JimF-LowBari Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 (edited) As a past and present member of smaller Drum Corps I've always felt they should be considered when judging the "health" of our activity. Thinking about trends for the four (yes four!) areas of DC and need help to understand the Junior area. What I have so far is: 1) All Age (aka Senior): DCA starting Class A division brought the smaller corps to better public attention and gave some a goal to shoot for in the Class A title. Some corps that would not have gone to DCA weekend under the old system are now attending. Number of corps attending 2005 and 2006 may be the highest two years ever since DCA started in mid 1960s. With some new All Age corps feeling it's worth while to start out by doing local gigs before hitting the competation trail this a good sign. 2) Alumni (aka Non-Competing) corps: Hitting a moving target but there are small Alumnis that even I don't know about. Lot of these corps have the old "local corps" attitude and are open to members regardless of age or previous DC experience. At least one I call "A town band that happens to be a drum corps" :P 3) Mini Corps (here's the fourth area): Really started up around 1993 but 10+ years later the prognosis is good. Only one competition a year but they can perform outside of that one time. 4) Junior corps: All I really hear about Div II/III is on DCP so 'nuff said 'bout that. What I'm looking for is any "Junior" corps that are not part of the DCI umbrella so may not be know to the public. Only corps I now of are two High School corps (CA and FL(?)) and a Canadian corps used to help handicapped children. Any additional info or opinions would be welcome. Edited August 4, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsMom Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 There used to be a number of corps in Quebec that did not join DCI and were part of the FAMQ (Quebec Drum Corps Association) FAMQ My French is pitful, but when you look at their calendar for this year, there are no events planned... so that is a bad sign. Up until lthis year, the Emerald Knights of Mississauga were still operating as a Drum & Bugle Corps, but I was talking recently to their corps director and they have changed format, allowing other instruments and a standstill format. He tells me that the wanted to stay as a Drum & Bugle Corps, but they could not entice kids to march Santa Claus parades (a key money maker here). When I saw their pictures at Christmas, they looked like they were nearing the numbers required to field. Too bad! Ontario has the ODCA, but their website is down & I cannot confirm if there are any active corps that are not registered with DCI. There used to be a couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 4, 2006 Author Share Posted August 4, 2006 Thanks Cathy, thought FAMQ and ODCA had disappeared years ago. Hearing about Emerald Knights is a downer as have some friends in Mississauga. Just a real shock considering how many corps have disappeared from Quebec and Ontario. Jeez, last new corps movements I heard from Canada were in the Alumni world (Guelph from a year or two ago and Regionnaires about two weeks ago). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Last time I looked, there are only two governing bodies for Drum Corps In North America. DCI and DCA. They're like a credit card. You can't go anywhere without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Thanks Cathy, thought FAMQ and ODCA had disappeared years ago. Hearing about Emerald Knights is a downer as have some friends in Mississauga. Just a real shock considering how many corps have disappeared from Quebec and Ontario. Jeez, last new corps movements I heard from Canada were in the Alumni world (Guelph from a year or two ago and Regionnaires about two weeks ago). Hold on. Regionaires are starting an alumni corps? That's my old corps and I haven't heard of this. I'd appreciate a link or an email address if you have it, or any information! Royalaires Alumni is up and running. I should know, I'm teaching there. :) Thanks Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbasaurusRex Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 What I'm looking for is any "Junior" corps that are not part of the DCI umbrella so may not be know to the public. Internationally, there is lots of junior corps activity that goes mostly un-noticed. Many smaller corps in europe, asia and other places. There are more than 300 in Indonesia alone, according to government figures (which are probably inflated but there's still a whole bunch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 Internationally, there is lots of junior corps activity that goes mostly un-noticed. Many smaller corps in europe, asia and other places. There are more than 300 in Indonesia alone, according to government figures (which are probably inflated but there's still a whole bunch). Never even thought of corps outside of North America or Europe. Typical Central PA thinking. Thanks Cliff. And Jim, PM coming on the Regionnaires, don't want to post a name without permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I have done the annual North American junior corps census the last 15 years for Drum Corps World. There have been a number of junior corps in recent years that many fans have never heard of...... Pride of Oakland (CA), North Port High School Alliance (FL), Renaissance (PA), Blue Jays (NY), PAL Buccaneers (CT), Empire Cadets (NY), and at least five high school ROTC corps in Chicago that have their own city-wide championship. The recent trend is many former drum & bugle corps now becoming marching bands. Blue Star Cadets, Trooper Cadets, Empire Cadets have all added reeds and are no longer counted as drum & bugle corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 7, 2006 Author Share Posted August 7, 2006 (edited) I have done the annual North American junior corps census the last 15 years for Drum Corps World.There have been a number of junior corps in recent years that many fans have never heard of...... Pride of Oakland (CA), North Port High School Alliance (FL), Renaissance (PA), Blue Jays (NY), PAL Buccaneers (CT), Empire Cadets (NY), and at least five high school ROTC corps in Chicago that have their own city-wide championship. The recent trend is many former drum & bugle corps now becoming marching bands. Blue Star Cadets, Trooper Cadets, Empire Cadets have all added reeds and are no longer counted as drum & bugle corps. Well I just heard from THE expert on the subject, thank you Brian. North Port was the corps I was thinking about earlier as I just missed seeing them in VA back in May. And would that be Renaissnace as in Wind Gap, PA? Think that group has been Sr/Jr/Alumni under either Renaissance or earlier(?) Blue Eagles name. Or possibly the group that's been forming out of York (can't recall that name). Too bad I don't like near Chicago for the ROTC champs, sounds real interesting. b**bs PS - In my spare time I'm working on a list of corps and years active on what info I can find. (Mainly on line and History of DC books.) I've found new respect for DC historians. Edited August 7, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 The Renaissance corps does hail from the York area. They were a concert (standstill) corps for a few years, but now have apparently dropped the horn component to concentrate on a competition drumline. Drum Corps World may eventually publish my complete census, which lists which junior corps were active in each of the DCI seasons. That's why I have never posted it anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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