The Dublin Coffman Marching Band, from Dublin, Ohio, has officially started! Our season will kick off with an exciting visit from John Escalante, a visual designer/dancer from Las Vegas, Nevada. Through a grant from Vans and Americans for the Arts, Mr. Escalante has been hired to provide our students with a wider range of marching and dancing fundamentals. He will not only design and implement a body warm-up for the students, but also choreograph two sections of our marching band show. This year our students will perform their show titled “Colorº” (Color Squared), which will reflect the various moods of color represented in the music and through dance and drill designs. John will be bringing color to life!

Why John Escalante? John has the reputation for not just instructing, but also inspiring. His teaching style is fun, energetic, and teaches students the freedom to get out of their comfort zone and become expressive artists. John is a visual designer and instructor with some of the best groups in the United States. He currently works with Phantom Regiment, a DCI World Class Drum and Bugle Corps, along with top-level high school groups such as LD Bell and The Woodlands HS in Texas.

Throughout our season we will be using John’s expertise to further our students’ growth. We are designing his two visits to become building blocks for our future development and have long lasting effects on our students and instructors. His first visit in July will be three full days of instruction for our band students and our color guard. During this time, the students will be given instruction in basic ballet and marching fundamentals. He will also spend time with our color guard to expand their dance technique.

During John’s second visit in September, he will be choreographing our third song and defining the movement program that he implemented in July. What excites us most about the opportunity granted to us from Vans is that our second visit from John Escalante will cement the relationship between the artist and the student. Over the years, we have had many instructors work with our students for an hour or a full day, but not for six days over the span of several months. This immersion of instruction will be one key to our success.

This clinic/workshop directly benefits 195 students and six staff members this year. Since we expect this experience to influence our program for years to come, the future impact will be 350 students over the next five years. Thank you, Vans and Americans for the Arts!