthy -- both competitively AND financially. Both groups realize the need to do that and the odds we're up against. And while the Minnesota corps have had something of a "round robin" series of shows and a drum corps contest tradition in the past, the southern corps are more spread out (Houston, Atlanta, Jackson, Sterling/DC, Orlando, Nashville), which chews the heck out of travel budgets. The DCA South Championship has been slowly growing the past few years in Rockmart (NW of Atlanta) and will move to Nashville in '07 and Houston in '08.

I think you could make a case that DCA has also done more to promote the "A" corps movement in the northeast in recent years. White Sabers have what, six DCA shows within four or five hours of home this year? We'd kill for a schedule like that! :) Mon Valley also has three or four similar opportunities this year. But most of the "A" corps remain in the upper Midwest and the South, so these are the areas where we need to concentrate our efforts. The increased exposure of the "A" corps at Finals has also benefitted the activity.

By any measure, the small corps are no longer getting short shrift from DCA as they perceived they were even 10 years ago. RCA and ICA served their purpose at the time, but the activity IMHO is now better served by a unified DCA.

true but i think some of the smaller corps in the NE arent getting shows, and they'd take them if offered. Sun could have done Clifton, it's right there. ( no knock on Clifton, just showing an example of a local corps not working at a local show). I would imagine it will balance out in time, but i remember seeing more double show weekend in the NE w/7 or 8 corps out at a time, and now we see 5/maybe 6 and thats usually cause of people coming in from other regions. I know losing Grennies this year hurt, but it seems to me some corps arent getting the work they could.

[SunContra1]

true but i think some of the smaller corps in the NE arent getting shows, and they'd take them if offered. Sun could have done Clifton, it's right there. ( no knock on Clifton, just showing an example of a local corps not working at a local show). I would imagine it will balance out in time, but i remember seeing more double show weekend in the NE w/7 or 8 corps out at a time, and now we see 5/maybe 6 and thats usually cause of people coming in from other regions. I know losing Grennies this year hurt, but it seems to me some corps arent getting the work they could.

thank you, as long i ahev been in senior corps, i have competed in clifton, whether i marched sky a few year sback, or currently with sun. i love the growing of the all age/senior corps part of the activity, but it still sucks to not perform in a local show when fans do expect you there, and i do hope it balances out, or senior corps in general some how fundraise enough money to travel to other regions to compete.

[camel lips]

true but i think some of the smaller corps in the NE arent getting shows, and they'd take them if offered. Sun could have done Clifton, it's right there. ( no knock on Clifton, just showing an example of a local corps not working at a local show).

I know the other regions are very happy to see corps from established regions reaching out and going the extra mile to help expand the activity. :)

Expansion is good.!

[Jeff Ream]

i am very glad established corps are helping out. i do think that's great. but when you have local corps not out...and not by their choice when there are no other options, it does kinda blow.