By Jenny Lyons
Is it the unique strength that male performers bring to the arena? Is it the uniformity of like bodies moving over the floor? Is it the rock star fan base? What is it that makes an all-male ensemble so compelling to watch?
“It’s electric and exhilarating,” says Northern Lights alumnus Pepe Ochoa of performing with an all-male ensemble. “There is overwhelming power.”
This electricity is something onto which winter guard audiences have latched from the beginning. Through the years, some of the most beloved shows in WGI history have come from all-male ensembles. In an activity dominated by all-female and coed ensembles, there is an undeniable and unique magic that a strong male group exudes, one that audiences look forward to generation after generation. Since its inception, Winter Guard International has seen memorable performances from all-male casts of groups such as The Cavaliers, Pride of Cincinnati, Northern Lights, and South Shore. These groups carry with them a legacy of excellence, strength, and brotherhood.
WGI’s history of all-male excellence begins with The Cavaliers. Known for their success in both WGI and DCI, The Cavaliers winter guard was a mainstay in the Midwest color guard circuit long before either organization had been created. The Cavaliers became a charter member of WGI and sustained finalist status in the years that followed. Hailing from The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, The Cavaliers Winter Guard was strongly rooted in an all-male tradition, making it one of the only, if not the only, winter guard to have been all-male from day one and to have sustained an all-male membership throughout its existence. The Winter Guard existed out of love and commitment for the activity, brought about by summer members convincing the staff to field a competitive winter guard.
It was not until 1997 that WGI would see another all-male powerhouse ensemble out to “rule the world.” In an unexpected cast from Pride of Cincinnati. Pride of Cincinnati, whose illustrious history includes WGI wins in 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2013,
Famously, Northern Lights dominated the all-male scene in the early 2000’s, capturing audiences’ hearts from 2004 through 2006. Northern Lights was born from the Every Body Winterguard (est 1993) in 2001, a year after Joe Sowders and Tracy Wooton took over the organization and the guard made the leap from 14th to 5th place. It was not until 2004 that the landmark decision was made to move forward with an all-male ensemble. It was a turning point for the organization, which turned out year after year of beloved shows in the seasons that followed. Of this special time, alumnus Pepe Ochoa says, “The fraternal aspect was enhanced by multiple members living together. So many guys had traveled from around the country to be a part of something special.” Before folding in 2006, Northern Lights graced the WGI arena with “Road to Perdition” (‘04), “Shawshank Redemption” (‘05), and “Meditation: In Memory of John Lennon” (‘06). Both “Road to Perdition” and “Shawshank Redemption,” during which the guard earned a silver medal and reined among the top five, respectively, harken back to the story of the criminal explored in POC’s “Alcatraz.” These shows explore these narratives with strength, heart, and beautiful nuance, delving not only into male strength and prowess but into brotherhoodas well. 2006 is a beautiful departure from the stunningly dark “Shawshank” and “Redemption” with a celebration of John Lennon. “Meditation” is a revelation, a brilliant example of that magic energy that is unique to the all-male cast. In “Meditation” we see the show culminate in a beautiful rifle feature–sensitive and strong–that is brought to life by the wonderful cast that earned Northern Lights a second WGI silver medal.
2016 will see the first all-male ensemble in recent history in the form of Diamante’s newest cast. Diamante was founded in 2005 on the heels of the Black Knights ensemble. In the years that followed, the guard ascended from open class finalists, to open class medalists, to world class competitors by 2009. Most recently, Diamante placed 9th in WGI World Class Finals during their 10th Anniversary year. Historically coed, this will be Diamante’s first run as an all-male ensemble. Nine year veteran and captain of the organization, Andrew Padilla says, “Personally I think there’s definitely an expectation of excellence when it comes to an all male cast due to the caliber of the groups that have gone all male before. You can definitely feel the pressure, almost the need to uphold the legacy these other amazing groups have left. ”
Through the years, there is one constant among these ensembles that explains the electricity, the exhilaration, the magic that these men have felt performing together: brotherhood. Unprompted, every alumnus describes their peers on the floor as their “brothers.” Of his time with The Cavaliers, Daniel Wiles says, “These are the friendships, these are the things that have shaped me.” This bond creates an energy that Andy Toth describes as “ the energy that makes you feel immortal and ready to take on any challenge that presents itself.” It is this energy that audiences can feel so palpably in an all-male performance, one that makes them remember it for years to come. This bond is one that the members continue feel so strongly throughout their lives. Pepe Ochoa of Northern Lights remembers a recent encounter with his brother: “It was as if we had just walked off the performance floor, getting caught up and remembering some of the most best times of our lives.” As a member of the newest band of brothers to grace the WGI stage, Andrew Padilla of Diamante adds, “It creates this brotherhood within the team that I’ve never really felt in previous seasons.” If the all boy programs of the past are any indication of the future, WGI looks forward to bearing witness to the newest chapter in the all-male history of the organization as well as to the many all-male moments that have yet to come.