jonnyboy Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 Start by contacting your "dream corps" now, send them an audition video and see if it is even worth flying out there. Next decide if this is your year or not. If you were 18 and never marched before, I would recommend staying close to home and saving some bucks while getting some experience. If you are 21 and aging out, I would have to say go for it but have a back up plan. Word of warning: If you decide to march closer to home, be prepared to fall in love with your corps and have a new dream corps. It happens all the time! Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 Like a lot of people have said, audition for both if possible, and if you make your dream corps (and it's still your dream corps after you see what it's really like) then do everything in your power to march there. You don't want to spend a summer settling for less and wishing you were somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 That "perfectly good corps" would probably be able to use your talents a lot more, and you'll likely have a better experience. Wait, what? I don't see how you can make the assumption that settling for a corps other than your dream corps will make you more likely to have a better experience. Breaking the bank to be a nobody isn't all that worth it. If you're a rook-out, you're probably better at your PGC. Again, this doesn't make any sense. If you've got one shot why not go for it all? Nobody in drum corps is a nobody. I've never met someone that rooked-out of BD and said "Man, I wish I had marched Pioneer instead" But from personal experience, you're better off at the perfectly good corps. From personal experience, you're better off at your dream corps and having no regrets or thoughts of "what if" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellojaphoney Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 I marched a corps that was close to home, and cost effective and did not find exactly what I had envisioned drum corps to be. The following year I auditioned for my dream corps, and had the best summer of my life. Sometimes you need the other experience to realy appreciate the activity. If you have plenty of years left, I say march the one closer to you, and if you decide that you want to march again, then go for the dream corps. If you are aging out, I say suck it up and deal with the tight finances and do anything in your power to get sponsored. It truly makes a world of difference when you are "in love" with the group you march in. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourouttheforty Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 The important thing is this: MARCH SOMEWHERE!!! I agree with this. You never know what's going to happen. From about the start of the 2005 summer I had my heart set on marching a certain corps, and thought it was good until about April when things didn't work out as I wanted. I scrambled in May to find holes and ended up moving in with another corps and getting to march a spot there, and now I can't see myself wearing any other uniform because this corps was such a good fit for me! So I guess... audition for both if you can. See if you can send a video tape to your dream corps and ask for feedback on whether you have a reasonable chance of earning a spot, and start figuring out money. I don't know about this local corps you talk about, but I doubt that if they are reasonably good as you say and you end marching there, that you will have a miserable summer wishing you were at your "dream". The most memorable things in drum corps have nothing to do with what colors you're wearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavalier2123 Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 (edited) Wait, what? I don't see how you can make the assumption that settling for a corps other than your dream corps will make you more likely to have a better experience.Again, this doesn't make any sense. If you've got one shot why not go for it all? Nobody in drum corps is a nobody. I've never met someone that rooked-out of BD and said "Man, I wish I had marched Pioneer instead" From personal experience, you're better off at your dream corps and having no regrets or thoughts of "what if" Gotta agree. Just because a group is the underdog people seem to assume you get some kind of greater personal experience there. My 2 years with the "dream corps" were the best of my life, while the best thing that came from my time in "the perfectly good corps" was that it drove me to get the #### out of there and be in the dream corps... edit: "H E double hockey sticks" is apparantly too graphic for this overmoderated forum. Edited September 12, 2006 by Cavalier2123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmurrey74 Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 March your dream corps! Do whatever it takes since the opportunity will soon pass you up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loud-is-good Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 I settled my first year. Hated it. Try out where you really want to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More reps Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 This activity is the only time in your life you can dedicate your entire self to for a few months to being "perfect" at something. The idea of if it is to max yourself out. It is very hard to "max" it out when the organization is not ready to max anything out. I say go for the dream corps!! Everone I know who has ever done it has no regrets. A friend of mine marched his local corp for 4 years and aged out at Vanguard this summer. The look on his face during finals week was inspiring. He looked at me and said "this is my first real finals week!!" A little didfferent than being done on Thursday........ <**> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNumber7 Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 March your dream corps.... And as far as sponsorships, Ive marched 2 year so far in one of the most costly drum corps and in the 2 past seasons I've only paid I think around $150. you just have to want to go out and find them. you cant expect them to come to you. If you teach at any high schools. Talk to the other staff about it and talk to the band director. their usually more then willing to lend a helping hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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