Drum Corps Associates
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Drum Corps Associates (DCA) is a governing body for modern all-age and senior
drum and bugle corps Drum and bugle corps is a name used to describe several related musical ensembles. * Drum and bugle corps (modern), a musical marching unit * Drum and bugle corps (classic), musical ensembles that descended from military bugle and drum units retu ...
in North America. DCA's responsibilities include sanctioning competitions, certifying adjudicators, maintaining and enforcing rules of competition, and hosting an annual World Championship during
Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...
weekend. Historically, DCA members were referred to as "senior corps" in contrast to the "junior corps", who limit participants to a maximum 22 years of age. DCA has no age restriction. The term "all-age corps" has come into common use. DCA is viewed as a counterpart to
Drum Corps International Drum Corps International (DCI) is a governing body for junior drum and bugle corps responsible for developing and enforcing rules of competition, and for providing standardized adjudication at sanctioned drum and bugle corps competitions througho ...
(DCI), which governs junior drum corps in North America. The 2020 DCA World Championships were scheduled for , to be hosted by
Williamsport, Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popula ...
. In March 2020, the entire competitive season, including the 2020 World Championships, was cancelled due to the ongoing
coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
.


History

In August 1963, Almo Sebastianelli, sponsor of the annual Parade of Champions drum corps competition, approached Henry Mayer, then-director of the
Skyliners The Skyliners are an American doo-wop group from Pittsburgh. The original lineup was: Jimmy Beaumont (lead), Janet Vogel (soprano), Wally Lester (tenor), Jackie Taylor (bass voice, guitarist), Joe Verscharen (baritone). The Skyliners were bes ...
, to discuss problems affecting show sponsors and competing corps. Following their discussions, Sebastianelli and Mayer organized a meeting later that month, which was attended by representatives from the Archer-Epler Musketeers, Reading Buccaneers, and Yankee Rebels and the Skyliners. Five areas of concern were identified during the meeting: * ''Conflicting contest dates.'' * ''Inconsistent contest formats.'' * ''Inconsistent adjudication.'' * ''Uneven distribution prize money.'' * ''Need to promote better relationships between competing corps.'' At a second meeting held sometime in September 1963, by-laws for a new governing body were adopted, as well as the adoption of the name Drum Corps Associates. Mayer was elected the first DCA president. Charter members were: Reading Buccaneers, Connecticut Hurricanes, Interstatesmen, Archer-Epler Musketeers, Pittsburgh Rockets, Yankee Rebels, and the Skyliners. DCA sanctioned one event in 1964, the 12th Annual Tournament of Drums in Waverly, New York. The first DCA World Championship was held in
Milford, Connecticut Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between New Haven and Bridgeport. The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census. The city includes the village of Devon and the borough of Woodmont. ...
on 11 September 1965. The Reading Buccaneers won the first of their sixteen championship titles at this inaugural event. Hawthorne Caballeros joined DCA in 1966, along with the Sunrisers, and Brigadiers. The Rochester Crusaders joined in 1967. The number of corps competing in Open Class reached twenty-three in 1987. In 2008, twenty-four corps competed at World Championship, twelve in Open Class and Class A each. Corps from Canada have been frequent competitors since DCA's founding, such as Les Metropolitains from
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, and Les Dynamiques from Buckingham, Quebec. The Kingston Grenadiers, from
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, competed in 2010. Yokohama Inspires, from
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, competed in 2005. The most recent competitors from the United Kingdom were Kidsgrove Scouts from
Kidsgrove Kidsgrove is a town in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England, on the Cheshire border. It is part of the Potteries Urban Area, along with Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has a population of 26,276 (2019 census). ...
in 2017, and Cadence from
Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...
in 2018.


Past championship locations


About

Headquartered in
South Orange, New Jersey South Orange, officially the Township of South Orange Village, is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village's population was 16,198, reflecting a decline of 766 (4.5%) fro ...
, DCA was incorporated as a
nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
with the
New Jersey Department of the Treasury The mission of the New Jersey Department of the Treasury is to formulate and manage the state's budget, generate and collect revenues, disburse the appropriations used to operate New Jersey state government, manage the state's physical and financia ...
on June 8, 1977. DCA is designated a
501(c)(3) organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of t ...
by the
IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...
.


Active corps


Classification and adjudication

Currently, DCA assigns all competing corps to four classes. No arrangements are made for corps from outside North America, as the same classification and adjudication applies to all competing corps. With the exception of Mini-corps, all field corps perform in competition as one continuous flight, but scores and rankings are given by class.


Current Classes

World Class corps typically march between 86 and 128 members who compete at the highest level. Open Class corps typically march between 65 and 85 members. A Class corps are small, often young and developing groups, who typically march between 24 and 64 members. Mini-corps is a special class reserved for very small groups consisting of horns, and percussion or rhythm sections. These groups typically compete on a theater stage, and not on a football field, and are often no larger than twenty members. A mini-corps championships is held the day before World Championship prelims.


Historical classes and divisions

DCA realigned its competitive classes in 1997, and again in 2001. In 2022, DCA realigned its competitive classes based on ensemble size—World, Open, and A classes.


Adjudication

DCA's Adjudication Manual is based on three broad categories, Visual, Music and Effect. Visual and Music categories are further subdivided into three reference criteria, or captions: one caption for each of a corps' sections, and two ensemble performance captions. Unlike other adjudication manuals, DCA's manual does include captions for individual or ensemble analysis, or design or effect analysis. The manual includes definitions for appropriate, and achievement, in lieu of proficiency, or attempt. This vocabulary reflects the style of programming utilized by modern all-age corps. Audience entertainment and engagement are also important factors in adjudication as well. Prior to 2011, nine adjudicators were required for each competition, using a different manual. The "European Music Games" adjudication manual published by
Drum Corps Europe Drum Corps Europe (DCE) is a governing body for all-age drum and bugle corps based in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands. DCE coordinates the European Music Games, including the annual European Championships, in cooperation with strategic partners from ...
(DCE) was adapted from the previous DCA format.


Past champions

DCA realigned its championships classes in 1997 with the introduction of A Class, and again in 2000 with the introduction of Mini-corps into competition. In 2022, DCA realigned classes based on ensemble size which split DCA member corps between three new divisions—World, Open, and A classes. At the 2022 World Championships, the Hurricanes won their fourth class championship: three championships in Open Class between 1967 and 1981, and a fourth as champions of the new Open Class. Also in 2022, the Buccaneers won World Class bringing their premier class championships to eighteen, and Fusion Core won their second championship in A Class.


See also

*
Drum Corps Europe Drum Corps Europe (DCE) is a governing body for all-age drum and bugle corps based in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands. DCE coordinates the European Music Games, including the annual European Championships, in cooperation with strategic partners from ...
*
Drum Corps International Drum Corps International (DCI) is a governing body for junior drum and bugle corps responsible for developing and enforcing rules of competition, and for providing standardized adjudication at sanctioned drum and bugle corps competitions througho ...
*
Drum Corps Japan Drum Corps Japan (DCJ) is the administering organization for drum and bugle corps in Japan. Most DCJ competitions are held indoors on a floor with different markings from those used in DCI, DCA, and most Western drum corps competitions. The mai ...
*
Drum Corps United Kingdom Drum Corps United Kingdom (DCUK) is a governing organization for drum and bugle corps in the United Kingdom. DCUK operates the British drum corps circuit which holds drum and bugle corps competitions for corps across the country. It is part of t ...
*
Winter Guard International Winter Guard International (WGI) is an American performing arts association, governing body, and the producer of regional championship events for three activities: color guard (known as winter guard), percussion ensembles, and small marching bands ...


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Drum Corps Associates Drum and bugle corps 1964 establishments in the United States Organizations established in 1964 Organizations based in New Jersey South Orange, New Jersey