Lancers History

Position:
DCUK "Open Class" Finals - 5th

Music:
War of the Worlds (main theme)
Forever Autumn
Mars
Thunderchild/Dead London (Finale)

Drum Major(s):
Helen Riley

After a lenghty process the never before attempted "War of the Worlds" show was choosen along with the decision to move up into DCUK Open Class (the top table of UK drum Corps) for 2006.

The instructional staff had continued to grow with more new faces joining the team and the design team set about the process of putting together this original concept on the field for the forthcoming season.

Along with this the vast majority wanted to focus all our focus into DCUK and to pull out of BYBA all together.Throughout the winter the members got to grips with a demanding musical book before going out onto the field. Early season the Corps was struggling with the step up and things were really not as they should be within the ranks. With so many new staff their was differences of opinions on what was best for the members going forward.

As we moved into the second half of the season the show started to come together and we also welcomed some members from Forgemen into our ranks which meant we marched 5 snares, 3 tenors and 5 Basses the biggest Drumline for many years seen in DCUK Open Class

As the season progressed and reached Finals night we concluded our rehearsal schedule the night before by reheasing on sainsburies car park int the centre of town by lampost light lol. That performance on Finals night under the lights was emotional for many reasons and it finally lived up to its potential again breaking our DCUK record scoring 76.5 and a creditable 5th placing.

If we were to be honest as good as we were that year especially at finals the essence of what it was to be in Lancers had not really been there all season. Too many silly dissagreements resulting from differing views of what was in the members best interest. It had become as some members said that year more like a job than a fun hobby.

Also rearing its head in a big way throughout the year was the prospect of a big shakeup in the essence of Youth bands in this Country with Open Age policy looking like being adopted inline with the success of Drum Corps Europe (DCE). With some Corps wanting to sustain and older aging membership and compete on an equal footing with the older based Dutch Corps. At the end of the season our Corps Director stepped down form trustee on the DCUK board which was forming a new unbrella organisation called Marching Arts UK under which DCUK would sit.

After Finals many members left from the activity altogether burnt out and a few including some instructors choose to go and march with Open Age Corps with the promise of bigger Corps and success in 07.

All this would leave The Lancers in a weakend position going forward into the close season with many predicting that we would not appear in 07 or fold completely. It is true that a tough winter of restructuring and a re-evaluation of our prioriries lay ahead with the main priority to get back to our core values and an good atmosphere to enjoy the activity in for our members.

2006 had taken us to the top of our game performance wise but at what cost and would Lancers come out at all in 2007?............

Marching Membership
BRASS: 24
PERCUSSION: 20
GUARD: 12
TOTAL: 58