DCI 2010 Rule Proposals

[Danpod]

Here's a link to the first two rule proposals:

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=3...b8-a27efd2f1a3f

 

Age Requirements (For 2011 Implementation):

This eliminates the confusing rule already in place stating you cannot march DCI if you turn 22 before June 1st of that year. All you would have to do to march DCI is not turn 23 by January 1st. Okay. You also have to audition, pony up hundreds of dollars in fees, and subscribe to the Gold Bond Powder of the Month Club.

 

Personally, adding another five months of eligibility to the membership does not seem like that big of a deal to me. When formulating your opinion, you have to put yourself in the shoes of someone who is just starting in the activity. The "young ones" would have to compete against a good chunk of college graduates who were previously not eligible to march. Let's face it. The odds of graduating college in four years are less favorable than ever before. Regardless of what your major is, things really do come together for you in our final semesters. Your life begins to take shape. All of those classes you hated going to start to pay off both in the classroom and in real life. Younger marchers will have a tougher time making the cut of 150. Food for thought: DCI surveyed the average age of each World Class Drum Corps a year or two ago. Many of the top units, specifically Carolina Crown, had a shockingly young average age per marcher.

 

Sound Engineer In Press Box:

This rule would allow a staff member to be in the press box during their corps' performance and communicate via wireless device with the sound board operator on the field. The idea is to help the pit blend with the rest of the corps.

 

People seem to be sharpening their pitchforks out on this one. The staff and I have been sitting next to directors during their program's performances for many, many years. Believe it or not, this sort of thing is commonplace at BOA and UIL events. Pit instructors usually carry around a two-way radio or wireless headset that links up with the students running the board. Balance issues within the pit, as well as pit-to-band issues, can be addressed instantly. The "engineer" would be in the press box at larger shows. However, many smaller shows would not be able to accommodate this extra person in their press shacks. The probable solution: Put the engineer in the stands. This could create a problem, especially if you're sitting near the engineer.

 

Some directors are very respectful about how they communicate with the board operator. They realize that they are sitting around parents and fans, so they keep the communication at a low volume. However, there are those directors who talk quite loudly into their device. Also, if the balance is really out of whack, there is the good chance that the distracting communication could last the duration of the show. Drum Corps fans are some of the most dedicated fans of any activity. At the same token, they are some of the most opinionated people on the Earth, and they would not hesitate to shush a staff member of a corps if that person is affecting the fan's experience in a negative way.

[Danpod]

Next two rule proposals:

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=2...8e-f3f334efa061

 

Pre-Show:

Currently, a corps gets 17 minutes on the field. George Hopkins would like to expand the time to 18 minutes, with some very Hop-esque guidelines. The corps would use the first three minutes to set up and props or electronics. The next three minutes would allow for the corps to use any type of instrument they wish, legal or illegal, including pre-recorded music. Those three minutes would be "considered" by the General Effect judges but not exactly be evaluated for points. After the six minute chaos, the remaining 12 minutes would be evaluated by the judges as normal.

 

Confused? You should be. I agree that more time may be needed to set up sound boards and mic up the pit properly. With that being said, I do not agree with this particular time format. Giving a corps three minutes to use any "illegal" instruments would undermine having rules in place for prohibiting woodwinds and pre-recorded music. To take this to a hilarious extreme, this would kind of be like your local Police Department giving you permission to push old ladies down the stairs for only three minutes. What happens if the timing goes awry and a corps has pre-recorded music playing during the "judged" portion of the show? Would a penalty be handed down? Not to go off on a tangent, but I feel like band and corps contests do everything they can not to give programs proper deductions when rule violations take place.

 

In my opinion, the whole idea that the General Effect judges would consider and not evaluate the warm-up period is not valid. Unless the music judges are covering their ears and the visual judges are closing their eyes during warm-up, I can almost guarantee you that the warm-up period is being evaluated in some facet or another.

 

Warm-Up Time Modification:

This rule would give a corps five minutes of warm-up/set-up time to use however they see fit. The 12 minutes afterwards would be the "judged" portion of the show. This is more like it. This rule simplifies things, instead of breaking down the allotted time into another category. Give a corps five minutes to set up and do whatever they want within the rules.

 

Both rules are almost polar opposites of each other. I love the idea of a pre-show. However, we are getting to the point where not having a pre-show may be frowned upon by fans and judges. Soon, a corps without a pre-show will really have to knock their show out of the park in order to "catch up" to the shows that set the mood just before their actual show starts.

[Danpod]

Last three rule proposals:

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=4...c7-1985edfad7ef

 

Field Visual Sheet Change:

Not too much of a change in terms of how visual is scored. Basically, they would just change the sheet to let the judges better understand exactly what they are looking for.

 

Percussion Judge Location:

Hopkins wants to put the percussion judge in the press box, instead of on the field.

 

I hate this idea. The press box is not the best way to evaluate a percussion performance. The judge needs to get in there, up close and personal. That's the kind of caption it is. Sorry. The job can be quite dangerous at times, but the percussion judges know that going in to the show. As a fan, I don't find the percussion judge to be as intrusive or distracting as it is made out to be. I like the idea of having two percussion judges, one on the field and the other in the stands or press box.

 

Overall General Effect:

George Hopkins wants to eliminate the Visual and Music General Effect judges and combine them into two Overall General Effect judges.

 

The term overall is used very loosely in this proposal. The judges would evaluate the show like a fan, without any particular emphasis on visual or musical effect. The concept here is that with the complexity and intricacy of the modern Drum Corps show, effect judges have a very difficult time separating the visual and musical aspects. This rule would practically UIL-ize the General Effect Caption. Without a clear and specific emphasis on what to look for, preconceived notions from judges on what overall effect means to them would create a high level of inconsistent judging from performance to performance. I am thoroughly against this proposition.

 

Seven Judge System:

Basically, we'd condense the judging system to seven judges. Brass, Percussion, and Colorguard Performance, along with Ensemble Music and Ensemble Visual judges. The rule is contingent on having the two Overall Effect judges. I don't see this happening at all. Too much change to the scoring sheets would send people into Seek and Destroy Mode.

 

It's always interesting to see who proposes what rules at the Winter Meetings. It seems like most of the time, the people who submit rule proposals are trying to aide what their corps is doing. There have been many rule proposals that have helped the Drum Corps activity as a whole. However, there are cases when you can clearly see that an agenda is on someone's mind.

[Danpod]

Rule Proposal Results:

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=c...92-9342d7ecd486

 

Sound Engineer in Stands/Press Box - Yes

Extend Age Eligibility - No (Four in Favor; 18 Against)

Language Change to Visual Sheet - Yes

Clarification of on-field Warm Up Time - Yes

 

Pre-Show Proposal - Yes, with modifications. Total field time will still be 17 minutes. A corps will have five minutes of warm-up/pre-show/set-up time. The corps can do whatever they want in those five minutes. After five minutes, the judged portion of the show will begin.

 

Two additional "rules" that were added:

Meetings with judges that take place off and on throughout the season will be replaced with "more informal pre-show discussion opportunities with the judges". Essentially, show designers and corps directors can meet with the judges prior to a contest and inform them of specific aspects of their shows that they wish emphasized.

 

Corps are now encouraged to send in synopses of their shows before the season starts. The information will be passed along to the judges so that they can research and study source music in order to understand the show better.