Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps which is also known as Santa Clara Vanguard is a competitive junior drums and bugle corps from Santa Clara, California. They are a world class group and are six times champion of the Drum Corps International championship. Here is a list of 7 things to know about Santa Clara Vanguard.
1. History
Santa Clara Vanguard was formed on 6th March 1967 following some incident of disagreement between the former group members. The corps has been going strong ever since. They are a founding member of the Drum Corps International (DCI). Santa Clara Vanguard has gone on to achieve international fame.
Information
- Name: Santa Clara Vanguard
- Address: 1795 Space Park Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054
- Phone:
- Fax: (408) 727-8730
- Website: https://www.scvanguard.org/
2. Championships
Santa Clara Vanguard has been taking part in the Drum Corps International Championship every year. They have always placed among the top 12 finalists. They have won the DCI championship six times and have placed second five times! They are considered as one of the best drum corps in the world.
Information
- Name: Drum Corps International Championship
- Winning year: 1973, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1989, 1999
3. The Aussie Hat
The special Aussie hat that the Santa Clara Vanguards regularly wear in their performances has become their signature style. The Aussie hats have feathers attached to them which the Vanguards put in an upright position at the start of their show and lowers them as the show progresses.
4. The Bottle Dance
One of their traditional performances includes the Bottle Dance from “Fiddler on the Roof” by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock. The tradition of the Bottle Dance music started in 1972 but the actual dance performance started in 1973. They have included the Bottle Dance in their championship performance several times.
5. Green Feather Ceremony
The Green Feather ceremony is a traditional ceremony of the Santa Clara Vanguards in honor of the aging members who leave the group. In the ceremony, the senior members are presented with green feathers to wear on their hats on their final performance with the Vanguards.
6. The Vanguard Star
The Vanguard Star is the official symbol of Santa Clara Vanguard. They have been wearing this symbol since 1972. The Vanguard Star is an eight-pointed star with a “V” at the center. The aged members keep the star as a memento and wear it on the right side of their jackets.
7. Membership
The Santa Clara Vanguard is always looking for new members for the group. Most of the members are students and have an average age of 20 years. To apply to be a member, you have to be 18 years old or have finished high school. They prefer musical performance major, dance major and music majors. You can find details information on their website.
Santa Clara Vanguard is the pride of Santa Clara county. Their performances are mesmerizing. If you’re a fan of drums and bugle performances you can’t miss their performances, if you’re not, you should still give them a try. They are worth it!
Have a good trip and travel!
