The basic elements of a quality drum corps show...

One thing that should always be present in a drum corps performance is the entertainment factor. Are the members enjoying themselves? Is their performance serious, dramatic, emotional, comedic, exciting, aggressive, or mysterious? Is this conveyed to the audience?

This ties in to a previous theme about shows telling a story. One of the best at this is The Cadets. Their ballads are full of drama and tell a story better than no one else. My favorite is the 1991 show The ABC's of Modern Music (I think...). The midpoint of the show has a neighborhood baseball game being played in ballet form (by the colorguard), then the girls come out and set up a picnic. Everyone gets paired off but one kid who sadly is on the outside looking in at all the fun the other's are having.
His expressions (it helps to have TV cameras up close) really sell the show, and the
delicate arrangement definately tell a story.

Some of the best "packages" include songs with different emotional "hooks". A great
case in point is the 1989 performance "The Phantom of the Opera" by the Santa
Clara Vanguard. This show is considered one of the best shows of all time. It had
lots of drama, revelry, somberness, excitement, sorrow, aggression, and of course
subtlety. They chose wisely to go with a soft, slow ending instead of the loud and
brash endings that are so common. It was dripping with drama and beauty, as the
"Phantom" dissappeared along with the corps itself. It was a complete show with the elements needed for victory. And win they did that year, with a record high score,
98.7!

Another element needed for victory is perfection. Yes, that's right. Although it is not
really possible, with much practice, appearances can be deceiving. One of corps that
achieves perfection more than any other, I think, is the Cavaliers. I have always
appreciated their shows. Not a note is wasted, every chord is perfect and balanced.
They are the true professionals in the drum corps community and have a good
reputation. It is also interesting to note that they spend less time in rehearsal than
most other corps!