In 1971, the 27th Lancers, along with the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, Blue Rock, Garfield Cadets, and Boston Crusaders, formed the United Organization of Junior Corps (popularly known as "The Alliance") and marketed themselves as a package deal.
That year, they were also chosen to represent North American drum corps at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, playing for the opening and closing ceremonies.
[6] The group was founded in 1947 by local music teacher John Taff as the St. Rose Drum and Bugle Corps.
Named after the Bayonne Bridge, the drum corps was famous for their bright yellow coats and their Broadway-inspired choreography.
They had their first public performances as a parade band in 1965 and eventually started to compete in local drum corps competitions the next year.
[12] The Bridgemen reached their zenith in the early eighties, earning the bronze medal in 1980 and winning high percussion three times in a row under arranger Dennis DeLucia.
Owing in part to the change in judging criteria and the large number of members aging out, the Bridgemen only reached 14th place in 1984.
[17] By 1964, membership had dwindled, and the color guard split off to create an all-girl drum corps known as the Manhart Capitalaires and started competing.
[23] Originally a parade corps for the first few years of existence, the Maumee Suns first competed in 1964 in the local American Legion circuit.
[28] The corps was also notable for appearing in advertisements, starring in commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken and RC Cola during the mid-seventies.
However, the corps continued to operate primarily as an exhibition unit, playing in halftime shows for the Green Bay Packers and during games of the Racine Belles.
[37] It was not until 1949 that the corps began focusing on competitive pursuits, earning top positions in several contests, including that of the American Legion, where they competed against the Racine Scouts for the first time.
[39] In 1952, the Kilties traveled to the championships of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) circuit, their first appearance on the national stage, where they placed 4th.
The corps went inactive in 1980, blaming a poor competitive season the year prior and a lack of local participation and funding.
Although the senior drum corps has been inactive since then, the organization still sponsors a concert band and several indoor marching arts programs.
Notably, the corps often utilized themes related to Orlandoan entertainment, in particular those of Walt Disney World, through such shows based on Fantasia and the Pirates of the Caribbean.
[50] The Muchachos made a total of three finals appearances beginning from the first Drum Corps International championships in 1972 to their highest placement of 4th in 1974.
It was formed in 1975 through a complex merger of five other corps: the Beverly Cardinals, the I. C. Reveries, the Danvers Blue Angels, the Wilmington Crusaders, and the Melrose Legion Vanguard.
The Toronto Optimists were immediately successful, winning eleven consecutive championships for the Canadian Drum and Bugle Corps Association between 1958 and 1968.
[62] After the 1975 season, the director of the Seneca Princemen wished to retire, and the Toronto Optimists seized the opportunity to combine the two groups.
Now sponsored by both the college and the club, and with several more members and instructional staff, the Seneca Optimists were able to make finals in 1976, their first year of existence, just under their rivals, the Oakland Crusaders.
[64] After playing in state competitions for the first few years of existence, the Sky Ryders quickly established themselves on the national scene by making finals for the American Legion championships in 1959.
[71] However, behind the scenes, the corps was once again struggling financially, unable to run a bingo operation as planned due to state restrictions on new non-profits.
[65] The latest iteration of the Sky Ryders formed in Kansas City, Missouri as an exhibition corps, marching in parades and hosting several competitions.
[72][73] In 2023, a group of alumni organized the Sky Ryders Performing Arts Foundation with the goal of returning to the field in the near future.
[76] The group was founded in 1979 by former band director of Largo High School, Robert Cotter, in an attempt to get more youths in the area involved with the marching arts.
[77] At the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, the new corps performed its first show in England for the Royal Tournament that year.
[80] Through the early eighties, Suncoast Sound gradually became a forceful contender with the help of program coordinator and brass arranger Robert W.
[85] After a two-year hiatus, Suncoast Sound returned to the field in 1992, competing in Division III where they found moderate success.
[88] Seeking a way to differentiate themselves from the several hundred of other corps in competition, the decision was made to march the 1982 season in Hawaiian shirts and straw hats.