DCA News Update

First Ever Class A Regular Season Show

2008-06-16T18:42:00.004-05:00

The Brigadiers are pleased to announce that the August 2nd show in Waterloo, NY will be promoted as a Class A Regional event. Class A will have its own 1st through 3rd awards for the Pageant of Drums this year.

Competing Class A Corps
Excelsior
Carolina Gold
Fusion Core
White Sabers
Grenadiers

Competing Open Class Corps
Rochester Crusaders
Empire Statesmen
Brigadiers

New Stadium Info Syracuse Aug. 2nd

2008-06-16T18:37:00.001-05:00

The August 2nd Pageant of Drums show originally scheduled for N. Syracuse HS, will now be held at Waterloo High School stadium. The show will start at 7PM.

Address for the Show:

Waterloo High School
96 Stark StreetWaterloo, NY 13165

Tickets for Major Shows

2008-06-15T21:28:00.002-05:00

In case you didn't notice on the home page, you can now order tickets on line - not only for the DCA Championship Labor Day Weekend, but also for the Parade of Champions August 16th in Scranton, PA and Mission Drums in Lawrence, MA on July 26th. Plenty of excellent seats remain. Order now while they're still available.

July 12th & Aug 2nd Show Changes

2008-06-14T13:39:00.004-05:00

DCA has been informed by the contest sponsor that due to loss of the stadium and inability to locate a suitable replacement location, the July 12th contest scheduled for Buffalo, NY has been cancelled. Due to the late date of the cancellation, it will not be replaced. DCA and the Brigadiers sends it's regrets to all of our fans in the area, but this seemed to be the only possible decision.

We encourage those in the region to consider attending the July 5th show in Rochester at St. John Fisher College and the Brigadier's August 2nd Pageant of Drums which is being moved from North Syracuse to Waterloo, NY. Details on the location will be released soon. Also, the Brigadiers are pleased to announce the addition of Carolina Gold to the August 2nd line up.

This change was necessary due to numerous High Schools around the country forbidding use of their artificial turf stadiums until the safety of these fields can be confirmed. The government advised that unsafe lead levels have been found in specific stadiums that were produced from used tires. North Syracuse was one of them.

DCA To Increase Number of Class A Finalists

2008-06-06T15:48:00.001-05:00

We here at Drum Corps Associates are thrilled to announce the expansion of our Class A Final competition this year! For the first time ever, there will be FOUR finalists competing for the Class A crown, up from three in previous years. Our Executive Board made the decision to add another corps to finals in Class A, in response to the explosive growth in that category over the last several years. The pre-contest ceremonies will be shortened a bit to accommodate the extra time needed, and we expect the first finalist to hit the field at 5:30 PM sharp on Sunday, August 31, 2008.

Class A corps are limited in size to 65 performers (not including drum majors and National Color Party). DCA rules allow for the top 3 declared Class A corps, not finishing in the top 10, to compete at the Sunday evening Finals Competition for the Class A Championship. For the 44th Annual Championship at Paetec Park in Rochester, NY Labor Day Weekend, there will be 4 corps moving on to Championship Competition. The winner of the Mini-Corps Championship from Friday night’s Mini-Corps Competition will also exhibit at the Sunday Finals following the last competing corps. This means that a total of 15 corps will perform at the Championship Finals on Sunday evening, August 31st at Paetec Park Rochester, NY – truly the “don’t miss” event of the DCA drum corps season.

The preliminary competition on Saturday, August 30 may break the record for the largest number of corps competing in our 44-year history! Visit www.dcacorps.org/2008 for tickets.

DCA Class A Competitors Set

2008-06-03T00:58:00.003-05:00

The following corps have declared Class A Status and will be eligible to compete for a spot in the DCA Championship Finals in Rochester, NY on August 31st. The 3 highest scoring declared Class A corps (not achieving a spot in the top 10) will compete that evening for the Class A Championship Title - joining the top 10 highest scoring corps competing for the Open Class Championship.

Grenadiers - Kingston ONT
Govenaires - St. Peter MN
SoCal Dream - Irvine CA
Fusion Core - Morris County NJ
Alliance - Atlanta GA
Chops, Inc. - Minneapolis MN
Frontier - Denton TX
Gulf Coast Sound - Houston TX
White Sabers - Dansville NY
Lakeshoremen - Troy MI
Sun Devils - Kissimmee FL
Carolina Gold - Rocky Mount NC
Excelsior - Albany NY
Grenadiers - Kingston ONT
Shenandoah Sound - Sterling VA
Cincinatti Tradition - Cincinatti OH****
Derby City Knights - Louisville KY****

**** These corps have declared Class A but have yet to be evaluated

Note: This edit adds Kingston Grenadiers who were erroneously left off the original list.

I&E Applications Now Being Accepted

2008-05-04T22:48:00.002-05:00

It's time! You can now enter the Individuals, ensemble and mini-corps competition for the 2008 DCA Championships on line. Just go to the DCA Home Page at http://www.dcacorps.org and click on the championship logo. Then, click on the I&E link. Once there you can download all the necessary information. Remember, your early application will mean a prime appearance slot. Any questions, contact Chairman Dick Pronti at ie@dcacorps.org.

The 2008 I&E Mini Corps Championship will be held at The Rochester Riverside Convention Center on Main Street beginning at 6:00PM, Friday, August 29th. It is open to all - all aged corps, alumni corps, mini corps members. 2007 saw 176 entries and an unbelieveable 18 mini corps. This year, all expectations are to exceed that and set an all time record. Be sure to sign up now if you're planning to compete. Not competing? Be sure to put this event on your calendar. Don't let anyone tell you that nothing is ever free. See some of the finest musicians in the world, and there's NO admission charge. Join in the block party and reunite with old friends. This is the night when all the performers kick back, let their hair down and enjoy the DCA experience before the pressure of prelims and finals.

Join us at the Mini Corps segment - one of the fastest growing parts of the drum corps activity. Watch, see and hear as Star United takes on all in defense of their DCA Championship. Will someone wrestle the Donna Ernst Memorial Trophy from this talented group of Indiana musicians? We will all find out Friday night, August 29th. Be there!

DCA Spring Meeting A Success

2008-04-29T14:38:00.003-05:00

Saturday, April 26th, all corps and executives from Drum Corps Associates met in Scranton, PA for their Spring Meeting. President Gil Silva, opened the meeting with the roll call. The first thing noted was that after polling all corps present, Business Manager Dick Eschenmann, advised that currently we expect at least 25 or 26 competing corps to attend the DCA Championship Prelims in Rochester August 30th. He also reminded all corps that if they wish to compete at the Championship in Class A, they must declare so no later than June 1st. Proper procedure for doing this is provided in the rulebook. Other notable items from the meeting included:

· Vice President, Larry Hershman advised that DCA Championship ticket sales (pre-sale and on line) are progressing well. He was particularly pleased with a sharp increase in Canadian sales. Phone orders will begin June 3rd.
· President Silva advised that the DCA Contest Committee is currently encouraging bids for the 2010 DCA Championship. Anyone knowing of an interest in hosting this event can get further information by contacting prdirector@dcacorps.org who will forward the necessary requirements to bid as defined by the Contest Committee.
· The draw for positions took place. An excel spreadsheet reflecting the draw for positions in 25 sanctioned DCA contests is available by contacting prdirector@dcacorps.org. Competing position in the Championship Prelims is determined by seeding rules and will not be known until after the last regular season contest of the year. Everyone was extremely pleased with the number of DCA Central and DCA South contests and congratulations was offered to all the groups involved and regional directors Amber Roeker and Vic Kulinski.
· So far, 5 corps who did not compete in 2007 have either completed the evaluation process or are close enough that a positive completion is imminent. They were allowed to draw for positions in the shows they are participating in. They include 2 returning DCA former member corps, Kingston Grenadiers and Carolina Gold. Joining them are newcomers Austin Stars, Sun Devils and Excelsior. President Silva noted with regret that Sunrisers and Skyliners will not be competing this summer. It is still possible that other new corps could be evaluated prior to the season. Evaluation is necessary to compete in any sanctioned DCA regular season contest.
· DCA Rochester Chairman, Allen Buell, advised everyone of the progress toward Labor Day Weekend. After some questions of ownership of Paetec Park over the winter, all has been resolved with the sale of the Soccer Club and the Stadium to a new owner. Among other things, a new stadium concession operator was chosen and they have advised a much-improved stadium food situation is expected.
· Judging coordinator, Rich Templin, advised that the Judge’s Clinic for 2008 will be June 7th in the Allentown, PA area. He also was pleased to announce that the General Effect portion of the clinic will be conducted by well known Hall of Fame personality, arranger, instructor and soloist, Frank Dorritie. This news was very well received by the membership.

DCA adds Mini Corps Champion to Sunday Finals

2008-04-27T09:44:00.002-05:00

At the April 26th DCA Spring meeting, President Gil Silva announced that the winning Mini Corps from Friday night’s DCA Mini Corps Competition will be invited to perform at the DCA Finals Competition on Sunday night of Championship Weekend, August 29, 30 and 31. While time is precious during the long evening, President Silva welcomed the opportunity to honor the Mini Corps – one of the fastest growing activities under the “Drum Corps umbrella”. The corps will perform during the coveted time slot between the final DCA competitor and the retreat/awards ceremony. This will give them a golden opportunity to show the huge final’s crowd at Paetec Park in Rochester just what the Mini Corps are all about and prove that while limited in numbers they are mighty in quality entertainment.

With groups like defending champion Star United of Bloomington, Indiana, Mass Brass, Ghost Riders, Erie Thunderbirds, West Sayville’s Golden Eagles, San Francisco’s Renegades and a multitude of others all competing Friday August 29th for the coveted DCA Mini Corps Championship, we are assured of a great performance on Sunday night at finals. If for travel reasons, the 2008 winning Mini Corps champion is unable to perform on Sunday, they will be allowed to pass on this great opportunity to showcase the Mini Corps to the next highest finishing corps.

DCA Coming to Boston - Tickets Available NOW!

2008-04-18T16:25:00.004-05:00

DCA is coming to Boston on July 26th. DCA President, Gil Silva, announced that DCA is joining with the Citations of Burlington, MA in producing Mission Drums, the first full DCA regular season show in the Boston area in many years. The show will be at Veterans Stadium, Lawrence, MA and feature in competition: Caballeros, Crusaders, Empire Statesmen, Hurricanes and Fusion Core. Exhibitions will be performed by the Citations, Mass Brass and Boston Crusaders Senior Alumni Corps. Tickets are available now through Crown Tickets at http://www.crowntickets.com/. See you there!

DCA Championship Tickets Now On Sale

2008-04-14T07:17:00.006-05:00

This morning, April 14, 2008, all tickets for the DCA World Championships went on sale. They are available on line. Don’t wait till the last minute. Get them now. Plenty of excellent seats still available for all shows. Go to the home page and click on the championship logo and select tickets. Telephone orders will be available soon.

August 30-31, 2008 Paetec Park Stadium, 460 Oak St, Rochester, NY.

Click here to order on line.

Order early to get those prime seats.

Bob Cardaneo In World Drum Corps Hall of Fame

2008-04-14T07:08:00.003-05:00

DCA would like to congratulate long time DCA Brass Coordinator, Bob Cardaneo for receiving the President's Award from the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into the WDCHOF - http://www.worlddrumcorpshof.org/ - at the induction dinner on August 30th in Rochester, NY DCA Championship weekend. Bob has been an adjudicator and brass chief judge for many years and is well deserving of this recognition. From all the DCA Staff and Corps, a big thank you and well done to our own Bob Cardaneo.

Joining Bob in induction to the WDCHOF for the 2008 class are: Art Hylwa, Steve Cooley, Neil Smith, Thom Hannum, Larry Darch and Robbie Robinson. Congratulations to all.

DCA Survey Now Closed

2008-02-02T16:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks to the more than 1,000 fans and active corps members for your feedback. We have now closed the most recent DCA Experience Survey. Stay tuned for more information and additional opportunities to provide your feedback and insight in the coming months.

Only One Week Left to Participate in DCA Experience Survey

2008-01-25T20:26:00.001-06:00

There's only one week remaining to participate in Drum Corps Associates survey of all-age corps fans and participants, The survey is designed to provide insight into who currently attends, participates in and supports all-age drum corps events. This survey will be available online until February 1, 2008.

"Drum corps fans and corps members are encouraged to share the survey link with other fans and family that might not visit Drum Corps Planet on a regular basis," TMI Entertainment Marketing's Ed Dempsey explained. "The more input we get, the easier it is to tell this really cool story about all-age drum corps."

Click here to participate in the survey

For more information about Drum Corps Associates, visit www.dcacorps.org.

We're Listening! DCA Launches Survey of Fans and Participants

2008-01-20T11:16:00.000-06:00

Drum Corps Associates today launched a survey to learn about the experiences of DCA fans and participants, while also gaining insight into who currently attends, participates in and support all-age drum corps events. This survey will be available online until February 1, 2008.

Click here to participate in the survey

For more information about Drum Corps Associates, visit www.dcacorps.org.

DCA Administration Team Returns for 2008

2007-10-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Drum Corps Associates (DCA), the leader in sanctioning and producing competitive all-age drum and bugle corps events, today announced that its voting member corps have unanimously reelected the association's current officers to another two year term through 2009. Returning for 2008/2009 are DCA President, Gil Silva; Vice-President, Larry Hershman; Secretary, Glen Johnson; and Treasurer, Michael Corso. The announcement came during the association's fall business meeting in Newark, New Jersey

DCA also announced that it's voting corps have voted to retain Judging Coordinator Rich Templin and the three judging caption heads for the 2008 season. Returning will be Brass Caption Head, Bob Cardaneo; Percussion Caption Head, John Stauffer and Sal Adamo, Visual Caption Head.

"Between them, these four gentlemen have brought an enormous wealth of knowledge to the task of managing the competitive aspects of DCA and the all-age drum corps activity," said DCA President Gil Silva. "Its great to have stability in the judging community and the confidence of the voting member corps for the job they did in 2007 is testament to that."

About Drum Corps Associates

Drum Corps Associates (DCA) is the governing body for modern senior or all-age drum and bugle corps in North America. Founded in 1965 as the first heir to the modern drum corps activity, DCA has crowned 44 Open Class World Champions and 12 Class A Champions to date. For the 2007 season twenty-three units competed in twenty-four events throughout North America. The 2008 DCA World Championships will be held August 29-31 in Rochester, NY. For more information on Drum Corps Associates visit http://www.dcacorps.org.

DCA Welcomes TMI Entertainment Marketing for 2008 Season

2007-10-20T12:30:00.000-05:00

Drum Corps Associates (DCA), the leader in sanctioning and producing competitive all-age drum and bugle corps events, announced today that it has retained Oak Park, Illinois based TMI Entertainment Marketing to assist in the development of its sponsorship and marketing programs for the 2008 season.

DCA President Gil Silva, made the announcement during DCA's annual business meeting in Newark, NJ on October 20, 2007. "We are very excited to have access to Ed Dempsey and the TMI team", said Silva. "His experience as Manager, Strategic Alliances at Drum Corps International combined with a long history with a variety of DCA corps make him a great asset and we look forward to working with him to help grow our brand".

"We are pleased to be a part of the DCA team for 2008", said TMI Entertainment Marketing founder, Ed Dempsey. "They're a great organization with a long legacy and a quality product and are in the perfect position to both expand their audience and to better serve the all age corps that operate in the association".

Core responsibilities for TMI will be the development of a formal corporate sponsorship program as well as the development of promotional materials for DCA member corps and event promoters. The company will also coordinate media relations efforts for the organization and for the 2008 DCA World Championships in Rochester, NY.

About Drum Corps Associates
Drum Corps Associates (DCA) is the governing body for modern senior or all-age drum and bugle corps in North America. Founded in 1965 as the first heir to the modern drum corps activity, DCA has crowned 44 Open Class World Champions and 12 Class A Champions to date. For the 2007 season twenty-three units competed in twenty-four events throughout North America. The 2008 DCA World Championships will be held August 29-31 in Rochester, NY. For more information on Drum Corps Associates visit http://www.dcacorps.org.

About TMI Entertainment Marketing
TMI Entertainment Marketing was founded in June 2007 to aid in the creation and production of events and experiences that touch, move and inspire guests, participants and partners. The creative force behind the company is Ed Dempsey, former Manager, Strategic Alliances for Drum Corps International, the world leader in producing and sanctioning competitive marching music and related stadium events for the world’s most elite and exclusive marching music ensembles. TMI Entertainment Marketing is based in Oak Park, Illinois.

First Meeting of 2008 Season

2007-09-14T14:25:00.000-05:00

We're already starting planning for the 2008 season! The first official DCA meeting of the 2008 season will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2007 in Newark, NJ. Corps representatives will meet to discuss scheduling among many other things. Corps with an interest in competing in 2008 should contact DCA Secretary Glen Johnson to attend this meeting. The 2008 competitive season will open in June at Wildwood, NJ and the championship events will be held August 29-31 in Rochester, NY.

Buccaneers & Sunrisers Win 2007 DCA World Championships

2007-09-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

The Reading Buccaneers completed their 3rd consecutive undefeated season tonight by winning the Open Class title with a score of 98.313, just a few tenths shy of the all-time DCA record high score. The Sunrisers captured the Class A crown scoring 83.988, moving up from second place in prelims.

Some confusion occurred when the color guard scores were announced incorrectly. The visual composite scores were sent to the announcer instead of the guard scores. The high guard score in Class A belongs to the Govenaires, and the Bushwackers in Open Class. Our apologies for the mix up.

The Sunrisers and Buccaneers were presented with the 2007 DCA Championship flag, restoring a tradition that was discontinued many years ago. The flags are emblazoned with the Rochester '07 logo, designed for DCA by Jeff Zehner.

Congratulations to the Sunrisers, Buccaneers, and all our competitors for making 2007 a memorable season!

And a special thank you to all of our volunteers, who worked tirelessly during our 3-day event, and to YOU, our fans; the reason why we do it at all!