DCI.org asked you to give your feedback on the 2007 DCI rules proposals. Many have responded with wide-ranging viewpoints and opinions on all of the proposed rules up for discussion. Instructors and corps directors will deliberate on all 10 proposals at this week’s Drum Corps International winter meetings from Jan. 25-28 in Atlanta. Here are a few excerpts from some who submitted feedback:
Josh Hines; Fort Wayne, Ind.
“… I think the extension of warm-up time is a good idea. If drum corps would like to perform longer shows, then more power to them. The audience is there to be entertained, so why not let them be? …” Terry Nakagawa; Chicago, Ill.
“… Drum corps needs to be about the blending and extending of brass, percussion and visual elements, and how that gets translated into new forms of expression. Electronic instruments are great for bands on tour (the Rolling Stones, etc.), but not for drum corps …” Karen Donnahie; Palisade, Colo.
“… Drum Corps is a genre unto itself. It has, and should, stand out from every other form of music and entertainment. It is a sport, with all the demands, physical and mental, of athletic endeavors. It is not just to entertain the kid in the stands who still has his iPod in, or can’t get off his cell phone …” John Flack; High Point, N.C.
“… In short, we’re seeing too much too fast. The problem with most of these proposals is that they only serve to further the “haves” from the “have nots” …” Craig Edling; Mount Vernon, Ind.
“… I know times have changed, but I think drum corps has strayed too far from the military roots. I realize that the talent and skill level is much higher than it was years ago, and that there is a natural desire to continue to push the envelope, but I think some of it has gone too far for my liking …” Emilie Rabbitt; Madison, Wis.
“… A 150 membership limit is long overdue. We can all agree that the more kids we can get into the drum corps activity, the better …” Eric Holmberg; Green Bay, Wis.
“… Four years ago I took my wife to her first DCI World Championship. After one corps had performed, she asked me where the speakers were … She was so impressed that the music she was hearing was genuinely coming from the kids on the field and was not being altered in any way …” Ruddie Marques; Tuscaloosa, Ala.
“… It’s creativity, thought process and artistic integrity that are being lost in the interest of “innovation.” There is a definite difference between adding a few things for progress and entirely changing the activity …” Robert Cobb; Friendsville, Tenn.
“… As for effect judging, why not leave the music and visual effect captions the way they are and add overall effect as a third caption? This might add more depth to effect judging than the proposal on the table …” Bob Andrews; Frostburg, Md.
“… Everyone hates change, but change is a necessity to keep things in progression and up to date. Every year, I wonder how in the world can this activity get better, but it does …”
