On A Water Break

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.
Host Ricardo Robinson‑Shinall (IG @ricardorrobinson) sits down with leaders from WGASC, NTCA, Pacific Performing Arts, MWCGC, and MAIN to unpack takeaways from the WGI Circuit Symposium: judge recruiting & pipelines, safety (PPP), the strengths of boutique circuits, facility-access myths, and growing the next generation of educators.

Panel
Ricardo Robinson‑Shinall (host) • Brian Nunez (WGASC) • Arthur “Art” Grossman (NTCA) • Jonathan J. Brown (Pacific Performing Arts) • Kïrsten Miller (MWCGC) • Lauren Moffatt Burns (MAIN)

Segments
• 32‑Count Life Stories — meet Brian, Art, Jonathan, Kïrsten & Lauren
• 60‑Second Tech Block — What Boutique Circuits Do Better (Jonathan)
• Water We Doing?! — technique > tricks (no sickled feet), gym‑floor myths, educator pipeline
• Gush & Go — circuit wins + personal hype

Official Links
• WGI — Winter Guard International: https://www.wgi.org
• WGASC: https://wgasc.org
• NTCA (North Texas Colorguard Association): https://www.ntca-online.com
• MWCGC (Midwest Color Guard Circuit): https://midwestcolorguard.org
• MAIN — Mid‑Atlantic Indoor Network: https://mainguards.com
• Pacific Performing Arts: https://www.pacificperformingarts.org

Related
• Quick Sip with WGI’s Bart Woodley (playlist): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL600p0k2IuT408fWr_3N-lt6eq7MkWwnL

Sponsors
Peak Group Travel — @peak.group.travel
Guard Closet — @guardcloset

Listen Everywhere: Apple • Spotify • YouTube • Amazon Music (link in bio)

This week on On A Water Break, we honor the extraordinary life and legacy of WGI Hall of Fame member Eileen Cunningham — the powerhouse behind St. Anne’s Neponset and a beloved mentor across the New England color guard community. Jeremy Denzer (@jeremydenzer) joins us to share personal stories about Eileen’s unmatched impact, from leading St. Anne’s to five world championships to shaping generations of performers and instructors.

Plus, we dive into trending news, including:

• Portland, Oregon’s band directors refusing to perform at games in protest
• Viral videos of older adults making their return to college marching band
• Support for underfunded and overworked music educators across the country

🎺 60-Second Tech Block: Jeremy Denzer (@jeremydenzer) reminds us that true band culture means showing up for every section — from sideline percussion to clarinets to colorguard. Because respect isn't just for the front ensemble or brass line — it’s for everyone who sweats on that field with you.

🎙️ Hosted by Jose A. Montes III (@marchingbymontes), Whitney Stone (@dancerwhit), and special guest Jeremy Denzer (@jeremydenzer).

Sponsors:
📣 Guard Closet – One stop for consignment, costumes, design services & more: https://guardcloset.com
📣 Peak Group Travel – Plan your next band trip with the experts: https://peakgrouptravel.com
Follow @guardcloset and @peak.group.travel for updates!

Subscribe & Listen:
📲 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnAWaterBreak
🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-a-water-break/id1674241312
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HF3xHVnH2j2YCnugwtoKS

We’re back with a Quick Sip from the 2025 WGI Circuit Symposium! Ricardo Robinson-Shinall chats with WGI’s Director of Operations, Bart Woodley, about circuit safety, leadership, and how WGI is uniting the marching arts in 2025 and beyond.

We’re on the ground at the WGI Circuit Symposium, and Ricardo is bringing you a no-chairs-needed Quick Sip with the one and only Bart Woodley. In this short-form bonus episode, they dive into key takeaways from the symposium: from safety protocols and post-COVID updates to the launch of WGI’s Participant Protection Program.

Whether you’re a circuit director, instructor, or just a curious band kid — this episode gives a rare behind-the-scenes peek at how WGI is supporting over 150,000 performers across the country. It’s fast, focused, and full of insights.

💡 Want more from the Circuit Symposium? Our extended bonus conversation with circuit leaders drops soon! Until then, catch all our bonus content here: ▶️ OAWB Bonus Episodes Playlist

• Bart Woodley — Director of Operations, WGI Sport of the ArtsInstagram: @bartwoodley
• Ricardo Robinson-Shinall — Host, On A Water Break PodcastInstagram: @ricardorrobinson

• WGI Website: https://www.wgi.org
• Learn more about WGI’s Participant Protection Program (search “Participant Protection” at wgi.org)

📸 Instagram: @onawaterbreak📘 Facebook: On A Water Break Podcast🌐 Website: www.onawaterbreak.com🎧 Listen on: Apple | Spotify | YouTube

#OnAWaterBreak #WGI2025 #BartWoodley #RicardoRobinsonShinall #MarchingArts #Drumline #WinterGuard #WGISymposium #PageantryArts #BandLife #ColorGuard #Percussion #WGIHistory #QuickSip

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.
A Podcast for Marching Arts Enthusiasts—On the Field, In the Stands & Behind the Scenes.

Drum Corps International 2025 is in the books — and our correspondents are back to break it all down. From Boston Crusaders to Bluecoats to Carolina Crown, this bonus OAWB episode dives into finals week highs, Allentown ovations, Rose Bowl hype, and the tour stories that defined the summer.

💬 Guests & Correspondents:

• Clara Bagwell — Boston Crusaders Front Ensemble (@_clara.01100010)
• Jack Hawkins — Boston Crusaders Guard (@ispinweapon)
• Omari Holaki — Carolina Crown (@omarimholaki)
• Davis Jay — Bluecoats Battery (@davis.jay)

👤 Host: Jackie Brown — @spintronixguard

• Finals week reflections & returning home
• Boston vs. Bluecoats traditions + rivalries
• Allentown ovations & Crown prop challenges
• Jack’s unforgettable Heather Graham pep-talk story
• A rain-soaked Bluecoats standstill that turned magical

• YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@OnAWaterBreakPodcast
• Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1CXYbVfSR1AETb6cOt2RJk
• Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-a-water-break/id1660248050
• Amazon Music → https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1eb151b5-8f3d-41a0-8d33-b17cc80e523b/on-a-water-break

• Guard Closet → https://www.guardcloset.com | IG: @guardcloset

📬 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic?
Email: [email protected]
Follow us on IG, TikTok & Facebook → @onawaterbreak

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.

This week, we’re bringing the joy, the inspiration, and the sparkle 💫

We meet Finley — a 4-year-old obsessed with the Ohio State University Marching Band — whose “drum major energy” is already making waves. Then, author and LGBTQ+ advocate Jase Peeples joins the pod to talk about his children’s book Twirl — a heartwarming story about embracing your sparkle, building confidence, and redefining what it means to shine on your own terms.

Plus: co-host Jade Rhode shares a powerful 32-count life story, Josh Smith and Nicole Younger break down burnout in the band world, and we preview all-age excitement ahead of DCA Finals.

💡 This one’s about lifting up sideline stars, celebrating twirlers, and seeing the joy in every band kid’s journey.

Featuring:
Host: Nicole Younger [@o2bnpjs]
Panelists: Josh Smith [@mr.smiths.band], Jade Rhode
Guest: Jase Peeples [@jasepeeples]

Sponsored by:
🎒 @peak.group.travel | peakgrouptravel.com
💚 @guardcloset | guardcloset.com

🎧 Listen on all platforms: onawaterbreakpodcast.com/listen

📚 Twirl by Jase Peeples: Amazon Link

🥁 Finley (Toddler of the Year): Vote Here

#MarchingArts #OSUMarchingBand #BandKids #TwirlBook #ColorGuard #DrumMajor #OnAWaterBreak #DCI2025 #MarchingBand

From honoring a legend to surviving burnout in the band room — this week’s On A Water Break is a heart-forward deep dive into the realities of teaching, grieving, and slaying the glam game.

🎙 Hosted by Nicole Younger, with guests Ricardo Robinson-Shinall, Whitney Stone, Trish O’Shea, and doctoral candidate Ryan Bronner, this episode brings equal parts sparkle and soul.

💔 We begin with a tribute to Bruno Zuccala, a beloved figure in the color guard world whose recent passing has left a deep impact on our community. Panelists reflect on his legacy, share personal memories, and talk about the importance of showing up for each other in grief — especially in a performance culture that often pushes feelings aside.

💄 Then, we shift into guard glam, burnout, and all the realness of band camp season:

• 60-Second Tech Block with Whitney’s top-tier makeup tips for sweat-proof performances
• 32 Count Life Story with Ryan Bronner (Patriots, college teaching, LGBTQ+ mental health research)
• Water We Doing?! rants on toxic teaching culture, DCI staff drama, and performing in unsafe heat
• Gush & Go: From TikTok shopping fails to massive teaching wins, wardrobe swaps, and doctoral milestones

📺 Watch on YouTube → @OnAWaterBreakPodcast
📬 Email us → [email protected]
📱 Follow us → Instagram, TikTok, Threads
💻 Guest sign-up → onawaterbreak.com

🎧 Guest: Dr. Ryan Bronner
🔗 Facebook: Ryan Aeney | LinkedIn: Ryan Bronner

• Peak Group Travel | @peak.group.travel
• Guard Closet | @guardcloset

Bruno Zuccala tribute, Color Guard burnout, Guard makeup tips, LGBTQ+ mental health marching arts, Ryan Bronner, On A Water Break podcast, Band director burnout, TikTok fails, Band camp heat, DCI staff issues, Marching arts podcast, Guard Closet, Peak Group Travel, 60 Second Tech Block, Gush and Go

This week on On A Water Break, it’s all about nerves, leadership, representation, and celebrating unforgettable wins in the marching arts. Host Josh Smith is joined by new panelists Dalton Stout, Clara Bagwell, and Eric Levy — all making their podcast debut!

The team kicks things off with their 32 Count Life Stories and a fun icebreaker: “What part of the marching band are you?” Clara relives her gold-medal summer with the Boston Crusaders, Dalton shares his journey from Nebraska to Colorado and launching DVS Choreo, and Eric spotlights his 20+ years of teaching and his work with Drumline Network.

In the News Block, we cover:

• The retirement of Iowa’s legendary announcer Lou Crist after 44 years
• Miami budget cuts cutting $12.8M in arts funding
• A stolen band trailer in Colorado and tips for protecting your equipment
• PASIC 2025 announcements featuring RhythmX and George Mason

Dalton delivers the 60-Second Tech Block on choreography hacks, and in Water We Doing?! the crew takes on audition nerves, teaching leadership in a post-COVID generation, body shaming in DCI, and the importance of ensemble unity. The episode wraps with Gush & Go, highlighting Boston’s first DCI championship, new percussion challenges, and student success stories.

Panelists & Socials:

• Dalton Stout – IG/TikTok: @saltydalti | daltonvstout.com
• Clara Bagwell – IG: @_clara.01100010
• Eric Levy – IG: @worldoferic | Drumline Network & Percussion League
• Josh Smith – TikTok: @mr.smiths.band

Sponsors:

• Peak Group Travel – @peak.group.travel | peakgrouptravel.com
• Guard Closet – @guardcloset | guardcloset.com

✨ Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this podcast with a friend.

Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.
This week on On A Water Break, Alicia Sharp (@aliciaoninsta2), Nicole Younger (@o2bnpjs), and special guests Angela & Adam Miller from Meridian Independent Winter Guard take us from the earliest days of cadet guard training to the thrill of performing at WGI World Championships. We talk about how they’ve built a program where members start in 3rd grade, stick around for years, and grow into confident, high-level performers.

In the News, we dive into:
• Heat safety in marching band after 11 Mississippi students collapsed during extreme temperatures — and why policies for football don’t always apply to band.
• WGI’s new Regional Plus events launching in 2026 — double panels, more feedback, and what it means for performers and instructors.
• Rumblings about WGI’s new judges training platform and why mentorship matters for future adjudicators.

Angela also takes on our 60-Second Tech Block with rapid-fire tips for teaching cadet guard, we all vent in Water We Doing?! about swing flag rules, prop setup times, last-minute show orders, and the epidemic of open-mouth performing, and then we end with some big smiles in Gush & Go.

🎙️ Alicia Sharp — @aliciaoninsta2
🎙️ Nicole Younger — @o2bnpjs
🎙️ Angela & Adam Miller — @meridianwg (FB/IG/TikTok) | meridianwinterguard.com

🧳 Peak Group Travel – Helping you navigate your next adventure, from across the country to your next competition.
📍 peakgrouptravel.com | IG/FB: @peak.group.travel

👗 Guard Closet – Your one-stop shop for guard gear, consignment, and custom design.
📍 guardcloset.com | IG/FB/TikTok: @guardcloset

🔗 YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | onawaterbreak.com

#MarchingArts #ColorGuard #WGI #CadetGuard #MeridianWG #WinterGuard #MarchingBand #DrumCorps #GuardTeaching #HeatSafety #RegionalPlus #GuardCloset #PeakGroupTravel #OnAWaterBreak

– First-ever female Penn State drum major, Brass Band tribute at Ozzy Osbourne’s celebration, and DCA/DCI crossover in Williamsport.
On this week’s episode of On A Water Break, we’re gearing up for DCI Championships in Indianapolis, August 8–9, 2025! Stephen McCarrick (@stephenmccarrick) is joined by Nicole Younger (@o2bnpjs), Chris Green (@virtualassistantdirector), and Lori Winschel (@lori.winschel) for five packed segments filled with history-making news, live-from-the-field insights, tech tips, and candid “water break” rants.

🎺 32 Count Life Story & Interview:
Special guest Chris Green (National Sales Manager, @fruhaufuniforms & @virtualassistantdirector) kicks off the show with his 32 Count Life Story, then shares behind-the-scenes tales from the road and what makes DCI week so electric.

📰 In the news:

• Penn State Blue Band names Ellie Sheehan as its first-ever female drum major.
• Bostin Brass Band honors Ozzy Osbourne with a “War Pigs” tribute.
• Williamsport’s DCA/DCI crossover brings Bushwackers, Phantom Regiment & more together.
• Music For All appoints Dr. James Weaver as CEO & President.
• Cynthia Bernard becomes the first international steering-committee member for WGI.

🛠️ 60-Second Tech Block:
Lori Winschel (@lori.winschel) dives into slow-tempo training, showing why “if you can’t do it slow, you can’t do it fast”—and how subdividing every count can sharpen technique.

🧠 Water We Doing?!

• Chris Green (@virtualassistantdirector): Why judging bias needs a reset—evaluate each performance on its own merits.
• Lori Winschel (@lori.winschel): The case for teaching business & guard management in music-education programs.
• Neal Bright (@nealdrums1): How college band programs must prep new directors for rural & small-town teaching realities.

💬 Gush & Go:

• Nicole Younger (@o2bnpjs): Pumped for a three-week break before judging season begins.
• Stephen McCarrick (@stephenmccarrick): Celebrating a childhood friend’s wedding & an Eagles drumline reunion.
• Chris Green (@virtualassistantdirector): Thrilled to reconnect Drum Corps alumni at SoundSport & surprise an audience in full @fruhaufuniforms regalia.
• Lori Winschel (@lori.winschel): Check out StartingLineDesignCo on Etsy for custom guard accessories and follow my work at @virtualassistantdirector.

💬 Want to be featured? Submit your video or apply to join us:
📋 https://forms.gle/OnAWBJoinUs
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIZAjFybvq_AzpFUXvNJDQ

🎙️ Sponsored by:
🌍 Peak Group Travel | @peak.group.travel
👕 Guard Closet | @guardcloset

On this week’s episode of On A Water Break, the summer season ramps up! Host Trish O’Shea is joined by Sadie Wallace, Justin Siegmund, Tommy Maiello, and Eric Sabach for five packed segments filled with marching arts history, breaking news, and tech tips.

🎺 32 Count Life Stories & Interviews:

• Sadie Wallace traces her journey from Baton Twirling Champion to legendary instructor across East Coast corps.
• Eric Sabach recounts marching from Lenape Valley to directing Phantom Regiment and co-founding the 1934 Foundation.
• Justin Siegmund shares his rise from Illinois high school guard to Phantom Regiment performer and recent Gold Medal with WGI 2025 Champion Pride of Cincinnati.
• Tommy Maiello reflects on decades leading and teaching corps, now launching LEGACY DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS, Dream’s newest SoundSport venture.

📰 In the News:

• Chuck Mangione’s passing at age 84: honoring the smooth jazz flügelhorn icon who bridged DCI and the broader music world.
• LEGACY Drum & Bugle Corps Launch: Dream’s new DCI Soundsport corps for 2026 → Press Release
• Cadets heritage secured: the 1934 Foundation acquires The Cadets’ name, logo & IP and unveils a scholarship program.
• 🏅 Gabby, a Norwin High School color guard standout and two-time WGI world medalist, is a finalist for Sports Illustrated Youth Athlete of the Year—vote daily through August 7 → SI Youth Athlete Voting

🛠 60-Second Tech Block:
Justin delivers nonstop tips on mastering the three-turn under a five in cramped spaces. 

💧 Water We Doing?!
Panelists rant about over-the-top face makeup trends in guard and debate when innovation crosses the line with tradition.

🌟 Gush & Go:

• Justin is thrilled to move into his new apartment with college guard friends.
• Sadie celebrates her debut in the Spectacular Follies at age 71.
• Tommy & Eric gush over Dream Performing Arts Academy’s programs and the promise of Legacy Corps.

🎥 Watch this week’s full episode & bonus clips → YouTube
🔗 Apply for Legacy auditions → dreamtoperform.org
🔗 Vote daily for Gabby as SI Youth Athlete of the Year → SI Youth Athlete Voting

🌍 Sponsored by: Peak Group Travel | IG: @peak.group.travel
👕 Guard Closet: IG: @guardcloset