Saturday, December 2, 2023 | 9 am – 3 pm | Mt. Lebanon High School
If you love colorguard, dance, twirling, or percussion, you’ll want to be at Mt. Lebanon High School on December 2nd for the Tournament Region 8 Education Day presented by Tournament Region 8 and Simply Colorguard.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in an indoor ensemble or a marching band, you are welcome to attend. And participation is not just limited to Region 8 units. Anyone, from any unit, anywhere, is welcome to attend for a day of fun and learning.
This day will feature sessions from some of the top instructors and designers in the marching arts. Join in on classes designed specifically for performers and instructors. All experience levels are welcome.
Find the schedule below.
Important Information:
- Colorguard, twirler, and battery percussion participants will be asked to bring their own equipment if possible.
- Participants are free to attend any session of their choosing. You do not need to stay in one genre.
- Final details will be emailed to all participants prior to December 2nd.
Registration Information
Cost:
- $10 per Performer Participant (Registration Forms Below – Pre-registration is required)
- Free for Instructors (Instructors Attending, please fill out the form below for instructors to let us know you’re attending)
Registration Forms:
- Individual Participant Online Registration – Payment by Venmo (If you are unable to pay by Venmo, please print and mail the form below with a check or money order.)
- Individual Participant Registration – Pay by check or money order – PDF Fillable Form
- Group Participant Online Registration Payment by Venmo (If you are unable to pay by Venmo, please print and mail the form below with a check or money order.)
- Group Participant Registration – Pay by check or money order – PDF Fillable Form
- Instructor Registration
Schedule
TIME | Colorguard | Twirler | Dance | Percussion | Instructor | ||
9 am – 10 am | Opening Session For All Attendees: Mindful Movement – Courtney Coffey | ||||||
10:15 am – 11:15 am | Movement with Equipment – Courtney Coffey | Dance Breakout – Michelle Hanbury | Percussion Movement – Alexa Kostelnik | Resources for Instructors – Stephanie Enedy | Perfecting Audio Design in the Percussion Marching Arts – Joshua Bujakowski and Anthony Princeton | ||
11:30 am – 12:30 pm | Weapons Breakout – Tori Palermo | Breath and Technique for Flag Session – Michelle Hanbury | Twirling Breakout Part 1 (Technique) – Olivia Maggioli | Performance Quality Factors – Benji Vollmer | Mallet Session and Battery Session (both offered in this time slot) | The Importance of Physical Conditioning and Mindset For Performers – Courtney Coffey | |
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | LUNCH (Bring Your Own or Lunch Will Be Avaliable for Purchase) |
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1:45 pm – 2:45 pm | Flag Breakout – Hector Arocha | Breath and Technique for Weapons Session – Michelle Hanbury | Twirling Breakout Part 2 (Tricks etc.) – Olivia Maggioli | Partner Work/Lifts – Benji Vollmer | Mallet Session and Battery Session Part Two (both offered in this time slot) | Understanding What Your Unit Is Being Judged On The Judging Rubric – Brian Lincoln/Justin Turpin | |
2:45 pm – 3 pm | WRAP UP |
Meet The Instructors
(More Bios Coming Soon)
Featured Instructor – Courtney Coffey |
After years of marching and teaching a variety of programs with access to different levels of resources, she noticed a gap in the activity–navigating it at a high level was extremely exclusionary. If you didn’t have access to fully developed marching programs, expensive clinics and auditions, or the resources to march DCI or WGI, furthering your involvement within the activity is extremely difficult. That’s why she created Simply Colorguard– a reliable space where instructors, performers, enthusiasts, and more could come learn about the activity, strengthen their skills with reliable instruction from world class instructors, navigate how to build a professional career in the marching arts, and more! Her towering record of success in the activity as both a performer and instructor is proof that her holistic approach to colorguard education that is shared via Simply Colorguard is a winning one, for both the program and the students. |
Hector Arocha |
![]() In 2010, he relocated to Pittsburgh, PA and now calls it home. While in Pittsburgh, PA he joined Andromeda Independent winter guard where he was a member and instructor. He now is the color guard instructor for the Hempfield Area High School Winter Guard program. Hector continues to love the sport of the arts “Color Guard” as well as having the opportunity to share this passion with so many different Middle and High School student. Part of this passion is watching his student’s progress and grow in this sport. Hector finds excitement in observing part of his life as his student’s compete and grow. Knowing that he got to be part of their moment. |
Joshua Bujakowski |
He is also one of the Lead Audio Designers for several theater groups around the Pittsburgh Area, a freelance Audio Engineer, and the Audio Designer at Penn-Trafford Bands. Joshua has worked alongside world-class composers, commissioning several pieces for his Percussion Ensembles. Bujakowski is a graduate of Point Park University, where he studied Media Production, and his Master in Science at Drexel University. Joshua has worked with students ranging from elementary to high school percussion, teaching private lessons from his studio since 2015. Joshua is a member of the Percussive Arts Society. |
Stephanie Enedy |
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Michelle Hanbury |
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Alexa Kostelnik |
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Brian Lincoln |
Brian has over 30 years of experience as a designer and instructor for many units associated with TOB and TIA organizations including the Wilkinsburg HS marching band and indoor guard, Carrick HS and marching band and indoor guard, Avonworth HS marching band and indoor guard, Dark Horizons indoor guard, Attitude Sr. indoor guard, Phoenix indoor guard, and the Firebird Sr. indoor guard. Outside of TOB/TIA, Brian participated as a performer and/or instructor for several Senior Drum and Bugle Corps including the Steel City Ambassadors, Johnsburg Grey Knights, Allegheny Nightstorm, and the Westshoremen Sr. (Harrisburg, PA). This experience also includes two years as Drum Major for Penn Hills High School, two years as Drum Major for the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band, and two years each as Drum Major for the Steel City Ambassadors and Allegheny Nightstorm Sr. Drum and Bugle Corps. In his professional life, Brian is a Technology Platform Lead/Project Manager for a global aluminum company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has held many technical developer and team management positions within that company and the University of Pittsburgh over the past 35 years. Much of this work requires a deep understanding and consideration of the scope of projects/activities, development of strategies, implementation of activities, customer relations, training, delivering work according to established schedules, etc., as well as how to “put it all together” to complete a successful implementation. All of these experiences greatly assisted Brian’s work within the pageantry arts in that many of these concepts apply to the development of indoor and outdoor programs. In his personal life, Brian is an avid amateur bowler on two leagues, enjoys camping most weekends during the year (when possible), and is very much a Science Fiction enthusiast (Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, etc.), collecting books, costumes, movies, and other memorabilia. |
Olivia Maggioli |
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Victoria “Tori” Palermo |
Before joining the McKeesport family in 2021, Tori previously worked with Riverside HS, Hampton HS, Blackhawk HS, and Rochester HS Color Guard programs. Since being at McKeesport, the indoor and outdoor program has obtained two gold medals and one silver medal within the TOB and TIA competitive circuits. Tori and Mario Schwartz worked collaboratively on McKeesport’s productions from 2021 to present, to which Tori and Mario are incredibly grateful and proud of the students accomplishments. Tori grew up in Fairfax, Virginia where she participated in dance and liturgical performance. Some of her favorite performances include religious dance pieces performed in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina and at the Washington Monument lawn in Washington D.C. In 2008, she moved to Beaver, Pennsylvania where she attended High School and participated in the Marching Band and Color Guard at Beaver HS. Tori was introduced to Winterguard after auditioning and performing with Excel Winterguard as a HS freshman for the 2009-2010 season. Tori returned to the group in 2013 after it had been renamed Pittsburgh Performance Project. Tori performed with Pittsburgh Performance Project “P3” from 2013 to 2023, a total of 10 consecutive years. The memories made with P3 are deeply cherished and will last a lifetime. Tori continues to take ballet, hip hop, and contemporary dance classes when possible as well as continued training on flag, sabre, and rifle. Tori hopes to share her knowledge, passion, and love for the activity with young people as long as possible. |
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Anthony Princeton
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![]() Beyond assisting with audio design, Anthony collaborates with his colleagues at Penn-Trafford in program design. His contributions can be seen in Penn-Trafford’s competitive repertoire since 2019. Each of these productions have featured commissioned compositions from world-class composers. Princeton is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Strategic Communications. During his time at WVU, Anthony was a member of The Pride of West Virginia – The Mountaineer Marching Band, serving as a section and rank leader. Anthony has experience working with students of all grade levels, teaching private lessons since returning to the Pittsburgh Region in 2017. |
Benji Vollmer |
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