MikeD Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Hi! I am currently taking a Women in Music class at my college, and for my final capstone project, I have chosen to talk about how drum corps started out as mainly a male activity, and women weren't involved too much. I'm fairly new to the activity (going on my third season), so I thought I would ask if anyone knows anything about this topic that could help me? This could be along the lines of first female drum majors, drummers, when women started really becoming involved with the activity, etc...If anyone has anything to say about this, it would be a great help :) Waaaaaaay back in the 50's, the all-girl Audobon Bon Bons came within a few 10ths of winning the American Legion National championship ('57)...came in 2nd to Holy Name...and ahead of the great Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, St Vinnie's, etc...they outscored just about everyone at one time or the other in that time frame. There were lots of all-girl corps well into the 70's and even some into the 80's. When the traditionally all-male corps added females, it was usually the guard first. The Cadets (Holy Name, Garfield, etc...) added a girl guard for the 1969 season...and BS added a girl guard in either 71 or 72...I forget which. Sandra Opie was the Argonne Rebels great horn instructor and later horn judge...their 1971 hornline was the best in the country...and had both boys and girls. Just a few distant memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudi man Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 (edited) Dear Allie , Ohio had a strong all girl influence in drum corps history . From Pt. Clinton Oh were the Pt. Clinton Vacationland Sweetharts and in Sandusky Oh were the Eaglettes . In Michigan from Riverview were The Praesidium all girl and in Wisconsin were the Capitalaires in Canada were the Bandettes from Sault St. Marie and the Ventures but I'm not really sure were they are from ? Hope this helps ! Edited April 3, 2009 by rudi man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacysquire Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Allie, Check with Carol this weekend. She's got a great story about the marines you might want to include. See you Saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADetteAllTheWay Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Having been a brass player in an all girl corps during the '60s and early 70s I've always had an interest in this topic. The earliest all girl corps that I am aware of is the Bengal Guards from Orange, Texas. They were in existence from 1935 to 1958. Here is a link to their website - http://www.bengalguards.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Dont forget the Ventures and Les Chatelaines de Laval from Quebec...ooo-la-la DCI and World Open always had an All Girl Championship back in the day. Rochester had 2 all girls corps that I can recall. In fact Seelys dad taught one...the Blue Angels from North Greece. The other one was the Alpine Girls. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansasDC Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Sandra Opie was the Argonne Rebels great horn instructor and later horn judge...their 1971 hornline was the best in the country...and had both boys and girls. If my memory is not completely shot, I believe that the Argonne Rebels had both males and females in the hornline and drumline, but only males in the color guard. http://members.cox.net/argonne_rebels/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Hi! I am currently taking a Women in Music class at my college, and for my final capstone project, I have chosen to talk about how drum corps started out as mainly a male activity, and women weren't involved too much. I'm fairly new to the activity (going on my third season), so I thought I would ask if anyone knows anything about this topic that could help me? This could be along the lines of first female drum majors, drummers, when women started really becoming involved with the activity, etc...If anyone has anything to say about this, it would be a great help :) Yeah, the sixties. St. Joseph Patron Cadets from Brooklyn, NY. Classic guard populated by young women, horns and drums; all young men. Two Drum Majors who looked like this: We marched this configuration from St. Joe's inception in 1963 until final year 1968. In 1969 after our reconstruction as the St. Rita's Brassmen, our Drum Major was the very notable Maria Costa. Daughter of Tom "The Major" Costa who is an historic figure in eastern drum corps circles - Mount Carmel Cadets, Our Lady of Loretto among others and subsequent partners with Hy Dreitzer, Tommy Martin, Eric Perilloux, Carmen Cluna, Joe Genero and other hall of fame players and instructors. What was great about Maria (unlike many Drum Majors of her time - and even now) was that she actually knew music. She wasn't just an arm-waver. And my favorite "about face" shot before the OTL. She had the whole package: Military bearing, knowledge of music and history of drum corps pre-programmed into her DNA. During that era many corps had girl guards and boy players. As time moved forward we incorporated an all male rifle line into the guard and even marched with a mixed guard. I aged out after the '72 season, but in '73 we brought in a young woman as a snare. You will probably hear about all the all girls corps - there was an entire division of young women competing against each other and making tough competition against the top co-ed corps as well. In your research, you will come across names like Sandra Opie; a superb great horn instructor, arranger and later horn judge. There's Bonnie Ott and Barbara Maroney who, if you scratch ten people in the know nine will say she is the best Mellophone soloist ... ever! Good luck and remember if you need help there are tons of people on this forum who not only know, they were there! And we would like nothing better than to extend the history of our activity to the general public. Good luck. Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlseeley Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 (edited) Dont forget the Ventures and Les Chatelaines de Laval from Quebec...ooo-la-la DCI and World Open always had an All Girl Championship back in the day.Rochester had 2 all girls corps that I can recall. In fact Seelys dad taught one...the Blue Angels from North Greece. The other one was the Alpine Girls. Donny I can't believe you forgot the Mello-Dears as well, that's where I spent a good deal of time when I was a toddler. Dave Edited April 2, 2009 by dlseeley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellofello01 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Let's not forget the Alberta Girls, who toured Europe, The St. Catherine's Marionettes, sister corps to the Queensmen, and, recently posted around these boards, The Meridien Woodpeckers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Pirtle Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I don't know much about overall female history in corps, but Santa Clara Vanguard started allowing females in the hornline in 84 (or was it 83?)and Cathy Clark was the first and ONLY so far female drum major of the Concord Blue Devils in 1991. There used to be, back in the olden times, scores of ALL female corps........that would be a good place to start! I think Lucy Wheeler was one of two women in the SCV hornline in '83. There were lots of all-girl corps throughout the country during the 30s through the 60s. Some infamous, like the BonBons and the MelloDears, but some less so. There may be more precedent than you think prior to the 1980s. [Gasp] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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