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Fusion Announces 2015 Visual Team


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Fusion is pleased to announce the Visual Staff for the 2015 season. Lead by Visual Caption Head, Mike Durborow returning for his fifth season with the Core, the visual team of dedicated and experienced instructors will continue to build upon the visual program as we enter our 9th season.

Please join us in welcoming back some familiar faces along with some new faces as we get ready to “kick off” the 2015 season with our Open House, on Saturday, November 21st.

Mike Durborow | Visual Caption Head

Mike returns for a fifth season with Fusion Core, having a long history in the drum corps activity including DCA and DCI. Mike is a great motivator with his “can do attitude”. Mike began his drum corps career marching with the world acclaimed Muchachos Drum & Bugle Corps in 1967 – 1977, performing as Drum Major in 1977 and in winter guard from 1968 – 1973.

He continued on to teach Garfield Cadets in 1979-80. In 1983 Mike joined the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum & Bugle Corps and was Drum Major for the 1983 and 1984 seasons. He continued with the corps as part of the visual Staff from 1985 – 1993. Mike served as visual caption head from 1994 – 2005 and Staff Coordinator 2002 – 2005.

Mike has written and taught many high school bands for over 40 years including Hawthorne, Benardsville, Ramsey, Westfield, Jackson Memorial and Southern Regional.

Joe White | Visual Instructor

Joe studied Music Composition and Film at Brooklyn College and earned a degree in Media Communications from New York Institute of Technology. Joe has written music for a few films and commercials, and did production and sound mixing for movies including Friends with Benefits, The Bounty Hunter, and Men in Black 3 as well as TV shows including Pan Am, The Big C and Girls. Joe was an Emmy Nominee (Sound) for his work on Sex And The City. Joe’s passion is French horn, which he has mastered over the past 25 years influencing him to join drum corps playing mellophone and trumpet. Once he got the “bug” he continued on to play timpani, marimba and xylophone. Joe has marched with Bayonne Bridgemen, NY Skyliners, Crossmen, Sunrisers and Bushwackers. Previously he aged out of the Velvet Knights of Anaheim, CA in 1992 which was one of his favorite seasons on the field. Joe returned to Velvet Knights the following year as a Visual Instructor which began his teaching career.

Joe’s background includes Drill Designer and Visual Instructor for many drum corps, marching bands, winter guards and drum lines including the NY Skyliners, Bushwackers Drum & Bugle Corps, Sunrisers Drum & Bugle Corps, Brentwood HS Marching Band (NJ), Monroe HS (NJ), Hicksville HS (NY), St. Frances Preparatory (Queens NY), Winsor Central HS (NY) and Malverne HS (NY). Joe has also performed and instructed Pegasus Winter Guard as well as Saturday Matinee. Joe is married to Maria White and they enjoy life with their 4 kids -Tim, David, Elijah and Cecilia and their Great Dane, Charlie on Long Island.

Joe has giving back to Fusion in more than just teaching. He’s always displayed the real meaning of being a “Team player”. We are so fortunate to have Joe and this entire team as part of the Fusion Family.

Kate Socha | Visual Instructor

Kate is excited to return to Fusion Core for her third year on the Visual Staff. Kate has built the physical training program known to the members as “Body by Kate” and has expanded the hornline’s body movement repertoire through her dance experience. In addition, Kate has been a Backfield Conductor and Lead Drum Major for the 2013 and 2014 seasons respectively.

Kate’s drum corps career began in 2004 as Drum Major for the 7th Regiment in New London, CT. In 2005, Kate joined the Connecticut Hurricanes where she served as Drum Major from 2005-2010 and marched bass drum from 2011-2012.

Kate earned her Bachelor of Art in Music and Bachelor of Science in Education degrees from the University of Connecticut in 2009 and is currently applying to Master of Music Education programs in hopes of starting her Master’s degree in 2015. She teaches music at New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School, a school where students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and are interested in pursuing a career in the Health Sciences field. She has worked with other marching programs including Pequannock High School (NJ) who were USBands New Jersey State Champions in 2011 and 2012 and USBands Indoor Percussion Champions in 2012 and 2013, Norwich Free Academy (CT), Shelton High School (CT), and Lake-Lehman High School (PA).

Kate looks forward to a great season of drum corps in 2015.

Bill Woodruff | Visual Instructor

This is Bill’s second year as a part of the Fusion visual team. Prior to joining Fusion corps Bill performed with the Bushwackers in the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons as well as with the Bayonne Bridgemen alumni corps for the 2009 season.

During the week Bill works as a middle school science teacher in the Bronx. He has a passion for inspiring people to push themselves just a bit further. Bill is excited to be a part of Fusion’s next sweet chapter

Keith Griffin | Visual Instructor

Keith Griffin began pursuing his educational career at Long Island University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 1977. In his endeavor to service his students, he attained a Master’s degree in Urban Education at New Jersey City University. He holds licenses in Physical Education with the NYC Department of Education and as Assistant Principal of Supervision in the State of New York.

Griff, as he is affectionately called, has dedicated a distinguished duality of teaching talents in educating the students of the NYC schools. Keith has taught a broad community of schools as well as drum & bugle corps, marching bands, drill teams and colorguards. His commitment and record of service caliber as Phys. Ed. Teacher and coach of Varsity Athletic teams has been exemplary and highly revered.

His simultaneous teaching career with marching bands is as passionately dedicative and ubiquitous. Keith has served as band director, colorguard instructor, and field visual judge. His deft eye for visual positioning and marching choreography has benefited an array of marching bands and drum corps, including Tottenville HS, Port Richmond HS, Methacton HS (PA).

Keith has taught the NY Warriors, NY Lancers, Bayonne Bridgemen, Reading Buccaneers, and Hawthorne Caballeros. Keith also serviced the renowned NYC Mission Society Cadet Corps as quartermaster and volunteer drill team instructor. He also judged in the Cavalcade of Bands Association. He is currently teaching Marist College Band and is a member of Kappa Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Ariana Tullai | Visual Instructor

Ariana is excited to return to Fusion's visual and percussion teams as the battery visual instructor. This year marks Ariana's fourth year with Fusion; she marched in the bass line in 2011, served as assistant drum major in 2013, and joined the percussion/visual staff in 2014 while also serving as backfield drum major.

Ariana currently teaches elementary band and general music in the Upper Darby School District in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Additionally, she is the assistant director of the Upper Darby High School Marching Royals, and this year has taken the position of director of the Upper Darby High School Indoor Drumline. Previously, Ariana taught in the Chichester, Oley Valley, and Norristown Area school districts and the Diocese of Wilmington.

Ariana attended West Chester University of Pennsylvania and was an active member of the marching band, where she served as the battery captain and band parliamentarian, as well as the symphonic band and wind ensemble. She was graduated in 2008 with a degree in music education. Ariana returned to WCU in 2013 to pursue a Master of Music degree in music education.

Jeff Leager | Visual Instructor

Jeff is currently attending the University of Delaware working towards a degree in Music Education with a focus in instrumental education on his primary instrument, Tuba. Jeff is a member of the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens Marching band serving as drill coordinator for the band. At the University, he is involved in many performing and academic ensembles. Currently Jeff is the Vice-President of the University of Delaware Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for Music Education.

Jeff began his marching career with the Reading Buccaneers in 2010-2012. He was the visual instructor for Windsor Regiment in 2014. Since 2012, he has been working with the Avon Grove High School marching band serving as a music and visual technician. The ensemble was the 2012 Cavalcade of Bands Champions. The ensemble has since been a top qualifier in both Cavalcade of Bands and Tournament of Bands.

He has worked with numerous other marching bands in the tri-state area and served as the assistant-director for the DFRC All-Star Blue-Gold Marching Band in 2012. Currently he is the Director and Visual Designer for the Avon Grove Indoor Percussion Ensemble. He has performed in many ensembles at the University and also in independent groups such as the Chesapeake Brass Band where, in 2013, the group won the division II championships at the North American Brass Bands Association championships held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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