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The One About DCA
320 Plays2 years ago
The One About DCA. This week we are joined by some fun guests and hosts to talk about DCA or what will now be known as DCI All Age. Join our hosts along with Kevin Gamin a long time DCA member, aficionado, and reporter as they deep dive into what we thing things will look like next!
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Thom Shearer - @tshearer74
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Guests
Kevin Gamin - @kevingamin on Facebook
Jeff Ream - @reamjeff
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset and @marchingartseducation
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
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Transcript
Excitement and Relevance of DCA in Macy's Parade
00:00:01
Speaker
Hey everyone, we are back for another exciting rehearsal this week and it is all about DCA. We will find out what May Nicole say. Can you bring a friend with you to the Macy's parade because I've never gone. And why Trish said, just can't happen in the same way that it happens on a traditional DCA weekend.
00:00:22
Speaker
being DCI weekend in Indianapolis. All this and more. So get out on the field and we will see you back on the sidelines for this week's episode of On a Water Break. Let's go. Set it up. Top of the show. Form, check form. Cover down. Do it again. Run it back.
00:00:49
Speaker
And we'll see you at the show.
DCA's Transition to DCI All Age Class
00:00:54
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of On a Water Break. The podcasts are talking about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. I'm Jackie Brown. Well, we have been wanting to do this topic for a while. And now that it has come to an end, or perhaps a new beginning,
00:01:13
Speaker
We thought it was a good idea to chat about DCA or what will now be known as DCI all age class. We have a terrific interview with Kevin Gammon and two amazing guest hosts this week who are some of the best people to talk about DCA with. But first, let's see who's on the sidelines. Nicole. What up? How are you? I'm good. How are you?
00:01:42
Speaker
I'm good, I'm good. I think that this is probably, well, obviously the most exciting news, but at the same time, I have mixed feelings. So let's put it that way. Okay. I'm very, very excited to hear those. Next though, joining us live this week, it is Trish Dish's own Trish O'Shea. Welcome back, Trish. Hi, everybody.
Introduction of Guest Hosts Trish and Jeffrey
00:02:06
Speaker
How are you?
00:02:08
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever. I know. Long summer. Now, our other guest host for the week. He has been involved in DCA in various ways for a very long time. He also has the joy of being married to one of our producers, Christine. It's the fabulous and always charming, Jeffrey. Hello.
00:02:36
Speaker
Yeah, I'm also the guard closet, Pennsylvania consignment delivery boy. So you can find me at the UPS store every morning before I hit Duncan. Did you bring us some Duncan? Yes. We'll say it's Duncan at this time of night. Ah, okay.
Jeffrey's Drum Corps Journey in a Nutshell
00:02:55
Speaker
That would be a different show that is on a water break after rehearsal.
00:03:02
Speaker
So we have a tradition here, and I know you've probably heard so much more of our podcasts than you ever dreamed you would being married to one of our producers. So you probably know how it goes, but for our listeners who don't know how it goes, it's called the 32 Count Life Story.
00:03:17
Speaker
And basically, we have a metronome that is set to give you eight counts to start, and then it will give you 32 counts. So if you would just give us your entire life story, you know, starting from birth, and then cram all of it in to 32 counts. And, you know, you can just hit the highlights if you want, but really, you know, dig in where you feel like it's appropriate. All right, start the mat.
00:03:52
Speaker
Hi, Jeffrey, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Mom and dad met while dad marched in the West Shoreman. Then came me. Then I did four years in the West Shoreman, 89, 90, 95, 96. We won drums, 95, 96, DCA, 96. Took a couple of years off. Taught the box in 2000 where we won drums. Taught Empire in 2001. And then went to a band show. Met my wife, Christine. Fell in love at first sight. And Guard Closets founder, Brian Prado said, huh-uh, she's a good girl, not you. And here we are 19 years later.
00:04:22
Speaker
That is the best one I've heard. I'm not kidding. He's like, boom, boom, boom. I left out other details. I'm sure they'll come up later. Oh, dude, you did a great job. So, yeah, I especially love the detail about how the boss slash friend, but the boss was like, nope, not him. Let's let's. He and I knew each other for many years. So, you know, he knew what she was getting into before she did.
00:04:52
Speaker
Well, and she's still stuck it out. So you guys are doing great.
Labor Day's Significance and Personal Impact
00:04:56
Speaker
And let's talk about what's happening with DCA and its evolution into DCI all age.
00:05:05
Speaker
I am because of DCA, because of Dad and Mom meeting at a Drum Corps rehearsal in 1967. To me, Labor Day weekend, my entire life has been DCA. Up until 13, I was there every year. Labor Day weekend was DCA rush home to watch Jerry Lewis. And then, you know, after it went back up to Rochester,
00:05:33
Speaker
After 13 in Annapolis, I could at least stream, but it wasn't exactly the kind of situation where I was going to dump the family and go to Rochester and party for three days like the old days anymore. So, but it was still DCA. It was Labor Day. Like you can ask my wife Labor Day of 2020 when there was no drum corps at all. I literally had the shakes Labor Day weekend because there was no DCA. I didn't know what to do with myself. So going forward,
00:05:59
Speaker
I'm going to be very I don't know what to do on Labor Day weekend yet.
Concerns About DCA Evolving to DCI All Age
00:06:04
Speaker
But on the other hand, I saw what was going on in DCA and knowing a ton of people and knew it had to change. It probably should have made the pending change now several years ago. So I am excited to see where it's going to go as long as everybody can take care of all their logistical and financial issues. But I think it's long overdue.
00:06:28
Speaker
What about you, Trish? Before we continue, Jeff, it's so funny because I see you synonymously with DCA Weekend, to be honest with you. That's where I met you years ago. Yeah, absolutely. And I didn't get up there this summer, but usually in the summer, my boyfriend and I take a trip up to Scranton for the rail riders because we're huge Yankee fans.
00:06:53
Speaker
and they're the Yankees AAA team. And it's a really fun, really fun day, you know, whatever. And every time I'm in that stadium and I picture doing DC, you know, DCAs at that stadium, I see you guys in that deck on the top, the tire deck up there. I'm like, oh, that's where they all used to be. What, not in the stadium club? The stadium, you know, I think it's not there. Like every time I go there for baseball, like I totally see you guys up there.
00:07:20
Speaker
So, you know, obviously I kind of feel the same way Jeff does. It's, you know, at the same time, it's really hard to let go.
00:07:29
Speaker
of DCA as we know it, but like Jeff said, I mean, obviously change has to come. But there's more moving parts than people realize actually because it just can't happen in the same way that it happens on a traditional DCA weekend.
00:07:51
Speaker
being DCI weekend in Indianapolis. It can't happen that way. Like I said in my recent DCA dish, what's going to happen to the alumni show? What's going to happen to INE? What's going to happen to all of those things that have meant so much to so many people in the past? And there's a lot of moving parts. I think it's a great thing.
00:08:12
Speaker
for the cores themselves. I think that's going to be really great. You know, to be because I remember I remember back in 2001 when I was in the Syracuse Brigadier's and we got to perform at DCI finals. I mean, like literally, we were right on before the 12th place score. Well, you waited that afternoon to wait. Yeah, exactly. We did the show and roasted. All right now.
00:08:40
Speaker
We did the show in the afternoon and then they kind of fed us in the parking lot and we went back in and that year I was in the guard obviously and we had we started the show with purses and I can't even begin to tell you all the things I used to have shoved in my purse.
00:08:56
Speaker
And one of the things that day, and I was doing work with it. And one of the things I have with me that day was a camera. And while the court was warming up, I was taking pictures of the crowd and taking pictures of the court line warming up and taking pictures right back in my purse and started the show. So I have those pictures of us on the field at DCI. And I think that that's what this experience is going to bring to these performers as well.
00:09:24
Speaker
Yeah, but in 96, we performed at semi-finals. And we're out there in all our black and blue, and we're following the Blue Devils on the field. To us, Fran Herring's voice was everything. But then you're walking through that tunnel in the citrus bowl, and you hear the voice introducing your core. And yes, I had a camera tucked in my bass drum rack and took a couple of pictures before we
Nostalgic Memories with DCA
00:09:48
Speaker
did the on-field warm-up and play. But now I can't find the pictures.
00:09:50
Speaker
but it was that same kind of oh my god like literally we're walking to perform and Madison Scouts are walking by us going hey man have a good show right you know it's like uh wow okay i'm like 27 years old and i feel like a 12 year old here that's awesome
00:10:07
Speaker
See, I I marched like Rochester Crusaders. I used to live in Rochester. And so right after I aged out because I aged out of an upstate New York drum corps, the Patriots. And, you know, the biggest thing for any of those upstate kids to do was, you know, go to either Rochester Patriots or Empire Statesmen. And I spent probably a good
00:10:35
Speaker
from 99 to about 2008 or nine with those cores. And then I pretty much was like, okay, I'm going to go and
00:10:47
Speaker
just teach or you know I didn't do that anymore and I remember finals pretty much half of those times being in Scranton which was a great time and then a number of those times being right there at home in Rochester and not having those things to go back to and again I'm so displaced from it that it's been a long time but at the same time it's just like
00:11:15
Speaker
Ooh, this is going to be different because I do see people on my social media who I used to march with and they're just like posting those old pictures and everything and just like, oh, man, like this is going to this is going to hurt. And so I have mixed feelings about it. I know that in the long run, logistically, this is going to be the thing that helps. I think it's just the memories of, you know, having it be like DCA
00:11:43
Speaker
is what is going to is what's going to hurt is what's going to hurt. Yeah, but it was becoming Labor Day weekend, unfortunately, was becoming a lab recruiting albatross. It started in the outer regions and it's been spreading to the east coast, the D.C.A. traditional hotbed
Logistical Challenges in DCA's Evolution
00:11:59
Speaker
because, you know, here in Pennsylvania, high school football started the weekend before Labor Day now.
00:12:04
Speaker
Band directors at high school and college, they want their kids with their bands. They don't want you hopping in a car and driving to wherever to go play drum corps. You need to be with your band. And, you know, it's one of the public reasons why corps like Minnesota Brass and Chops went sound sport because they said they couldn't go that late into August. So maybe with this change, Minnesota and Chops can come back to being DCI all age corps.
00:12:31
Speaker
The other thing is, you know, DCA did not have a full-time office staff. They didn't have a full... These were people that did DCA after they did their real-life jobs. Now, every week, something DCI is coming and hitting my mailbox. It's talking about DCILH, the marketing...
00:12:49
Speaker
Thrust has already started beginning. There was Rondo at Allentown talking to DCA president. I mean, I could see him from my seat and I totally forget which core was on and what they were doing because I was so transfixed on. Oh, my God, there's Rondo talking to DCA president.
00:13:05
Speaker
So, you know, there's a lot of good that gonna come from it. There might be some bad like Tricia said with INE because DCI really doesn't do INE anymore. I've heard that there are talks and trying to figure out things to do for the alumni cores, maybe tying them into Allentown as a rumor I had heard.
00:13:25
Speaker
because that was an important part of the weekend. That had its own challenges, but that's a different podcast for a different day. But, you know, some pieces of the puzzle that we all grew accustomed to may end up having to go away. But for all age to survive, I think this is the only other step because unfortunately, you know, last year in 22, DCA had 1300 paid customers at finals.
00:13:53
Speaker
Oh, that's what I'm saying. Like logistically, it's going to be a great thing. It's just, you know, it's going to be tough and indie too, because you got Thursday all day prelims all open and world-class combined together. Friday, you got semi-finals. Saturday, you'll have BCA finals or all agent finals in the morning.
00:14:10
Speaker
Oh, the world class at night, sound sports going on, drumline battles, DCA having prelims, who knows? But I keep calling it DCA because I'm old, I'm used to it. But all age, are they going to have their own prelims? There's a lot of details that haven't come out yet. There's a ton of rumors going around. I hate to sound like the Sixers of old, but you just have to trust the process. And they've been working on it for a while. So I have faith.
00:14:37
Speaker
I have faith that Acheson's last acts as director of DCI before he retires is he's going to make sure that Ollie just set up to succeed as best as possible onto the new plan. Right on, right on.
00:14:50
Speaker
I mean, I love it because being in the Midwest, I have felt very out of touch with anything DCA related. I feel like it's been a really East Coast thing and I get that it's, you know, change is hard and development is difficult and there's going to be growing pains.
00:15:12
Speaker
I think the flip side is that positivity. So that's just coming from someone in the Midwest who's never done DCA, so. Right, and it's that exposure out to all those people who have never seen any of those all age course before. Because in upstate New York, you had your pick. Like, oh, where am I going to go? Oh, I can go to Rochester Crusaders, or I can go to Empire, or I can go to Brigadier's.
00:15:42
Speaker
I'm where I am from originally in Virginia, that's not even a thing, you know, so it was cool to do that. And it's just like Wildwood. Everybody talked about Wildwood and it's just like, I don't get any of this. And then once I started, I was like, Oh, okay, I get it. And
00:15:59
Speaker
I know it's going to work out and it's going to be obviously different, but honestly, I think it gives more exposure to those programs. I think that's the biggest takeaway from this is to make sure that those groups that are still out there and who are still performing are still getting that show time and that exposure that they need.
00:16:24
Speaker
Well, take your own Tom when he was with the Renegades. There was, for a couple of years, only one other all-age core in California. And then they got to do the DCI shows out there, and then all those cores left. So what did they do? For eight weeks until finals, they rehearsed, trying to bring them across the country for another show.
00:16:46
Speaker
That wasn't cheap, you know, bringing them in twice a year. A couple of years is like one year they brought them in. They tried the North Carolina show, which flopped. And one year they took them into one of the Midwest shows. But that still wasn't cheap to move that core, you know, twice across the country just to compete against other DCA cores. Let's do our gushing goes this week. Nicole, let's why don't you start us off?
00:17:10
Speaker
Gushing and going. I am really excited to get started with judging the shows that I'm going to, the different states I'm going to. I have a show in New York. I have a show that is in Shreveport. I'm really excited about it. And honestly, too, I think you all know about this. Being in airports will make you really tired, but I'm actually looking forward to that and seeing how
00:17:40
Speaker
you know, each state is bringing, you know, the marching arts. What are they bringing to the marching arts with their marching band? So I'm really excited to get that started. Trish, what do you want to gush and go on about? Well, obviously, we're stepping into marching band season. I know everybody's super busy and super excited, but just to step back to this past ECH championships for one second,
00:18:07
Speaker
The Whitesabers Color Guard. I was so happy that they won Best Color Guard in open because they were one of my unsung favorites from day one of this season. And I kept checking in on them. Their show was so cool, so well written. The costuming was great.
00:18:25
Speaker
They could twirl, they could really twirl. And I was so excited that they, I kept checking it all weekend, like, you know, are they up there? Are they up there? Are they up there? I mean, everybody always gives so much attention to the world class, myself included, but they were one of my favorites. I reported about it recently and I was just so happy that they took it. So that's who I'm excited about. I love it. Jeff, what do you want to gush about?
00:18:51
Speaker
I am excited because next week I get to start judging for the season for our local circuit here that I judge in. And this year, I've been blessed with being able to speak my native tongue every time I go out and talk about hugga-digga burrs and Chetlas and flams and stuff like that, as opposed to having to talk about audiovisual coordination. I didn't understand half of that as a color guard person. Same.
00:19:18
Speaker
It's always exciting to be able to get to judge the thing you know the most about, though. Well, we're going to judge you guys on this nest strap. So why don't you get back out on the field and we'll be back for these commercials. Hey, this is Christine Reem and Chris Green.
00:19:39
Speaker
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00:20:09
Speaker
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00:20:42
Speaker
All right, everybody, I would like to welcome to the sidelines, Kevin Gammon. Hi, Kevin, how are you? Hello, I'm doing very well. How are you? I'm great. It is so nice to finally actually get to talk to you face to face, quote unquote face to face because we're on a screen, but so we have a tradition here on our water break that we have to do a
00:21:08
Speaker
We really we have nowhere you
Opportunities and Challenges in DCA Transition
00:21:10
Speaker
come from. We got to know your background. We got it. Basically, our listeners really need to know why you're here as our guest clinician today. So we're going to do your 32 count life story and you've been listening to the pod for a while. So you know what's up. Are you ready? I am ready. Go ahead and count me off when you're ready. All right, here it comes eight on the Mets.
00:21:39
Speaker
I am a third generation drum corps marcher in my family. I marched Glassman 1992 to 1996 in DCI and Empire Statesman 2000 to 2002 in DCA. I also marched in the Bluecoats Anniversary Alumni Corps last year and that was what I consider my retirement show. Outside of performing, I am also a journalist. I write show reviews for Drum Corps World.
00:22:06
Speaker
And I also run the front page of Job Corps Planet as the managing news editor and do live from the stands live blogging coverage of shows that I'm at. Okay, wait. So I have a set of questions I'm supposed to ask you, but I have so many more questions than that now. Down to the list, I'm ready. We might have to have you on a couple of episodes here to cover all of this stuff. Ooh, a poop harder. We got to leave with a cliffhanger then.
00:22:33
Speaker
Well, so first of all, I just want to say we almost marched. Like we barely missed each other marching at the same time because you said you marched until 02 and my first audition was in 03 to March in 04. So, I mean, it was at Memphis sound. I mean, we were nowhere near the same course or anything, but
00:22:57
Speaker
Yeah. And when I finished, I was in DCA. So I was doing all age at the time. I had already aged out from, from junior core. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We weren't marching DCI at the same time, but I just think that's kind of interesting. However, I mean, it's just a small world. Everybody's lives intersect. Oh yes. Well, you can't call it a subculture without C-U-L-T. So. You know, there's a reason that that work exists the way it does.
00:23:23
Speaker
So you were at DCA. You just got back what, like yesterday? Monday. I actually got back on Labor Day. Yeah. Championships were over the weekend. Finals were Sunday. And it was the last Labor Day weekend championships for Jom Korr Associates. They are going to enter into an agreement with Jom Korr International. And for the next two years,
00:23:46
Speaker
The DCI all age class championships will take place in Indianapolis the morning of DCI finals on Saturday. So it was a very poignant weekend because a tradition was ending, but a new tradition was beginning. Of course, it also meant a tradition of the Reading Buccaneers winning yet again, which may not end. We'll see what happens next year.
00:24:08
Speaker
So how, what's kind of, you know, being a journalist, you kind of understand the sort of how to gauge the viewership and sort of the temperature of the populace on these sort of things. How do people feel about this changeover that's happening?
00:24:26
Speaker
There's a lot of questions right now because there aren't a lot of details as to what's going to happen with DCI all age next year. When you talk to some of the cores that are from the farther east and some of the more established all age cores, like a Redding or Connecticut hurricanes or Hawthorne Caballeros,
00:24:45
Speaker
They now have a longer trip to championships and their seasons cut short by three weeks because now it's going to be the second week of August. So they now have to plan their seasons accordingly and budget their seasons accordingly and it's going to be different for them.
00:25:03
Speaker
Now, on the other hand, you have the Midwestern cores, the Ohio cores, pretty much, because we have three all-age core in Ohio, one in each of the sea cities, pretty much. We have Rogues Hollow Regiment, which are the Class A champions this year, up here in Northeast Ohio. We have Columbus Saints.
00:25:21
Speaker
and who are also in class A and DCA. And then we have Cincinnati tradition, who are open class in DCA. DCA now has three classes similar to WGI, which is really done to really emulate the growth pattern that WGI fosters. They want to get more core involved.
00:25:43
Speaker
For these three core, finals are now in Indianapolis every year. Heck, Columbus Saints are doing sound sport already, so it's already part of their schedule to be there. So it's really not as much of a change for them. And the hope is that now maybe having finals in the same location every year with DCI's resources backing it will also help grow the all-age activity and really give it a foundation that it certainly needs right now.
00:26:10
Speaker
That honestly, like that's the thing I've been most excited about because especially with these drum course that are like looking at fielding more all age type alumni groups and like seeing the stuff like, well, you, you, you were yourself were in the blue coats alumni. That it was such a display of the talent and like dedication that people still have beyond their age out here. And you know, the troopers did an excellent alumni group this year. I think that that's,
00:26:39
Speaker
I mean, you know, just as an outsider perspective who's never participated in DCA myself, that looks like it's going to be a really successful endeavor for them. And just kind of seeing your perspective on it in agreement is very exciting for me. I hope it's exciting for our listeners out there, too. Oh, yes. I am looking forward to seeing because really it makes Indianapolis a jump core capital. The world of the United States, at least North America,
00:27:04
Speaker
And it already was kind of the marching capital in a lot of ways because of Bands of America being there every year as well. So the band barn, as we like to lovingly call Lucas Oil, that weekend's going to be crazy go nuts with drum corps. And it's just a question of what else and how they're going to do the all age along with everything else that's happening that weekend. Because you already have sound sport, you already have drumline battle on top of the three nights of competition.
00:27:32
Speaker
at the DCI world-class level and even then open class championships earlier in the week. I mean, it's become the week for marching arts in a lot of ways. It really is. It really is.
00:27:48
Speaker
Some of our listeners are young and are just sort of getting started in their sort of drum court journey, their marching band life experience. And what is sort of that history behind DCA?
Historical Overview of DCA and DCI
00:28:01
Speaker
Like, can you take it all the way back? Where did DCA start versus DCI? Because they've always been two separate organizations, right? This is the first time they're having this sort of merger.
00:28:15
Speaker
That is correct. Both organizations had similar reasons that they were formed. DCI was formed because the Corps wanted their own, wanted to take their destiny into their own hands, basically, up until 1972. They were with American Legion and VFW posts. And those two organizations really weren't concerned with Jump Corps moving forward. They just saw them as part of everything else they did.
00:28:45
Speaker
And that's why the DCI Corp broke away and formed their own thing back in 1972. And in some ways DCA had its own beginnings in a similar fashion in 1965. They actually were formed first.
00:28:59
Speaker
Yeah, a few years before. And it was a less, I feel like it was less acrimonious of a break. It was so much a break really, because these cores would still do American Legion Championships. In fact, when I marched in 2000, 2001, 2002, Scranton PA was still the home to the American Legion Championships for all age core.
00:29:22
Speaker
And when DCA held their championships there in 2002, for example, it was basically a co-championship. If you won that show, you won both the DCA title and the American Legion title. But DCA also saw where they wanted to have a piece of the show funds that came up.
00:29:48
Speaker
more than they were getting as VFW, American Legion, CYO, all the same groups that DCI cores were part of at the time. So you had cores like the Redding Buccaneers break away and Redding Buccaneers
00:30:01
Speaker
were the first DCA championships in the 1965 season. So it was kind of fitting that they won the last one in 2023. Now this year, yeah. Exactly, exactly. And you eventually had cores like the Hawthorne Caballeros, the Connecticut Hurricanes. Back in the earlier days, you had the Rhode Island Matadors, you had the Hamburg Kingsmen out of the Buffalo, New York area, the Syracuse Brigadiers.
00:30:28
Speaker
It was a very Northeast activity, although you also had corps like Chicago Connection out of Chicago, which their uniform were like 1930s style gangster three-piece suits, and the honor guard would carry Gatling gun mock-ups that they would guard the colors with. They had a style of their own. You had Canadian corps in DCLs, you had the Canadian commanders, for example. You had the Kingsmen.
00:30:59
Speaker
The Kingston Grenadiers is what I meant to say, out of Kingston, Ontario. Less diplomats out of Quebec. There was a lot of representation in Canada for the all-age side of drum corps as well as DCI and the junior corps. There's a lot of history with DCA that is now being inherited into DCI and being basically nourished because
00:31:27
Speaker
at this point, it's the best way to move forward for the all-age activity. So that was going to be my next question actually is where do you see this going? What kind of growth do you see for the activity or how do you see it evolving as we explore this partnership? I am hoping first that the existing core are able to make the adjustments that they need to be able to participate in DCI all-age.
00:31:56
Speaker
both for the two years that we're currently signed up for, as well as in the future, should this partnership continue. We're still in the early stages, but I'm hoping that they can make those adjustments and keep moving forward and remain strong as the representatives of all-age court they've been all this time. I also want to see now that we have
00:32:24
Speaker
championships in a more centralized location, groups that were not able to come out. For example, Minnesota Brass Incorporated, you remember them from Midwestern shows. They are a former DCA champion in 2011 and a perennial contender. Yeah, they grew into one of the top groups in the all age activity since the 90s, if not earlier. And they actually stopped coming to DCA because between Labor Day weekend,
00:32:55
Speaker
where a lot of their schools, both high school and college, were in session by that point and there were prior engagements where the members couldn't do a Labor Day weekend anymore. And just the travel expenses, having to go from Minnesota to Rochester or even farther. There have been championships in Annapolis, for example, in Maryland. And that's a long way to go for a jump core in Minnesota that's weekend only. So they've been doing sound sport.
00:33:23
Speaker
They actually did almost a WGI winshow, in fact, this year with the show. They did a speakeasy theme and they blew the house down. So it'd be great to see them come back to the field and do a full drum corps show at Lucas Oil because for them, the only difference is now they can go full size again and be on a football field again, but the schedule doesn't have to change for them.
00:33:51
Speaker
Yeah, that's awesome. I do love that it can be finished in the summer before school starts and before people have to get back into their teaching positions or whatever it is they're doing during the regular school year. That is really nice about the new schedule.
Impact of Scheduling Changes on DCA and DCI
00:34:08
Speaker
Absolutely. DCI has had to adjust their schedule because schools have changed when they start. Again, both college and high school. I remember
00:34:19
Speaker
and this wasn't too long before you started even, you know, championships used to be the third weekend of August and the season used to start mid-June. So DCI's had to shrink their season because of all the changes, both in terms of scheduling with other activities and the pandemic. You know, we had to look at how we did things differently then. And DCA is now doing the same thing. It just lines up with DCI's mission right now.
00:34:48
Speaker
Do you think that that time crunch is going to be beneficial to organizations in the long run? Or do you think that that's going to hurt them as far as both revenue and also the talent they have coming out and the quality of shows that they can produce? That's the big question right now. Again, the DCA season just shrank by three weeks.
00:35:17
Speaker
at least on the tail end. There's no rule saying that all age cores can't start having performances and shows earlier than they've had in recent years, because they are mainly weekend only. They don't tour like DCI Core, although some core will do shows on the week if they are within easy traveling distance. For example, Cincinnati tradition, they do the Mason, Ohio show, which is on a week night.
00:35:46
Speaker
Some cores will even do a pseudo DCI week in preparation for doing DCA because, I mean, DCA, you did have to take time off for travel on top of the weekend. So you might as well get some week time in to get used to that kind of schedule. And also, you get more rehearsal time, too, as a result. But because they can start on the weekends, if they have a show that they can have ready on the field
00:36:17
Speaker
say mid-June instead of late June, they can get some shows in earlier in the season in preparation for the DCI tour to start and performing at those DCI shows as well as their own all-age shows. There's a way to make this work that benefits the cores. It's just a question of, okay, how do they do it?
00:36:41
Speaker
And that's going to be, that's going to be put together by people who are a lot smarter than me and have a lot more experience on the administrative side and the design side of the activity. I'm a journalist. I speculate a lot, which means I'm also talking out of my, you know, where a lot as a result when I do that. So everything I've said right now, you know, take with a grain of salt. It's just me speculating. I, I respect that though, because you're speculating not just from nothing, but from,
00:37:10
Speaker
a lot of experience in this activity and having seen a lot of things over the past, what, 30 years? Yeah, my birthday year was 1992. I was going to say, but even knowing what happened before that, knowing all of the history that you do, it's so helpful. I think that is something that is not stressed enough with some of our younger generation coming in is
00:37:38
Speaker
is we had full history nights with the Blue Stars and just learning the history of the Corps, learning where we came from and why we're here doing what we're doing. And that enriches the experience so much. And it also is what propels the whole organization forward. And I think we need as an activity to come together and continually educate our new members about the whole activity just like this. And that way we can keep moving the activity forward.
00:38:07
Speaker
And that way we don't get that, that misunderstanding of people calling each other dinosaurs and saying, you know, you don't want it to move forward or whatever, because really we're all here for the same things, whether, you know, it's the nineties or the 20 teens or the 2020s, whatever it is, we're, we're moving the whole activity forward and we want that exposure.
00:38:31
Speaker
Absolutely. And you know, you bring up a good point. You mentioned the History Night that Blue Stars had. I know cadets have a History Night as well. Glassman used to have a History Night. They started actually after I aged out. That was one of the things that Brian Hickman instituted in his second year as director, which the membership took over and really, really made their own. And it was a great way to pay homage to the past of the Corps, the membership, the history.
00:39:00
Speaker
I remember that first history night, I got to be there. They actually set up the core hall so that the core members would walk through and see the different photos of the different eras of the core's history and hear the different performances throughout the years because they would set up speakers playing different shows. Then they would walk out and
00:39:25
Speaker
This was the best part because Glassman had that G West rehearsal facility, literally an old school in the middle of nowhere in Oakshade, Ohio. The back field of the property was the rehearsal field for the Corps. That first history night, they would walk out and there was the Corps shield logo set up in candles all lit on the field. They went through the ceremony where
00:39:54
Speaker
certain people would pick up a candle like from the corners of the shield and they were the foundation of the of the of the core's history and then they would bring up other people to pick up other candles at certain points in the logo that were also important and then at the end they said everyone come up grab a candle you are now carrying the legacy of this core and it was such a moment and
00:40:19
Speaker
And that was just the first one. Imagine how they refined that ceremony throughout the years. And other corps are doing similar things. And it's not just the corps. You have Bill Ives, who is running his own jump corps museum. He has uniforms and paraphernalia from various corps, both active and no longer with us. DCI, DCA, American Legion, all those different eras.
00:40:47
Speaker
So he has those, and he is making sure that that legacy is kept intact. You have the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, which has members, I mean, like Wayne Downey, that arranged for the Blue Devils for all those years, but also Chuck Mangione, who was at DCA this year and was given a tribute. What? Uh-huh, I was in the same room as Chuck Mangione.
00:41:13
Speaker
Oh my gosh, we played all his music my senior year of high school. I'm just saying and I am sure we would be hard pressed to find some marching arts listener out there who does not have some sort of connection with Chuck Mangione music.
00:41:30
Speaker
Absolutely. So many chorus played his music throughout the years. I mean, the joke is that 1979 more cores play children Sanchez than maybe we're on the actual field because that chart was such a such a jam or as a banger as they call it as the kids call it these days.
00:41:48
Speaker
But I mean, yeah, and his music just works so well in the activity, even now. I mean, you could do a show full of Chuck Mangione songs and it would still work so well. Oh, yeah. On the field. Oh, we played one last year. Like we played one last year in my, with the high school band that I, one of the bands I choreographed for. So yeah, for sure. That's amazing.
00:42:15
Speaker
Well, Kevin, this has been awesome. I was not kidding about wanting to have you back. We definitely need to do this again. If any of our listeners out there want to follow you, where can they follow you at? I am on social media, on Twitter, with my name, Kevin Gammon, K-E-V-I-N-G-A-M-I-N. That is probably the best place to find me right now, even though it is not what it used to be, and we'll leave it at that.
00:42:44
Speaker
You can also follow drumcore news that I post on the drumcore planet front page, drumcoreplanet.com. I am the managing news editor there, and so I scour the internet for anything drumcore related to make sure it's on there, plus many drumcore do send their news to me to be posted.
00:43:06
Speaker
So, if you are a Drum Corps PR person, please, by all means, send it my way. I'll get it up there and share it out on various social media platforms as well. Our job is we are the only independent Drum Corps news outlet on the internet.
00:43:27
Speaker
Drum Corps World is also out there. They do more of a magazine format, and even though it's released online, it's a PDF, so you're still reading a magazine. We're the only one that is updated live as news comes our way. We make sure that people are up to date on what's going on in the activity.
00:43:48
Speaker
Well, that's awesome. We definitely appreciate it here because I know that when our hosts bring in their news stories each week, we have had several drum corps playing at once. So especially during the summer, during that drum corps season because you guys have been on it. So again, thank you so much for coming on, Kevin. I really appreciate it. I feel like I have learned so much and we're going to have to get back on the field. So I guess we'll talk to you later. All right. I'm going to gush and go here and I'm going to get back to my dot.
00:44:19
Speaker
Sounds like a plan. Everybody get back out on the field. Let's do this.
00:44:28
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Ashley from Honor Water Break. I just got finished a parade and I'm here to tell you on my water break about the newest episodes of Honor Water Break and Rhinestones. Out already is Emma Carr from Arizona State University and coming soon are so many more feature trailers from eight different universities all over the U.S. and they talk about what it's like and how it's different in different places to twirl. Okay, now back to the parade.
Insights on DCA's Transition to DCI All Age
00:44:59
Speaker
guys, that was such a great rehearsal chunk. I feel like we have got this nailed. I want to talk about Kevin, though. I have to tell you, I've known him for so long, literally, just through Twitter, though, like, years and years, we followed each other on Twitter. Do either of you guys do any of you guys know, Kevin?
00:45:21
Speaker
Oh, yeah. When I taught with the Empire Statesman, he was in the horn line and I didn't know his real name for the first two months because everybody just called him Gadget. So it wasn't until like we started doing drill outside that I realized, oh, Kevin Gammon, Gadget. Oh, OK, that's who you are. Cool.
00:45:37
Speaker
Oh, he has a name. Yeah. Funny about when you get into those like drum corps relationships with people, though, that there are people who, you know, literally just go by their nickname and never, ever, you know, they're surprised if you call them by their actual name.
00:45:52
Speaker
There are definitely people that I've marched with at Empire and at Rochester Crusaders, who they've gone by these nicknames forever. And I'm like, they tell me their real name. And I'm like, I have no idea who you're talking about.
00:46:07
Speaker
not one. Well, Kevin had some great insights of this transition from DCA to the DCI all age.
Midwest Perspective on DCA Events
00:46:16
Speaker
I really liked hearing what he had to say about it. Do you guys have any more
00:46:22
Speaker
thoughts about that, that you want to make sure our listeners know? Yeah, absolutely. I really appreciated the fact that us East Coasters really look at it from our perspective and where we would have to travel to.
00:46:40
Speaker
kind of, I hate to say this, but kind of being like the epicenter of DCA or now DCI all age. And he really gave us more of a Midwestern perspective of it that some of those cores might be able to get more involved now. And, you know, I never, you know, you know, it on the surface, but you never really think about it. And you're like, yeah, that's true. That's really true. Yeah, it's like I had mentioned earlier about like the Renegades coming in from California every year.
00:47:08
Speaker
you know, those cores out there, this actually helps them. And for the years, they had the biggest expense trying to get, you know, to wherever on the East Coast finals was. So it was great to hear somebody bring that up. Because again, like Trish said, we live here, you know, it's, you know, it's what we know. That's awesome. I yeah, I'm excited. I'm purely excited about everything. So I also am excited about this next part because I really enjoy doing these with everybody and getting to know everybody.
00:47:38
Speaker
What part of the marching band show are you, Trish?
Hosts Reflect as Parts of a Marching Band Show
00:47:43
Speaker
What part of the marching band show are you? Well, I think people would like to say that because, you know, I'm very energetic, that I would sort of be like that power closer that, you know, ties the show together and brings it home. But I actually consider myself more of the ballad.
00:48:05
Speaker
As a performer, I like the ballad. I like writing the ballad. I love my marching bands ballad this year. Like as soon as I hear, you know, all right, let's get in there. And I love that expressive side. And I think I have that expressive side to me as well. So I think I would definitely say I'm the ballad.
00:48:24
Speaker
Jeff, what about you? I am the old school extended drum solo where you park the battery on the 50, where their mullets are shaking out from underneath their Aussie with the left leg pumping while they're jamming. Think 92 Crossman, there's your visual image.
00:48:39
Speaker
that is a lot of fun. I always I love that. And like, I love seeing when they would like put the color guard around those percussion features. And the guard is just like, going crazy. And the drummers are just there. And they're just so intense. And yeah, it's been south old school. All right, let's go on to the news for this week.
00:49:01
Speaker
Trish, what do you got for us?
Safety Concerns in Marching Band Activities
00:49:03
Speaker
So apparently a student from James Bowie's marching band suffered a medical emergency at a football game and passed away, which is horrible and tragic. And obviously prayers go out to everybody involved in this situation. But I mean, I don't, we don't know what the medical emergency was, but I know
00:49:27
Speaker
It's a different world out there. Our activity is way different than it was. I'm not saying that this is what happened to this person, but I know my little marching band in New Jersey here
00:49:44
Speaker
Back in the day, we'd be out on the field at bank camp, regardless of what the temperature was, regardless of anything, you were just out there. Now, the NJSIAA, which is the sports organization, has this whole chart of when you can go out if the temperature is this and the heat index is this and the air quality is this, then you can only go out for 40 minutes and take 20 minute breaks.
00:50:13
Speaker
It's all this and I'm not saying, again, I'm not saying that that's what happened to this person, but there's just so much more awareness and protective measures in place to prevent these things from happening. And again, prayers and thoughts go out to that person and their family and our whole activity at that point.
00:50:35
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And their whole band. Oh, man. And it's harder down there in Texas because it's hot. Dude, I have a friend who's down there right now and they said, oh, we have a cold front. It's 94 degrees. What? Oh, the amount of hot days I spent on McAdam. I used to live in Austin and Houston. Houston's cool. Wow. But yes, totally get that.
00:50:58
Speaker
It's hot, y'all. Nicole, what's your story
Celebrating Jan Duga's Historic Achievement
00:51:01
Speaker
for today? My story is about the first woman to dot the I. She returns for the 50th anniversary for the Ohio State Marching Band. Her name is Jan Duga, first woman, like I said before, to dot the I in the script Ohio.
00:51:19
Speaker
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Women in the Ohio State Marching Band, it turned back the clock and welcomed its many former members to the Buckeyes Home Opener and the 2023 Marching Band Alumni on Saturday. So Douga had dotted the I first on September 8th in 1979. I was one years old. I know.
00:51:46
Speaker
She's a baby. We're baby. And since has been back to dot the I again in 2013 and this year. So a couple of things that I don't know a lot of people knew about this, but like, she said it was a history making moment. You're in front of 100,000 people watching and everyone is focused on who's going to dot the I.
00:52:09
Speaker
So you want to do one job, go ahead and do that job right. She arrived at Ohio State in 1976, three years after women were allowed to join. And she said that this was over, there was just over 30 women females in the marching band of 224. And yeah, this was the time when tuba and suzaphone section, they were the last sections to integrate women into their section.
00:52:38
Speaker
Um, and during her fourth year, which was her senior year. Yeah. Um, that's when she was eligible to dot the I, and she goes on to say how like, um, her dad used to March in the Ohio state marching band from 1949 to 1953. Um, the first ever, um, two time I daughter, um, was her father. And, um, yeah, so then she remembers and she recalls in this article, like, um,
00:53:06
Speaker
She was predestined to dot the I because her dad did and she can remember when she was doing it and she could see like over the shoulder of somebody like her dad just watching her go to like dot the I so that's awesome. You know we need to get her on the show. We need to like talk to her. Right. If anybody out there knows knows her
00:53:29
Speaker
Uh, email us on award on no on a water break at gmail.com If you know Dan, let us know Um, yeah, there's a couple of times too like she Sorry on a water break podcast at gmail.com. Sorry on a wide on a water break product podcast. Oh my gosh, I can't even talk
00:53:50
Speaker
podcast all on our day. Wow. But she has been back to March because they have alumni dates when you can come back in March.
Jan Duga's Legacy and Family Influence
00:54:00
Speaker
And so she and her dad always come back and they would march together. Her father sadly passed away in 2020.
00:54:07
Speaker
at the age of 88. She does go on to talk about how it's important now to, you know, see who's dotting the I. Now there is a woman, her name is, last name is Slavin, Isabel Slavin. She is now the 29th female to ever dot the I. And that's who's dotting the I now. So they take a lot of, I mean, it's,
00:54:34
Speaker
What do you call it? It's a lot of prestige that goes along with that, especially with a lot of the Ohio State alumni. You don't even have to be in the marching band, you know, to know that that's a big deal. So it's great that she talks about that. She actually for herself takes a lot of
00:54:55
Speaker
you know, respect on her and to all the women that come after her who actually got the eye. So it's awesome. Jeff? Yes. So would you like to share your story with us today? I will. Flow marching has a great article up about want to march everything you need to know about DCI age limits, which as we talked about, there's one part that has no age limit.
00:55:16
Speaker
But it talks about the age limits for world and open classes, SoundSport, which has no age limit, DCI all age now, Drumline Battle. It's got a lot of good stuff in there and links to the various places on DCI's website where you can go to get more information to explore participating in any of those wonderful groups.
00:55:36
Speaker
My story today is that I need to give a big shout out congratulations to the East Tennessee State University, first of all, because I'm about to meet you guys this year at the Macy's parade. So let's make sure to get that pre-parade photo op when it comes down to it.
00:56:04
Speaker
And, but on top of that, on top of that, when they go to New York for the Macy's parade,
00:56:14
Speaker
their color guard and their major reds are actually going to be a part of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. The Rockettes, they're going to open for the Rockettes basically is what's happening. And that is such a huge honor. Oh my gosh, I can't even like, I don't know how many times I've seen the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular because it's just, it's amazing. And seriously, it's a little different every time you see it. And like,
00:56:42
Speaker
Just being able to be a part of a group that opens for them is fantastic for these. I want to say for these kids. I feel like I'm just getting old. Can you bring a friend with you to the Macy's Parade? Because I've never gone. Oh, come on. Let's go. I volunteered for you to be a friend at the Macy's Parade.
00:57:06
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, let's let's all go. Let's make it on a water break podcast trip. What do you call those work retreat? Although we're preaching to the Macy's. I love it. And yeah, it'll be it'll be a fun little vacation. Also something. I know they need it. Trish, can we stay at your house? Absolutely. Yes.
00:57:36
Speaker
Hearty and Trisha's. Well, Jeff, you've got one more story for us today.
Santa Clara Vanguard's DCI Comeback
00:57:44
Speaker
Would you like to share?
00:57:45
Speaker
Yes. Well, if you've if you haven't been living under a rock for the last several days, the Santa Clara Vanguard has announced that they plan to return to the DCI tour in 2024 announcing their new core director. And of course, then the design team, which is pretty much everybody you knew and loved from before with the Renix for percussion, Michael Gaines, Andy Toth, Evan Van Doren doing the brass, Michael Rosales, Tyler Richards.
00:58:14
Speaker
All that gang is back and I guess they just need to get some of the bingo issues cleared up and cleared by the state of California as well as get DCI to sign off. But it was really weird being in Allentown this year and not trying to figure out where to yell Vanguard, but hopefully next year we'll be able to do that and get that tradition going again so that hopefully they can say they're the only core that's ever been to finals every time they've gone as opposed to the only core that's been to finals every single time.
00:58:41
Speaker
Interesting. Yeah. How how do we feel about about the return of SCV? I've seen I've seen both. I've seen people on the internet from both directions with this one. I want to make sure that they have their house in order and that they're not
00:58:59
Speaker
blowing everything just to get back out there. It's not an easy time to be a nonprofit these days, and California's got laws upon laws that maybe other states don't, especially when dealing with nonprofits and bingos and things like that. So I'm hoping that they truly have their house in order and they're not jumping the gun just so they can say they came back.
00:59:20
Speaker
But if they can pull it off, no one will cheer louder than me when they take the field. I mean, when Seattle Cascades came back out this year for the first time in how many years, I stood up and cheered for them because I miss them, even though they're not one of the cores that gets talked about every week. They were gone for three years. And then when you have a name like Vanguard, who basically is synonymous with the history of everything DCI, not being there, that was a warning sign that people need to get their financial house in order.
00:59:48
Speaker
so important and there's so much help out there for not-for-profits. Even just if you want to learn about what you need to do and things like that, there's so much. I feel like my inbox is inundated with helpful resources about running not-for-profits. Hopefully, they get everything that they need and they can move forward from this and be stronger as a program.
01:00:17
Speaker
behind the scenes. I personally am very happy. I mean, like, I will be very happy to see them. And because I don't know, it always leaves a hole. I look forward to and I will say this because I know this, every drum corps worked hard out there. They do. There's something so different.
01:00:39
Speaker
about watching SCV on the field. There's some major parts of a lot of shows that like I hold near and dear to my heart from SCV and not having them there, you know, it just kind of left, there was a void.
01:00:55
Speaker
You know, there was a void. So yes, I do hope they come back. I can't wait to see them. I hope they come back healthy in the way of membership show and, you know, foundation, financial foundation. But yeah, I'm excited to see them, you know, go through everything. Now, we really want to see DCI say, okay, yes, you can do this because they've announced they're back, but it's just like,
01:01:24
Speaker
Are you just back in California or are you back like doing the whole tour? There are specifics on that. I wonder if they're waiting to see how many people come out to join before they really... I don't think they're going to have a problem getting members. When you look at the names there, that'll attract talent. I don't know if kids that were there left to go other places will come back if they've aged out or not. But you know, if you're a drummer and you see the name Rennick, you're...
01:01:54
Speaker
You're going there when you are, you know, Michael Rosales, Michael Gaines. Hello. Yeah, you're going to draw bodies. So I don't think attracting talent is going to be a challenge for them. It may not be experienced Vanguard vets like they're used to, but, you know, they'll get talent. It's they'll be what will go out on the field will be good. It's just we got to make sure that all the back end stuff is in place so they get on the field.
01:02:23
Speaker
Everyone wants to wear that shield on their back. Yeah. Nothing will make me happier than to see a bunch of green feathers at retreat next summer.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
01:02:32
Speaker
Okay, everyone, thanks for a great rehearsal this week. Thank you to all of our wonderful hosts, Nicole, Trish, and Jeff. Thank you to Kevin for joining us for the interview. Make sure you subscribe, write us a review. I would love to read some more reviews on here. Share this episode with a friend. Follow us on social media at On A Water Break, and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on A Water Break. Go practice.