The Saints Go Marching Into Bonita HS

The San Dimas HS Royal Corps has finally returned to the field for their 2021 Season of Field Show Competitions and has made some big changes since their last appearance in 2019. To start it all off, on October 2nd, the Royal Corps marched proudly ever forward into Glenn Davis Stadium at Bonita High School to participate in the “Bonita High School Sound in Motion Field Tournament”. This brought the marching saints into the heart of Bearcat territory to participate in a clinic-style presentation where the program of 112 could formally perform for the first time since 2019.

The Royal Corps, boasting its powerful brass, graceful woodwinds, energetic drumline, and skillful colorguard, finally had its chance to reveal their new show entitled “Legendary”, to the competitive marching arts scene. The show highlights video game music from the well-known franchises League of Legends and Legend of Zelda, and after a very exciting 4 months of preparation, the Royal Corps was eager to show how much they had improved from seasons of the past.

With the tournament being clinic based there were no official scores given, but it can be confidently said that the Royal Corps felt like they had a well performed run. Senior, Alexa Garcia, who acted as head Drum Major for the Bonita Field Tournament, describes what she thought about the group’s performance saying, “It was a very good first experience so we can dip our toes in the water.”

The head drum majors’ job within the band is to not only be the face of the band but lead them into the competition, as well as be the source of the band’s tempo in order to keep the many sections and members of the band as one solid group. “My job is to help the band,” said Garcia.

Preceding the 2021 season, the San Dimas Royal Corps underwent a large transformation. Along with developing a new logo, new show, the San Dimas music program added a handful of new faces to their ever-expanding staff. This included the return of co-band director, Mr. Lance Beckford, to their ever-expanding staff. “I just love teaching,” Co-Band Director Lance Beckford said. “I was taught by great people that inspire me so I hope to be that same thing to other students.” Beckford had been a part of the San Dimas music program back from 1997 to 2001 when he walked the halls of our very own campus as a student, and later from 2001 to 2008, he became the Drumline Technician for the San Dimas HS Drumline.

The Royal Corps perform this show at halftime during Home football games and competitively performed the show for the first time at the “Mustang Classic” located at West Valley High School in Hemet, California, on October 16th. At this competition, the Royal Corps received 2nd place with a score of 79.400, a new record for the school as it is currently the record for the best, first score of the season, from a California State Band Championships field competition.