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allie

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  • Your Drum Corps Experience
    '07-present Rochester Crusaders (baritone)
  • Your Favorite All Time Corps Performance (Any)
    Cadets 2000
  • Gender
    Female

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allie's Achievements

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  1. YAY! I personally can't wait to get back into drum corp mode and see my Cru family again! I have never met such a great group of people, and I am excited to see new faces this SUNDAY (11/29)!! Hope to see a lot of people there to kick off what is to be a GREAT season for the Crusaders!!
  2. Congratulations to the GHOST RIDERS!!! You definitely had a goose bump performance, and it is the best I've ever seen the group perform!!
  3. I'm a Flute player turned to Baritone, so I never learned to read Bass clef. In concert band at school, some of the music didn't come in TC, so I wrote all the fingerings underneath the notes, and even though I still read the piece in TC, I learned the fingerings for BC. Probably not the most efficient way to read music, but it worked
  4. This is actually my third season marching, and I have never been to the Reading show because I was moving in for school (I finally get to go this year, but will be mising the Norwich show instead ) I always have a conflict with school and finishing out the season. I can never make it to the mandatory Friday practice because of classes, and end up meeting everyone at I&E. It would be impossible to change based on college schedules, because schools start at different times. My school is going back early this year, and I will still have 3 more drum corp weekends left. It kinda sucks moving into school and seeing people you haven't seen all summer and having to leave right away for a drum corp weekend. But I love my Cru family too much to care
  5. YAY! The Auburn show is almost here! I'm so excited because there will be so many talented corps performing! Come watch the show!
  6. I can't wait for this show! It should be a lot of fun with so many Crusaders in one room
  7. I know standing there while the Memorial service was going on at the VFW was very touching to everyone (a bunch of the members actually got a little teary). We were all very touched to be part of such an important event in Lackawanna and had a great time this weekend. The members of the town were very excited to have us there and were very accommodating. I can't wait for another great weekend at Cru
  8. YAY! I miss you Cookie I think you should come this weekend I can't wait for the show!!!!!! :worthy: :smile:
  9. Thank you all for everything you have helped me with for this project! I had my presentation tonight in class, and actually ran out of time before I could finish my presentation (bummer.)...but my professor loved the topic (big drum corps fan) and I couldn't have done it without any of the help from you guys! Thank you!! ..and be sure to come check out Mighty St. Joe's Classic this Saturday!!!!
  10. Thank you so much for your help, all of you. I would hate to put false information in there, like I said there was not a lot of information there, so I used what people wrote on my last topic. I apologize about the Vince Bruni thing, I thought I read it someone in my research. Thanks for all your help!
  11. haha no that's fine! I'm looking for all the errors I made because there wasn't much to research out there! Thank you so much!!
  12. I finished my project on women in drum corps, and some people wanted me to put the final product up here. Sorry it's so long. Drum corps is a very rigorous activity that involves strength, musical talent, and skill. According to society, this musical activity is not considered ‘feminine’ and should not be open to women. Throughout the last several decades there has been much advancement for women in this once all-male activity. With much perseverance and audacity, drum corps has changed for the better by taking the field with both men and women. There is a rich history beyond this activity. Drum corps is very militaristic because it branches from the American military. The groups were sponsored by the VTW, or the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the American Legion, which is a veteran’s organization. By the 1970s, however, the drum corps wanted to branch out and perform more creative shows. Drum corps is a musical activity that takes place mainly in the summer. The ensemble consists of four types of brass instruments: trumpet, mellophone, baritone, and contrabasses. There is also a percussion section that contains snare drums, tenor drums, and bass drums, as well a pit of keyboard instruments that are stationary in the front of the field. The third section of the drum corps is the color guard; mainly visual, the color guard is trained in dancing and spinning flags, rifles, and sabers. All three parts of the drum corps are important to the overall product, which is a show that is performed in the summer in competitions. These competitions take place on football fields. The show that a drum corps performs stays the same throughout the entire season, so the show can keep being improved until Finals night in August. There are two different types or divisions of drum corps; Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA). Drum Corps International is the elite division- the ensembles are by audition only. The slogan for this division is “Marching Music's Major League”, which explains the talent that these groups have. The auditions are very strenuous and often last several months. Members of DCI corps are all fourteen to twenty-one years old, which is why the season is only from May until August; the season is planned around college summers. During the season, the corps travels on a bus to different cities each day; being in a DCI corps is a full time activity during the summer. Drum Corps Associates is the less demanding division. DCA is all-age, which means there is no limit on how old a member can be. The age range is usually very broad in all-age corps, though the average age in a corps is 18-22 years old. In the drum corps world, women play a specific role in the activity. They do not march on the field; instead, they do motherly things to help take care of the marching members. Made primarily of mothers, aunts, and sisters, this group of women act as chaperones. DCI corps are filled with young people, so the chaperones need to act as sort of a supervisor of activities after practice. In addition to this, women also do all of the shopping, including food, supplies, and other various items needed while on tour. The women are also in charge of unloading the big food deliveries, which always come at the hottest part of the day. They are then required to cook all four meals for the members, and have them prepared in time for the meal breaks. These women also tend to get up an hour or two earlier in the morning to prepare breakfast for the corps. Food and chaperoning are not the only thing expected from women. They also serve as an on-hand nurse and counselor. Women carry the first aid kit and respond to any type of medical need. They also act as a counselor during tour for when members have problems. This is not even where the women's job ends. Women run out during the tour to find dry cleaners to clean hundreds of uniforms in a matter of a day- that is no easy task. The corps expects their uniform to be pristine when they put it on before a show. Women also found restaurants, motels, and fixed uniforms. With a seemingly more intense role than others as the caretakers of the drum corps, women sleep on the bus, this position is all voluntary. Without women acting as the heartbeat of the group, the drum corps would not survive. There were once all-female drum corps. All of these corps belonged to Drum Corps International, and were from the United States and Canada. Although they were in their own division, these female drum corps competed against all-male corps, all-female corps, and coed corps. However, men were still a part of the female organizations; the instructors, bus drivers and quarter masters were all male and often times were fathers of members in the corps. Women still held the same role by carrying the first aid, water, and other accessories. The women who performed those duties were the mothers, aunts, and sisters of the corps. The uniforms for all-female corps were not the same as male corps; the women marched in skirts and boots, which was very hot to perform in during the hot summer days. There was no difference between the two different types of corps, except for their gender. Women still marched with the same instruments as the men. They carried around a marching timpani, bass drums, and the contrabass tubas. There were a large number of all-female corps that were very successful in their time. The Emerald Grenadears, which originate from Rockaway, New Jersey, were a very popular female drum corps that is still around today. The DCI drum corps was established in June of 1974. This corp did not have a pit, so the women carried around the pit equipment while they marched. Due to some problems, the corps folded in 1984, but regrouped in 2002. The corps is still going strong today under the direction of Debbie Nunn, however it is still not well known. Another well-known female drum corps was the Capitolaires, who were from Madison, Wisconsin. This Drum Corps International group was formed in 1969 by Pat Barkenhagen. The Capitolaires won their first championship title in 1971. On August 26th, 1975, the group performed on the Wisconsin Capital steps in recognition of Women's Equality Day; this performance was to also to celebrate their victory in the all-female drum corps division. In 1995, the Capitolaires merged with the Madison Scouts, an all-male group, to become the Capital Sound. The Bandettes, an all-female DCI corps from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was founded in 1963 by Mary Wilson. Their uniform consisted of the traditional Highlander bonnet, boots, and a plaid skirt. One thing unique to this corp is that the members often consist of family members. It is common to march alongside your mother, sister, or even grandmother. Unfortunately, the Bandettes' last DCI field season was in 2004. The corps decided to be taken off the competitive circuit and become a parade corps. Their first all-parade season began in 2005. The corp is still around today, and even took a mini tour of the country in 2005. The Bandettes added more members to their 'family' in 2006 by grouping with the Steeltown Brass, which is a coed corps. The Bandettes were, and still are a very successful drum corps; they were the last all-female corps in the competitive circuit, and even outlasted the all-female division. The Hormel Girls, from Austin, Minnesota, was an all-female DCI corps. The corps was created in the 1940s for interesting reasons; the corp was used to advertise the newly developed Hormel food products. The women involved in this organization were World War Two veterans, and this was a way to give them employment after the war. The ensemble did not stay a drum corps for very long. They soon turned into a traveling advertisement, playing for radio stations and interviews. However, during their competitive years, the Hormel Girls managed to make finals at the American Legion Nationals in the late 1940s. This was a major accomplishment, because the Hormel Girls were the first all-female drum corps to ever compete in the American Legion Senior competition. During their few years as a competitive drum corps, the Hormel Girls were very successful. There were a number of other female corps that had an impact on the activity. The Alberta Girls from Edmonton, Alberta, which is located in Canada, toured around Europe. Lasting only twelve years, the corp was around from 1965 until 1977. In addition to the Alberta Girls, the Audubon Bon Bons, from Audubon, New Jersey were another great all-female drum corps. The Bon Bons were around from 1938 until 1978. Within this time span, the Bon Bons came within a few tenths of winning the American Legion National Championship in 1957. Although all of these corps folded, it was quite an accomplishment for women to form their own league in such a men's activity. Out of all the women that were involved in drum corps, Sandra Opie is one of the most famous women. She began her career in drum corps in the late 1950s when she founded the Argonne Rebels, from Great Bend, Kansas. Although she had no prior experience in drum corps, Sandra Opie saw the potential in the activity for making the community around her better. Local marching band instructors were not happy with the formation of the new drum corps. The instructors believed it was not proper music or a very suitable marching activity for anyone. Although she was originally a vocalist, Sandra Opie taught the brass line so well that the line was known for their abilities, technique wise, and their musicality. She became known for producing exceptional horn lines. With her guidance, the Argonne Rebels won three national championships in the 1970s. Sandra Opie spent fifteen years with the Argonne Rebels, in which during that time period she did all her work voluntarily; she never accepted any money for her work in the drum corp. After the Argonne Rebels had disappeared, Sandra Opie became a judge for Drum Corps International. She was a very fair judge and treated each competitor equally. Sandra Opie was always willing to share why she gave each corps the score they received after each competition. As well as being a DCI judge, Sandra Opie was also involved with the American Legion and the VFW. In 1995, Sandra Opie was inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as both a corps director and an outstanding adjudicator. This was a big step for women in drum corps to be inducted into a hall of fame comprised mainly of men still to this day. Another famous woman in the drum corps world was Judy Foster. Known as the first female horn player in Drum Corps Associates, Judy Foster was a member of the Sunrisers from Long Island, New York in 1971. Judy Foster was also a member of the color guard. In addition to Judy Foster, Bonnie Ott was a major part of the drum corps world in the early 90s. A member of the Concord Blue Devils in the Drum Corps International division, Bonnie Ott was one of the first drum corps players to perform a solo with the mellophone; this solo occurred in the mid-1970s. By the time Bonnie Ott aged out of the Blue Devils, she had accomplished winning a national championship and the leader of the mellophone section. Marian “Mickey” Vogt achieved a lot in her earlier years in the drum corps world. In 1949, when she was thirteen years old, Marian Vogt joined the guard of the Ardennes Post of the Windy City Cadets, located in Chicago, Illinois. She carried the American flag until she taught herself the drums in her spare time in 1952. Marian Vogt found old drum corps equipment in a room in her high school, and decided to start her own drum and bugle corps; she started the group to get out of gym class. This drum corps located at St. Gregory's high school performed at games and other school functions. Marian Vogt wrote the drill and taught the drum line as well as the horn line all by herself. In 1953, Marian Vogt was asked to join the Norwood Park Imperials; she later because the lead snare drummer and was known as the best female drummer. Carol O'Brien was, and still is very successful in drum corps; she was the very first female in the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Barely over five feet tall, this women carried a baritone right alongside all men, proving that she could so the same thing as them in 1976. She then went on to several different corps, and was drum major in four different corps. She is currently the only female drum major of the Rochester Crusaders, going on her fourth season with the corps. Although almost all of the female corps folded, male corps were beginning to allow women in the corps. Among this group were the Wisconsin Americanos, who were formed in 1957. It was not until 1968 when the organization dwindled down to fifteen members did it allow women to march in the corps. The primary reason why this corps went coed was so that it did not have to fold because they could not get enough members to take the field. The Americanos received a lot of female members when the Grand Chute Dutch Girls folded. Another corps that started to allow women earlier than most was the Sunrisers, which is a DCA corps from New York. The Sunrisers had a mixed female guard in 1969, and in 1971 they had their first female instrumentalist, who was Judy Foster. The Sunrisers were also the first corp to win a national championship with a female horn player in 1977. The Sunrisers took a big step, which eventually led to more senior corps going coed. The Troopers, a DCI corps from Casper, Wyoming, was founded in 1957; the corps was initially coed, and was the first Drum Corps International corps to do so. This was very strange, because this was the first corps to ever being its career with both men and women. Les Diplomates also opened the door for the integration of genders. This was shown by the success of their female instrumentalists, especially the drummers. The Rochester Crusaders also welcomed coed corps, as they allowed females in the color guard in 1971. The rest of the drum corps followed this trend through the 70s and into the 80s. There was a mixed response to women in drum corps at first. Since the sport began as an all-male activity, it was very strange to see women out of the field doing the same thing as the men. There were common beliefs that women could not play as well as the men. This was a common thought of the judges, who purposely gave all-female corps higher scores because they could not bear to see females win. When there were only select corps that were coed, women had to 'hide their identity', as if it would damage the corps if the audience knew the gender of the members. Vince Bruni, formerly with the Rochester Crusaders, attempted to get rid of the females in the drum corps at one point, but that plan failed. Women instrumentalists were also considered a novelty; a few years later, Vince Bruni wanted Carol Hooton to take off her shakeo after her solo so the fact that she was a female could be revealed to the audience and the judges. He thought this was a good plan, thinking the corps would win extra 'General Effect' scores. Women have grown a lot in the world and have been working hard to earn their spot in different areas. Drum corps is mostly consisted of men, with the exception of the color guard; the Drum Majors are usually men as well. Women have made another step this year in 2009; Santa Clara Vanguard from Santa Clara, California have announced their first female drum major of the corps, forty-two years after they were established, to be Stephanie Lee. It is clear that women are still making progress in making the activity more equal when it comes to gender. If it had not been for the all-female corps, as well as the brave women who helped push this process along, drum corps would not be the way it is in the women's perspective.
  13. I really appreciate everything that I have received regarding my women in drum corps project. I'm putting it all together now, but I am lacking on the video aspect of it! Since female drum corps were such a long time ago, I can't find any videos! I was wondering if anyone had any videos that had anything to do with this topic, that would be a great help! THANK YOU!
  14. I can't believe how many people are responding to this thread. I honestly wasn't expecting much. Just goes to show you how great of a community drum corps really is!
  15. I'm really looking forward to this weekend's performance! Instead of 4 hours, it's only a five minute drive this time See you guys tomorrow!!
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