What is drum corps? A long answer to a short question

Why do we do this?

I have been involved with the drum corps activity for over thirty years. I often meet people who know nothing about the activity and they always ask the same question,"What is drum corps?" I will, occasionally, use the flippant statement, "Marching band on steroids!" I use this phrase because the statement is both descriptive and brief, and usually ends the discussion--often with a bewildered look from the person asking the question. While drum corps does share some similarities with marching band, this is a poor description. Actually, I think that the appeal of the activity has little to do with music or movement, which is one reason I believe high school bands should not try to emulate the activity. 

I first wrote this blog after returning from a trip to watch my daughter, Kayla, performed with the 2015 Phantom Regiment. With many hours in the car on the way home from Rockford, this same question kept popping into my head. Here are some thoughts on why I am continually drawn to this activity and I have allowed my daughter to, "Join the Club." I believe there are five key reasons: Challenge, Excellence, Passion, "The Zone" and Brotherhood. 

 Challenge

Why do people run marathons? 

Why do people climb Mount Rainier? 

Why do people hike the Appalachian Trail? 

Or attempt any other physical and mental challenges? 

My cousin, Will, who recently reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. 

My friend, Josh, who is an avid runner and has run numerous marathons.

The allure of the drum corps activity for many individuals is the same as many of these challenges: not everyone can do it and you want to see if you can. The drum corps season, includes: auditions, off-season training and rehearsals, 30 days of 13-hour rehearsal days in spring training and then 60-plus days of summer tour. This is a grueling marathon of physical, mental and emotional challenges. Every year, I see people audition and then quit. They often quit, not because they lacked the musical skills or the ability to march well enough, rather, because the intensity of this activity was more than they could personally handle. Not everyone makes it to the summit of the mountain. Those that do reach the pinnacle, however, receive a giant intrinsic reward through that accomplishment. You cannot fully understand that reward until you run the marathon. There have been studies with findings that suggest the average drum corps performer is operating on the same level as a triathlete. If their body is performing as a triathlete, I am confident the endorphin surge is similar. Drum corps is an artistic endurance sport.

Excellence

 What do the Olympics, World Cup soccer, symphony orchestras, the PGA, world-class ice skating and drum corps all share in common?

The US Women's Soccer team celebrating after a goal in the World Cup.

As a society, we are drawn to excellence. We admire the obsessive attention to detail. We admire the ability to achieve a level of performance that most cannot attain. We cheer at the last-minute goal scored from an impossible angle. We agonize at the missed putt that cost a golfer a major championship. We are in awe of the musician who can perform the most challenging of music with ease and artistry. Excellence is the common thread.

 Many attribute the following quote to Aristole,"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

I know that from my first interaction with the drum corps activity, both as a spectator and as a member, my immediate love for the activity came from a deep respect for this universal commitment to excellence. From the complex drill designs to the intricate choreography, the movement component of the activity alone is at a world-class level of excellence. Paired with powerful brass lines and the industry-standard in percussion performance, the excellence in this activity is a powerful draw for all who watch and participate. And, yes, people pay to do this activity. Excellence is expensive; just look at, elite youth sports, gymnastics, ice skating, summer music camps etc...Amateurs in all activities willingly pay for the chance to experience greatness in their field of choice.

Passion

 A strong attraction or obsession for an object, concept or ideal.
A strong fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for something.
An irrational, but irresistible motive for a belief or action.

All of these definitions of "Passion" come close to describing the drum corps activity. While my love of music drew me to the activity, my passion for drum corps evolved to something much bigger. More than anything, I believe people in this activity have a passion for performance.  I am sure world-class athletes share a similar passion for performing in their sport--landing the triple axle, hitting the game-winning home run or sinking the impossible putt--or in the arts by singing for sold-out crowds in the great concert halls of the world. 

Passion is a word used a fair amount in the activity to describe a performance or approach to performance. This passion is communicated through powerful brass lines, stunningly complex percussion performances, Olympic-level athleticism while marching and world-class dance and movement in the color guards. Watch a close-up of a performer at the end of a show, the passion is clearly evident. Sit in the stands and watch an alumnus of a corps cheer ardently for their corps; you will witness passion. When I would be down or discouraged while a member, I would imagine performing in a big stadium and all of my problems would disappear. The excitement I felt when I put on the uniform prior to a performance was a powerful drug, and, at that moment, I felt almost super-human.

The Zone

“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 

"Flow, also known as zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity...nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

I know that my first flow/zone experience occurred while marching in a drum corps. While most people are probably not drawn to the activity seeking this experience, I do know--the more you are involved with drum corps--these flow experiences become more frequent and can become addicting.My first flow experience that I can remember occurred in 1981 during our prelims performance. That first year, I struggled to keep up because of the imbalance between challenge and skills. Due to this imbalance, I struggled to perform in the "zone." Once I had experienced a flow moment, however, I knew I wanted more of it. As I grew as a performer, I found myself having more frequent performances in this mental state. These moments increased to include, flow moments during a rehearsal then entire rehearsal blocks and, eventually, entire rehearsal days. Even as a DCI adjudicator and now as an instructor in the activity, I find myself experiencing flow on a regular basis--time flies and you are exhilarated when it is over. I have also found that I could replicate the flow experience in other parts of my life, such as, composing, teaching, conducting, performing in other genres, coaching etc...I owe these flow experiences to drum corps.

According to Cziksentmihalyi, here are important elements involved in achieving "Flow": 

• There are clear goals every step of the way. 
• There is immediate feedback to one’s actions. (Every rep!) 
• There is a balance between challenges and skills. (This can be a huge barrier for many.)
• Action and awareness are merged. (Everything a drum corps does is a performance.)
• Distractions are excluded from consciousness. (This too can be a challenge, but it is an important point of discussion in every drum corps.)
• There is no worry of failure. (This may be the largest barrier to achieving Flow in drum corps)
• Self-consciousness disappears. 
• The sense of time becomes distorted. (Time does fly!)
• The activity becomes an end in itself.

This may be the best description of what the drum corps experience is written by someone not involved in the activity.

Brotherhood

Why do people join fraternities?

Why are gangs a powerful draw in impoverished areas?

Why do sports teams have such passionate fans?

Me and Russell Stanton, my instructor from 1984, who I had not seen in 28 years.

We, as a humans, crave to belong to a cause or a sense of purpose greater than ourselves. We want to feel a common bond with others. I believe that this is an innate part of being human. Much like other activities, the drum corps activity is a brotherhood. I felt this as a member. This is an important part of serving as a DCI adjudicator; at times, this sense of brotherhood was the strongest allure to continuing as an adjudicator. This sense of brotherhood is felt by instructors, administration, support staff, volunteers and everyone who works to help the shows run smoothly. Obviously, the alumni of the various corps all belong to an important brotherhood. There is no bigger testament than when alumni wear their corps' jacket to an event and it is 95 degrees OR have prominent tattoos of the corps' symbol all over their bodies. Their jacket/tattoo represents their collective pride in belonging to this brotherhood. Fans all have their favorite corps. This, too, is a part of the brotherhood experience, and why souvenirs are an essential part of every drum corps event. I, personally, have people I marched with or worked with--and we can go years without seeing each other--when we meet, it feels like yesterday. This is brotherhood. Many of the corps have a slogan--SUTA, Splooie, May You Never Walk Alone, Finis Coronat Opus--which helps to strengthen the bond of brotherhood, Regardless of your particular corps, many involved with drum corps treasure this sense of brotherhood and why I, personally, keep coming back year after year. 

So, this is why I have been flippant with my response in the past to the question, "What is drum corps?" Maybe I should respond with a question myself, "How long do you have for me to answer your question?" We may be a while.