Post by treese on Aug 10, 2007 7:07:08 GMT -5
this article on a N.C website. The actual article is below.
ldedit.ny.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS&template=wiki&text=Bethune-Cookman_College
The Marching Wildcats are a 400 member unit which includes instrumentalists, the Sophisticate Flag Corps, and the 14 Karat Gold dancers. Known as "The Pride," the band is under the direction of a former Marching Wildcat, Donovan Wells.
The Pride's directors include: Donovan Wells, Director of College Bands; James Poitier, Associate Director and Arranger; Pedro Orey, Assistant Director and Percussion Instructor; Ernest Hamilton, Auxiliary Instructor; Horatio Walker, Announcer
Performances
The Marching Wildcats perform pre-game and halftime shows at all home games of the Fighting Wildcats football team of Bethune-Cookman College. Any games played in neutral sites where Bethune-Cookman College is deemed the home team, The Pride also performs their traditional pre-game show which includes a drill to the tune "Outstanding," the Star Spangled Banner, and the tune "Let's Go Wildcats" to a tunnel formation for the team's entrance to the field.
The Pride has been featured in numerous events, including televised performances. In January 27, 2007, the band performed in its fourth Honda Battle of the Bands showcase of HBCU bands in Atlanta's Georgia Dome as a representative of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In December 2005, a small group of The Pride's percussion section filmed a commercial unveiling the new Cadillac DTS. The commercial made its debut in February 2006 and continued air play through out the rest of the year. You Tube clip of Cadillac Commercial Immediately following the band's January 2005 performance at the Honda Battle of the Bands, the event's producers nominated The Pride to be featured in the Super Bowl special episode of the Emmy-winning Ellen DeGeneres Show.
History
The 2006-2007 season marked Donovan Wells' 11th year at the helm of the band program. Under his direction, the program experienced tremendous growth between 1997 and 2003. In the 2000 season, The Pride reached the largest membership in the program's history with six company fronts of 32 on the field totalling 192 instrumentalists. In the 2003 season, the band experienced its latest and probably last expansion under Wells when he added one more company front of 32 instrumentalists totalling 224 instrumentalists on the field.
The nationally famous 14 Karat Gold dancers are made up of selected young ladies who exemplify exceptional dance skills, poise, and class. It is thought that the dancers must total 14 in number; however, their name reflects the quality of the metal not a quantity in dancers. The dancers are featured performers in all engagements of the Marching Wildcats and occasionally perform as a solo act. The 14 Karat Gold dancers can be seen frequently in BET video clips promoting Black Colleges.
The Sophisticat Flag Corps has been recognized as one of the most exciting auxiliary units in the South. The Corps is known for its blending of traditional flag techniques with innovative choreography to create highly entertaining presentations. They are also the largest HBCU band in the world.
The N.C Dispatcher's Article
at 400 members and the largest HBCU band in the world. That's almost half of the hometeam side of the stadium.
ldedit.ny.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS&template=wiki&text=Bethune-Cookman_College
The Marching Wildcats are a 400 member unit which includes instrumentalists, the Sophisticate Flag Corps, and the 14 Karat Gold dancers. Known as "The Pride," the band is under the direction of a former Marching Wildcat, Donovan Wells.
The Pride's directors include: Donovan Wells, Director of College Bands; James Poitier, Associate Director and Arranger; Pedro Orey, Assistant Director and Percussion Instructor; Ernest Hamilton, Auxiliary Instructor; Horatio Walker, Announcer
Performances
The Marching Wildcats perform pre-game and halftime shows at all home games of the Fighting Wildcats football team of Bethune-Cookman College. Any games played in neutral sites where Bethune-Cookman College is deemed the home team, The Pride also performs their traditional pre-game show which includes a drill to the tune "Outstanding," the Star Spangled Banner, and the tune "Let's Go Wildcats" to a tunnel formation for the team's entrance to the field.
The Pride has been featured in numerous events, including televised performances. In January 27, 2007, the band performed in its fourth Honda Battle of the Bands showcase of HBCU bands in Atlanta's Georgia Dome as a representative of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In December 2005, a small group of The Pride's percussion section filmed a commercial unveiling the new Cadillac DTS. The commercial made its debut in February 2006 and continued air play through out the rest of the year. You Tube clip of Cadillac Commercial Immediately following the band's January 2005 performance at the Honda Battle of the Bands, the event's producers nominated The Pride to be featured in the Super Bowl special episode of the Emmy-winning Ellen DeGeneres Show.
History
The 2006-2007 season marked Donovan Wells' 11th year at the helm of the band program. Under his direction, the program experienced tremendous growth between 1997 and 2003. In the 2000 season, The Pride reached the largest membership in the program's history with six company fronts of 32 on the field totalling 192 instrumentalists. In the 2003 season, the band experienced its latest and probably last expansion under Wells when he added one more company front of 32 instrumentalists totalling 224 instrumentalists on the field.
The nationally famous 14 Karat Gold dancers are made up of selected young ladies who exemplify exceptional dance skills, poise, and class. It is thought that the dancers must total 14 in number; however, their name reflects the quality of the metal not a quantity in dancers. The dancers are featured performers in all engagements of the Marching Wildcats and occasionally perform as a solo act. The 14 Karat Gold dancers can be seen frequently in BET video clips promoting Black Colleges.
The Sophisticat Flag Corps has been recognized as one of the most exciting auxiliary units in the South. The Corps is known for its blending of traditional flag techniques with innovative choreography to create highly entertaining presentations. They are also the largest HBCU band in the world.
The N.C Dispatcher's Article
at 400 members and the largest HBCU band in the world. That's almost half of the hometeam side of the stadium.
