Esperanza?

[tubamann]

People like to THINK that all of those corps that once existed back in the day WERE "healthy". The reality is, NO they weren't. I know this personally because the first corps I marched in was not healthy. That's why they are no longer around. The DIFFERENCE today is, DCI has a very high set of standards for who they will allow to tour based on their business plan. This is actually a GOOD thing because parents can now send their kids on the road, knowing that they will be fed and well taken care of. The truth is, in the past, that was not always the case. Sure, there was at one time over 100 corps competing in DCI. The problem was, most of them were not taking care of business or their kids. Thus, they were NOT "healthy".

I think DCI is doing a great job of making sure that corps are taken care of and not biting off more than they can chew. It's better for a corps to take a year off or call it quits than for a kid's well being to be at risk. It has nothing to do with "Hopkin's model" or DCI "not wanting more corps to exist". I promise you, DCI would LOVE to have more corps on the field competing. The reason they don't is because they are a professionally run business with people who are smart enough to know that the business side of the activity must come before sentiment. That of course is a hard thing to swallow (for me as well) knowing that "sentiment" is a large part of what drives this activity. But whether we like it or not, it's the truth.

You are so right. I marched in a same era as you, and I can remember some things that we would find unfathomable. Things that we take very seroiusly today were not even thoght about today.

Today you can no longer run unsafe buses, feed the corps poorly, have inadeqate insurance, or not pay staff on time and be competitive.

It is no secret that the corps that are no longer with us had issues that caused them to fail. Some were incompetence and some were cases where people were beyond their abilites or means. I can give you examples (though some of these corps have survived):

VK-a managment change after Jack Bivens was a disaster. Corps never had alot of money. The IRS came calling and VK went away

Suncoast-struggled financially all throughout its existance, lots of managment turnover and issues.

Bridgemen-Major money and staff problems in the later years

Spirit-I can attest to this as I was there..Spirit was a corps run by very dediciated people who did their best with a SHOESTRING budget. The corps was plauged by $$ shortages and, starting in the late 80's, a loss of idenity and subsequent membership probems. HOWEVER, you have to give this corps and its alums credit for pulling themselves up to be a solid corps today.

27-Big money problems. Very dedicated managment, yet simply not enough resources to exist as the touring model progressed.

Crossmen-It is amazing that Bones didn't die long ago. The struggles of the Crossmen are legendary..yet they perservere.

These are simply some of the thing I observed in my time in the activity. If any alums of the aforementioned corps or alums of other corps can provide additional information, I would welcome the input!

[rkmusic]

Class...anyone???...anyone???

December 27 and still no news from Esperanza.

[Elmo Blatch]

Administrators:

Is there a way to close and lock this thread? It seems to me, given the extremely sensitive nature of some newly presented material, it is not in the best interest of those on the internet to be making judgment calls. While I am all in favor of full disclosure, we don't know any facts--nor is it our place to at this point. I dont think this thread is going to go anywhere in helping the corps or its members.

If the corps has a statement to make, let them make it. They dont need people on DCP speculating to make matters worse.

Thanks,

Elmo Blatch