How would you change DCI?

[DCIHasBeen]

Woodwinds. Definitely.

[jjeffeory]

Yeah, I feel pretty comfortable that all members when they are cut are encouraged to march SOMEWHERE. Often talked about in the big meeting before auditions begin and then reiterrated a 100 times, at least in my experience.

And as for the clinic.. heh.

As was mentioned later, it's about the customer. I was with the high school band I teach at last year at the Glassmen Entertrainment clinic. Those kids left there excited about music, marching and wanting to do drum corps. It was a really well done clinic and I know for a FACT it was enough to impress at least one person who was there into finally auditioning there and now they are a member for the upcoming summer.

However, in my KK time, we tried to put on a clinic once in the FL area during either our last camp or move-ins. 2 girls showed up. DCI can only market what people want to buy, and sadly, that's the truth. And as far as could the lower tier corps impress just as well? I'm not entirely sure. I know in my experience with a lower tier corps (and please folks, I'm not just ragging on KK) that no, we could not have probably even into late July, and I'm glad we weren't trying to. We needed that even hour, to try and make the show better. I feel like your Blue Devils, Cadets, Cavaliers can not only impress kids with who they are, but with the execution and their presence, and that's something you often don't see from a lower tier corps. This is what makes them prime candidates for holding a clinic.

Okay, have a clinc with a couple corps putting it on. Pair Phantom and Mandarins up and put on a clinic. Pair Spirit and Colts and do a clinic. It could be fun! DO what it takes to get more than two people to a clinic. DCI could do even better by getting creative. I think Yea did a good job a couple of years ago.

[jjeffeory]

Seems like there's always lots of holes to fill. How about if there was a master list, or database, of auditionee's that were cut or didn't make it, maintained by DCI, with the individuals consent of course. Just name, phone number, instrument, and hometown, for instance. Give corps directors access to the information. Let them call, based on hole that needs filled, proximity to corps hometown, or whatever. Maybe some kids would consider a second choice if it seemed like a corps WANTED them. And the director could make his pitch to the individual about gaining experience, etc.

Just a thought...

Good idea. Also, if you were cut from the Cavaliers, and lived in Ohio. Maybe you'd get a call from SW and not want to do that, but maybe you'd later get a call from Mandarins, or Colts, or Capital... Whatever.... Maybe you'd want to march with Corps B. I think it could be empowering. As long as the member and his parents were okay with it.

[jjeffeory]

On the first part, I agree fully, but was just using an example that I had first hand experience with while as a member of KK. But I still maintain, that if you were at a top 12 audition, at least 5 times all people are encouraged that if you are cut, to please continue to pursue a drum corps for the summer. And in my experience, the staff and management offered to put you in contact with other corps if you were interested.

That's not enough. The younger kids currently are bombarded with messages to consume. Image if they were markets to by several corps and how that would allow them to choose between several second choices. More kids would march. Making the kids do the work doesn't seem to work well.

[dcf06]

As for the div 3 membership. I think it will be raised to a min of 50. This is already being talked about in meetings. So I was told from a former corps director.

I think that DCI needs to dig a little in to corps finances. I think that some corps would still be here if things were looked at a little closer. I think that it would stop corps management from being so careless with the organizations money and actually put it to use. It would also stop certain organizations from having to lye to DCI about how much money they have or will have at the end of the summer.

Div 2/3 needs to be saved. I could careless what people think. If it wasn't for Div 3 I wouldn't have marched. Div 2/3 gives kids a chance to learn and experience corps first hand. Look at what the Colts did with the Colt Cadets. When I started I was the 18th member. I had no clue on how to play a horn and when we learned drill I had no idea what it was or what I was doing. Now they are well over 80 members strong and for the first time they are auditioning. Sure they have 20 brass and 40 guard but at least they have a program to learn from. They are dedicated to educating the kids so that someday they can march Colts or another corps. Last year was there first year going to finals and they are planning on going in 08. Getting rid of 2/3 stops a lot of kids who dont think they are good enough to march from joining a corps.

Edited May 12, 2007 by dcf06

[supersop]

Why don't we just do a free agency audition while we're at it? First week of November in 3 locations ..... St. Louis, Philly and Vegas ..... all first year drum corps hopefuls will converge opon these locations to try out for DCI. Any member that is a veteran and wishes to move to a new corps must also audition.

The auditionee's will go through a series of individual tryouts in visual and music performance and will be scored on a scale of 1-10 by the best adjudicators and instructional staff members that DCI has to offer. The selection committee will then split the top qualifiers evenly amongst all DCI corps. First point of consideration will be geography and ability to meet the financial requirements. NO matter how the individual scores ... they will all be given 2 options of where they can march. Anyone under 18 yrs of age must march in Div 2/3 unless they score over a 9 in auditions. If a rookie is over 18 and scores under a 10, they MUST march a DIV 2/3 corps their first year in order to qualify for future consideration of advancing to Div 1. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO MOVE TO A CORPS THAT IS FARTHER THAN 400 MILES FROM THEIR HOME ADDRESS! (unless a corps is not available in that area)

How's that for change? ^0^ ^0^ ^0^ b**bs b**bs b**bs

[supersop]

VOTE: SuperSop for ULTIMATE thread killer!!!!!!! w00t ^0^

[RsD]

The Detroit Lions are a bad NFL team, ... more intense than ... most college teams.

Ah, the Detroit Lions. That should be their new motto. "We're better than your college team. Probably."

[nothingbetter]

Why don't we just do a free agency audition while we're at it? First week of November in 3 locations ..... St. Louis, Philly and Vegas ..... all first year drum corps hopefuls will converge opon these locations to try out for DCI. Any member that is a veteran and wishes to move to a new corps must also audition.

The auditionee's will go through a series of individual tryouts in visual and music performance and will be scored on a scale of 1-10 by the best adjudicators and instructional staff members that DCI has to offer. The selection committee will then split the top qualifiers evenly amongst all DCI corps. First point of consideration will be geography and ability to meet the financial requirements. NO matter how the individual scores ... they will all be given 2 options of where they can march. Anyone under 18 yrs of age must march in Div 2/3 unless they score over a 9 in auditions. If a rookie is over 18 and scores under a 10, they MUST march a DIV 2/3 corps their first year in order to qualify for future consideration of advancing to Div 1. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO MOVE TO A CORPS THAT IS FARTHER THAN 400 MILES FROM THEIR HOME ADDRESS! (unless a corps is not available in that area)

How's that for change? ^0^ ^0^ ^0^ b**bs b**bs b**bs

boo. if that ever happened I'd cry. I suck at my horn, I'm "young" and far from my corps. :(

[Iplaytimpani]

That's not enough. The younger kids currently are bombarded with messages to consume. Image if they were markets to by several corps and how that would allow them to choose between several second choices. More kids would march. Making the kids do the work doesn't seem to work well.

I know what you're saying. I really do. But remember, I'm one that stuck with a lower tier div 1 for 3 years hoping to build it into something better. And unfortunately, that's not really the norm. So, let me reiterate. It's not that these cut gets don't get calls and information and the chance to march with corps. THEY ARE TURNING IT DOWN saying they'd rather have a job this summer and audition for their dream corps next year. I've been there and heard it I don't even know how many times from the mouth of these people. So the question is, how do we change that perception, and I know there's been a few ideas on here.