DCI

A couple of weeks ago in Rockford, DCI (Drum Corp International) kicked off their 2023 Tour.  It was fantastic to have them in West Mi for that event.  4 Corps performed:    Colts, Blue Stars, Phantom Regiment and Troopers.  If you have been to the booster meetings, you will have heard our directors discuss that Jenison HS was hosting one of the bigger groups, Phantom Regiment prior to that DCI summer kick off.  Those of us who follow DCI were excited to have them so close so we could watch them practice and later perform at Rockford.  I realized some of you might now know just how incredible DCI is so I wanted to give you a little background about them 
Drum corps are…well marching bands on steroids.  With some differences.  Drum Crops are only percussion, brass and color guard.  No woodwinds like saxophones, clarinets or flutes.  They have a membership limit of 150 members.  It costs each member around $5000 to march (and each member has to audition, it is very competitive to get in). Every year, each corps prepares a single show, around 8-12 minutes long  Throughout their season, that show is fine tuned and honed with the culmination which is presented at World Championships in Indianapolis in August.   
If you  have never seen a DCI performance, you owe it to yourself and your kids to see one.  We have several Jenison alum currently marching with DCI groups.  They are:

Liam Kornoely - Blue Stars
Max Gradisher - The Cadets
Matt Keith - The Cavaliers
Brendan Michael- Phantom Regiment
Hannah Zeitman - Phantom Regiment
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Here are some pictures of some of the groups our family saw at the DCI show in DeKalb, IL Friday night.