I guess that I am a slow learner, but it finally dawned on me that MOST of the DCI corps of today have NO real relationship to the communities that "sponsor" them.

Some items:

1. The Cavaliers get money from Rosemont (and they DO have some practices there) but almost NO members from that town. They also perform an exhibition at the annual Rosemont town festival. Their membership is largely from out of state .. one year there was a VERY high percentage from Texas!

2. MOST DCI corps have large proportions of their members from out of state sites.

3. I noticed (while researching the Sunburst question) that the Casper Troopers (who also have a high percentage of out of state members) will be having their drum line camp in TEXAS! HUH?

4. The Cadets (no longer "based" in New Jersey, but across the state line in Allentown, PA) have camps in places like Delaware and Pennsylvania. This seems to be the case for all of them.

5. The "Rockford" Phantom Regiment usually has ONE performance in Rockford each year, an exhibition at their contest. Now THAT is real community involvement!

BUT, that is the point.

Drum corps is NOT LOCAL anymore. Hasn't been for quite a while. Local kids don't get in. Local kids must be expert to march. Local corps just don't get anywhere.


I guess there are many factors involved, but, to this alum, it is sad.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

It is sad Dave that these corps we see today really
don't have any involvement with the community,town,
city or wherever their home base is,they do these
exhibitions,parades,what have you,just so they can
have a sponser,a city to call home.There really is
no commitments involved in this.All they have to do
is show up once a year.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

The Boston Crusaders have all of their camps here in Orlando. I know this because they practice at Boone High School, and my friend is the band director there! It's a great fundraiser for the band, but it doesn't make any sense.

Most DCI corps have auditions in several areas of the country now.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Having camps in Orlando makes sense when you are from Boston! Cold there, warm in Orlando!

The "Orlando Crusaders"?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Orlando Crusaders. How about the Dallas Troopers? Maybe they could become the Tejas Rangers. I think I read somewhere that the Crossmen (who are part of the Allentown Cadets organization) operate out of Tejas. Haven't heard of the Blue Devils or Santa Clara having camps outside of California.

Today I got an invitation to the Blue Devils "Crab Feed" fund raiser. They hold it at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds near Concord. This is kind of things private schools and other local organizations do this time of year--crab season. So there's a DCI corps doing something local.

I might check it out, all you can eat King crab right off the fishing boards at Fisherman's Wharf. Can't buy a ticket at the door as these things sell out a couple of weeks in advance.

John, you are right that the Crossmen moved to Texas (Austin, I think). But, they may have left the YEA organization (which includes the Cadets).

Can't find the Crossmen on the YEA website anymore (www.YEA.org)

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I looked at the DCI site. Crossmen are now based in San Antonio, TX. They left Cadet's organization last fall.

Texas is a long way from Philadelphia where the Crossmen started. Guess it isn't impossible to have the Crusaders move from Boston to Orlando. I think there's a DCI unit that's got the Spirit of Alanta's name but might be based in Jacksonville FL (but it could be some other state as Jacksonville seems to be a common name in the southern states)--also recollect some type of college affiliation for that group.

Marching Bands are a bigger deal in the south so if someone has a good organization that might be a good location to draw regional members. I think there's on college in Virgina (George Mason) that actually has a marching band that has more of a national reputation than their football team.

John, that is right- the Crossmen are now in San Antonio.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

That "Spirit" corps is still the same one, but they're based in Jacksonville, Alabama now. Jacksonville State University is there, and many Spirit members have come from there for as long as the corps has existed. I don't remember when they finally moved their officially.

There is now a senior corps in Atlanta - the Corps Vets (get it?). They're apparently quite good, and have made DCA finals the past several years.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79