The Summer

If you are reading this it is likely you have at the very least been in a marching band.  Competitive marching band is a lot of hard work and discipline to be truly competitive.  There is a debate on whether there is a value to competing vs more of a show band type organization. I grew up being competitive and will always be competitive.  That doesn't mean that the whole show band thing does not have its merits.  I think you have to do what is best for your program.  

I say all this because when you march drum corps it is very competitive, but the philosophy over the years has really changed from winning at any cost, to what kind of score can we get at this show.  There is much more education involved in competing in drum corps these days.  Blue Coats corps proper movement is incredible.  They all look like dancers, and to get a group of students from all over the country to move as one, is no easy task.  I remember I conversation I had with one of Phantom Regiment instructors on the way home from Denver (Jude).  He expressed his frustrations then with their inability to get the guard to move as one because of all the different backgrounds from which the students came.  Clearly this has been improved upon since the last time DCI was in Denver.  

Students make a decision to really give up there summer to gain something so much more, I believe.  I worked this past winter season with someone who marched Spirit of Atlanta last summer (Angie) and I can tell you that she was changed over the summer.  It is a difficult experience, it is anything but glamorous, despite the pictures and what you see.  It is true that some corps face financial difficulties while on tour, get thrown out of their housing, sleep on busses, practice all day long and perform at night, have 3 variations of a show they have to keep straight in their heads because they have 3 shows coming up and at each show a different variation will be used.  If you have never watched a drum corps - you should - because these are the students who are learning the valuable lessons we used to teach in school.  They learn responsibility, getting along with others, not getting their own way, and how to survive in a world that, at times, does not seem fair.  They learn how to create a family and a good working dynamic.  When I marched, none of these issues were important, you just marched.  

If you live near a drum corps consider donating time and or money to them.  They are a non-profit and so you can get a tax write off.  Most corps can always use money, or even donations of food.  Give them gift cards to purchase supplies.  

All drum corps work hard and no matter whether they are World Class. Open Class, or even the Senior Corps, they all work hard and deserve to be appreciated with you applause when you see them live or as I stated earlier, with special funding.