For more than 60 years, Blue Devils Performing Arts (BDPA) and Vanguard Music and Performing Arts (VMAPA) have lived by one mission: to enrich lives by providing opportunities for excellence in the performing arts. As we face critical decisions through this global pandemic, this North star has guided both organizations well and has provided us a clear and future-focused vision for the next 18 months. During this time, our first priority will and has always been to keep our members, staff, and community healthy and safe.
Expectations for those participating in a world class organization is the ‘grand experience’ that participants at both BDPA and VMAPA have been able to count on. Although this experience will be different in 2021, we are committed to keeping that promise.
In order to deliver this experience, we must prioritize and focus our attention on four key areas of our organizations’ roadmaps for the next 18 months:
- Building a fiscally responsible future
- Providing opportunities in the Spring and Summer of 2021 to participate in our organizations
- Addressing gaps in education of the pageantry arts during the pandemic at a national level
- Shaping the path to an unsurpassed 2022 Drum Corps season that meets and exceeds the expectations of our community
We are emboldened by the talent we see amongst students in our current and prospective membership and are confident in the roadmap our organizations have built.
For this upcoming 2021, with the current state of the pandemic, combined with the distance and limited performance opportunities that DCI has planned to date, BDPA and VMAPA have jointly decided not to travel to Indianapolis for the showcase events on August 12-14, 2021.
Although we will not be in Indianapolis, both organizations will still plan exciting talent development and educational opportunities for Summer 2021. Our intention is to use next year to help us bring the highest caliber programs to the field in Indianapolis in 2022 – DCI’s 50th anniversary season. To that end, planning for 2022 has already begun. Look for further information on auditions coming soon!
“With 2021 not being a normal Drum Corps season, each participating corps has the burden and responsibility to set the best course of action for their organization to achieve the long-term success of fulfilling their mission,” said Drum Corps International CEO Dan Acheson. “We appreciate The Blue Devils’ and Santa Clara Vanguard’s commitment to this activity and support the plans they have made for their organizations this coming year. We all anxiously anticipate the return of the 2022 drum corps season with these two world class corps competing at the highest level during our 50th anniversary season.”
Next year, BDPA and VMAPA are focused on recovery. We believe it is fundamental for us to begin that work by developing and strengthening our future members and supporting music programs around the country to build a strong future together.
We are committed to supporting performing arts education nationwide both virtually and with in-person events to positively impact as many students and programs as possible during this time, while exploring all accessible performance opportunities for our membership.