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BRIDGEMEN REHEARSALS Galleries

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-15-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-15-09

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2010 SEASON :

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2010 SEASON

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL SHOW DAY DCA ROCHESTER NY 2009 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL SHOW DAY DCA ROCHESTER NY 2009

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL ROCHESTER NY 9-5-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL ROCHESTER NY 9-5-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 8-1-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 8-1-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-18-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-18-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-12-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-12-09

BRIDGEMEN TOS REHEARSAL 6-13-09 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS REHEARSAL 6-13-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL TOS EVE 6-12-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL TOS EVE 6-12-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL NORTH BRUNSWICK HIGH 6-7-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL NORTH BRUNSWICK HIGH 6-7-09

BRIDGEMEN DRUM LINE REHEARSAL 6-6-09 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM LINE REHEARSAL 6-6-09

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 5-30-09 :

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 5-30-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-24-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-24-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-03-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-03-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-02-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-02-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-26-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-26-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-25-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-25-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-18-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-18-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-21-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-21-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-1-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-1-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-8-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-8-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-25-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-25-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-24-09 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-24-09

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-14-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-14-08

BRIDGEMEN DRUM LINE REHEARSAL 11-15-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM LINE REHEARSAL 11-15-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-09-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-09-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-08-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-08-08

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2009 SEASON 10-11-08 :

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2009 SEASON 10-11-08

BRIDGEMEN ROCHESTER REHEARSAL 2008 :

BRIDGEMEN ROCHESTER REHEARSAL 2008

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST REHEARSAL AT COUNTRY MEADOWS 2008 :

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST REHEARSAL AT COUNTRY MEADOWS 2008

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-12-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-12-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-5-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-5-08

TOS SHOW DAY REHEARSAL 6-14-08 :

TOS SHOW DAY REHEARSAL 6-14-08

BRIDGEMEN TOS EVE VOLUNTARY REHEARSAL 6-13-08 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS EVE VOLUNTARY REHEARSAL 6-13-08

BRIDGEMEN WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS PERFORMANCE & REHEARSAL 6-8-08 :

BRIDGEMEN WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS PERFORMANCE & REHEARSAL 6-8-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-25-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-25-08

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 5-14-08 :

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 5-14-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-4-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-4-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-3-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-3-08

BRIDGEMEN 1st DRILL REHEARSAL 4-26-08 :

BRIDGEMEN 1st DRILL REHEARSAL 4-26-08

BRIDGEMEN 2nd DRILL REHEARSAL 4-27-08 :

BRIDGEMEN 2nd DRILL REHEARSAL 4-27-08

BRIDGEMEN SERENADE IN BRASS REHEARSAL 4-12-2008 :

BRIDGEMEN SERENADE IN BRASS REHEARSAL 4-12-2008

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 3-29-08 :

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 3-29-08

BRIDGEMEN DRUMFEST REHEARSAL 3-15-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUMFEST REHEARSAL 3-15-08

BRIDGEMEN VOLUNTARY REHEARSAL 3-9-08 :

BRIDGEMEN VOLUNTARY REHEARSAL 3-9-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-2-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-2-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-10-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-10-08

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 1-28-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 1-28-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-13-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-13-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-12-08 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-12-08

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-9-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-9-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-18-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-18-07

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE/REHEARSAL 11-17-07 :

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE/REHEARSAL 11-17-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL ROCHESTER 9-1-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL ROCHESTER 9-1-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-31-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-31-07

BRIDGEMEN KINGSTON NY 8-11-07 :

BRIDGEMEN KINGSTON NY 8-11-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-11-07 : March Rehearsal Keeps The Momentum Building March 11, 2007 We traveled to St. Andrew on Sunday morning under a crisp, blue sky that promised moderate temperatures coming soon when we'll move our program outdoors. But today, we had a lot of work to do in locking down our music and routines. Our drill program in the first hour built on past rehearsals and made progress in how we moved. And danced. We could see how far we've come and now feel confident that the Bridgemen “shuffle” will make it into this year's show. Soon 1:00 rolled around and we were standing with our sections, ready to learn under the guidance of our drum, horn, and guard instructors. With upcoming performances fast approaching, we were determined to cover a lot of ground and lock down our arsenal. Next week we'll march in Bayonne's St. Patrick's day parade. Then in a few weeks: the Emanon winter guard show. Then a few weeks later, we'll take the stage in the Harrisburg indoor show. Our warm-ups were brief as we jumped right into reviewing familiar territory and covering new territory. Our dedicated staff saw to it that we would be prepared for our performances and confident in projecting the Bridgemen attitude to the audiences that will thrill to this year's show. Every so often, some members would peel away to be fitted for the yellow or black coats they'll wear this season. They returned to rehearsal, grinning from ear to ear, knowing they'll finally get a chance to get in on some Bridgemen magic. Many of them remember our junior corps days and are thrilled to finally get in on the kind of fun only WE can deliver! We kidded with each other, enjoying the fraternity of friends and drum corps devotees. Until we were reminded of Bob Dubinski's Rule #1: Shut up and pay attention! We didn't get any breaks to make the most of the six hours we had together. Dennis Delucia (drum arranger/instructor, program coordinator, and DCI telecast host) joined the brass sectional to maximize our productivity. He introduced the concept of “centers.” Our most-skilled members (one 1st soprano, one 2nd soprano, etc.) would play their individual section's part when our Staff or Drum Major would ask for “Centers only.” They became their section's focal point, so others can get a better lock on their parts and tempos, then the rest of the line would join in. We wrapped up sectionals and headed to the gym where Executive Director George Lavelle taught us how to set up for our upcoming indoor performance. When it came time to play, many horn players wondered how our fatigued chops would hold up. Then someone exclaimed “Centers only,” which cracked up Dennis Delucia and the rest of us! Around 4:30 we ensembled together in the gym to show off how far we've come. Under the tutelage of staff and Drum Major Jim Jordan, music parts and guard choreography came together as we ironed out tempos and rough spots. The drums and horns stepped up our level of musicality, while the color guard stepped up their self-assurance. We walked away from the day's rehearsal, confident that we've made progress in our goal of putting on the best performances we can pull off this year. We have the horses to run this race and we know we'll make the most of our talent & numbers. Day soon melted into night as many of us socialized in the VFW Post, treated to Post Commander Glenn Flora's hospitality. The partying continued there, in concert with a reunion of alumni of the St. Andrew's Bridgemen. The Alumni Association organized the “Through the Years... The First Ten Years” gala which featured memorabilia from St. Andrew's glory days, good food & drink, and good company. Veterans of different eras mingled and recounted their experiences with Bridgemen past and present. Mary Cerreta, who decorated the Post with St. Andrew's memorabilia, reported, “The highlight of the night was Carol and Bob Holton (original Bridgemen and parents of Sean Holton). It was so great to see them again! We sat and talked for about an hour. Carol filled us in on some more back in the day stuff. All in all, it was a GREAT opportunity for members and alumni to connect with each other and bask in the fun of this unique experience.

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-11-07

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD 2007 REHEARSAL :

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD 2007 REHEARSAL

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-11-07 : Report from the February Rehearsal: Smile! You're Listening to the Bridgemen February 11, 2007 You can enjoy listening to the Bridgemen without concentrating. You can also listen more closely and discover elements that make it more interesting. Finally, you can listen repeatedly and keep hearing things you never noticed. That is the beauty of Larry Kerchner's brass arrangements, perfectly complemented by Dennis DeLucia's percussion section. Whether it's a chord that isn't quite what the ear expects or Khachaturian's “Sabre Dance” set to a Cuban beat, every arrangement has a smile written into it. If you're lucky enough to have a recording of the '78 show, pop it in. The '07 “Ritual Fire Dance/Sabre Dance” is faithful to the '78 version, note for note, and it is going to turn many heads this summer. And just try getting that “1 & & 3 4” tambourine rhythm out of your head. The February 11th rehearsal is now history, and the corps' progress is nothing short of astonishing. In attendance were full guard and percussion sections and over 70 brass. Alumni corps are supposed to have their big night and then either dissolve or continue in obscurity. Instead, the Bridgemen are getting bigger and better. A large part of the current success is the fact the corps has become a family - literally, in many cases. Just among the mellophones, five members have relatives in the corps. Kristin Bicking is joined this year by her daughter, Camille Wilke, a cymbal player who recently aged out of the Jersey Surf. David Baum travels from North Carolina with his son, Hunter, who plays a bass drum almost as big he is. Jackie Barnum's husband, Les, is in the honor guard, Kelly Baillargeon is accompanied by both her husband and cousin in the horn line, and Tony Famelio's wife, Gail, is part of the support staff. Even though the Bridgemen are an “alumni” corps, we're not strictly bound to the corps' historical repertoire. The corps will always remain faithful to its roots, but this year's show includes one song that the old Bridgemen never played. It isn't a state secret, but we'll hold off announcing it for now. Suffice to say, long-time drum corps fans will appreciate the piece (and get a chuckle). The 2006 show featured many of the Bridgemen's musical trademarks; the 2007 edition promises to bring back more of the corps' iconic visual moves as well. This month's rehearsal began with the basics of marching including the “shuffle.” Last year when we tried the shuffle in rehearsal, it was not a pretty sight, but we're determined to include it in this year's program. We've found that the key to performing the shuffle is not to think about it too much. Therefore, the BMO (a.k.a., the baritone section, including half a dozen shiny new euphoniums) should march it quite well. Nancy DuCharme, color guard instructor, reports “The guard spent Sunday venturing into new work for “Ritual” and enhancing & fine tuning the basics needed to gain perfection for “My Favorite Things“ and “In The Stone.“ As usual, it was a productive practice with Lisa (Argul) and Claire (Kronenfeld) taking sectional time to work on all the details & little nuances that make our guard unique. Our Guard will be working and also co-hosting, in conjunction with Emanon, a winter guard show on March 31st in Pequannock, NJ. This will be a great opportunity for us to add another group to our 'extended family' just as with Jersey Surf last year. We are looking forward to making this show a huge success and for it to become an annual event for everyone.” After rehearsing in sections for most of the afternoon, we put it all together in the full ensemble for the last hour. It's great to have the whole corps performing as a unit, but there are two drawbacks that any corps alumnus can appreciate. First, the echo-chamber gym, which is the only room large enough to hold everyone, makes it difficult to hear the individual parts. Second, lips that have turned to cardboard after hours of playing don't respond well. At the end of an intense and focused rehearsal, led by the intense and focused percussion instructor Bob Dubinski, came the words “In the Stone.” ITS is a tiring piece on the chops when one is fresh; after a six-hour rehearsal, playing it borders on sadistic. It did, however, provide the guard with an opportunity to join the musicians, demonstrating equipment work that is very tight for this point in the season. Before adjourning, the soprano section treated us to “Mr. Clown,” a triple-tongued diddy originally played in 1970. The summer's appearance schedule is nearly final. Once again the corps will perform at DCI East (or the “Eastern Classic,” as it is now called) in Allentown. With DCI finals in California this year, the Allentown show will be a little earlier in the season. The two-day show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 7th and 8th. The Bridgemen will be leading off the Sunday night lineup, so be sure to arrive early to see the 1977 DCI East champs take the field again. Openings remain in the color guard, mallets, and, especially, contrabass and mellophone sections. Perhaps you're a trumpet/soprano player who can occasionally play less than ff (very loud), and you always wanted to try mellophone, sailing out over the horn line while playing the coolest parts in drum corps. Or, alternatively, as brass instructor Matt Krempasky says, “You want to march all summer carrying a Volkswagen on your shoulder.” Either way, if you want to be part of a wall of sound, come to our next rehearsal on March 11 or contact the corps, as we must soon lock down this year's membership. - Rick Hagey, Mellophone

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 2-11-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-7-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 7-7-07

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW DAY REHEARSAL 6-23-07 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW DAY REHEARSAL 6-23-07

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 2-10-07 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 2-10-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-14-07 : This Is Only January!? January 13-14, 2007 It's amazing how far ahead of last year we are already. The talent, determination, and friendships we've forged in our ranks have come together into a strong Bridgemen corps. We have a more demanding show in the works this year. Our stock will definitely be climbing with audiences this year! Saturday brought together Bridgemen veterans and newcomers together in St. Andrew's gym to hear Executive Director George Lavelle spur us on. George was revved up by the weekend because of all he had in store for us and because attendance was shaping up to be the largest in Bridgemen history. The new faces at rehearsal on Saturday energized us all because it demonstrates we're very special in the activity. Program Coordinator Dennis Delucia discussed our approach to our "Great Moments in Drum Corps History" segments: “When we play songs of corps that are no longer with us, we'll play them respectfully in tribute. But if it's a corps that's still around ..." His body language made it clear “Anything goes!” Larry Kerchner put the 65 horn players to work with a proper warm-up. Soon we delved into new music and enjoyed the electricity that runs from member to member. Maynard Ferguson will be honored with a tribute, played by several hornlines at the “Serenade in Brass” (indoor show in Harrisburg, PA). Larry's stirring arrangement of “Taps” has a lush, Copland-esque feel to it that should leave no dry eyes in the audience. There's a surprise song we're playing for “Greatest Moments.” Our staff and management want to keep it under wraps for now so audiences will have a pleasant surprise at our performances. Larry came up with a GORGEOUS arrangement that will send chills down people's spines. After rehearsal on Saturday night, Post Commander Glen Flora hosted over 100 Bridgemen at his VFW Post for dinner. Afterwards, we converged on Hudson Lanes for our bowling fundraiser. George told us the next day, “At Saturday night's Bowl-a-thon, I loved seeing everyone having a GREAT time and getting to know each other; the fundraising part of it was secondary compared to Bridgemen bonding with each other. We're a family and I want everyone to have a good time. That's the Bridgemen way.“ On Sunday, we got back to work. We had an unprecented turnout that was larger than Saturday's. The drumline, hornline, and color guard were blessed with large numbers of new and familiar faces. Drill basics in the gym were first before we broke up into sectionals. Seventy five horns piled into horn sectionals, with only five regular hornline members missing. Under the guidance of Matt Krempasky, Dennis Argul, and Gabe Gulino, we got to work cleaning the new charts that Larry unveiled on Saturday. Plus the sopranos premiered “Mister Clown,“ with its daring triple-tonguing passages. Matt Krempasky's expert blend of discipline and entertainment kept us laughing and working hard. At Sunday's “Show & Tell,“ at 4:30, we got to see how all the pieces fit together and discover what each section was contributing. The drumline and color guard were demonstrably bigger and had put in an intense effort all day long. We could all see that this large turnout was a big shot in the arm for the 2007 Bridgemen: it's set the stage for a more ambitious and intense show in 2007! This year's show will live up to our legacy of HAVING a good time and SHOWING people a good time. “Ritual Fire Dance/Sabre Dance” (RFD/SD) was another step up from where we left off in December. Matt Hurley's choreography for the color guard showcases lightning fast movement by the flags and rifles to embody RFD/SD's driving tempo. Matt was assisted by veterans Claire Kronenfeld, Nancy Ducharme, and Lisa Argul this weekend. The guard delivered boundless energy and enthusiasm to the weekend's rehearsals. Dennis Delucia's drum arrangement to RFD/SD added a layer of percussive color and texture that made it a bigger thrill to play this time! The drumline (under the tutelage of Dennis Delucia, Bob “Dubi” Dubinski, Pat Scollin, and Ron Dolce) is hard at work in their quest to live up to the legendary Bridgemen drumlines of the past. At day's end, the tally came in: 1 drum major, 1 mascot, 30 sopranos, 14 mellophones, 25 baritones, 6 contras, 10 snares, 4 quints, 6 bass drums, 7 pit (including mallets), 5 cymbals, 9 honor guard, plus more flags and rifles than ever before. And there were dozens of staff, volunteers, and supporters to cheer us on! John Riccardi (President of the Bridgemen Organization, Inc.) commented afterward, “I looked around and I was beside myself. I just couldn't believe how far we've come. I'm speechless!” If this is what January delivered, we can't wait for February to arrive! The Director said... It was a great week in Bridgemenland!!!!! The best in our short 3 year return. From 2 GREAT practices to a great time at the post for dinner and then the best Bowl-a-thon we ever had. Over 100 people bowled, including Bridgemen Alumni who were in the corps at the beginning in 1965. While we had another 30-40 people hanging out. It was great seeing the members bond and have fun, which is what we are all about. Whether it's bowling or performing, we always have fun!!!!! Can't wait until February when we get this amazing corps back together again!!!!! - George Lavelle, Executive Director The drummer said... The anticipation had been growing for weeks. What would the new parts for “Ritual” be like? It was a question soon to be answered all too quickly. Usually, when the drumline gets together, we all start off in ensemble doing warm-ups and going over old standards. But, right from the get go we knew it was going to be a very special practice. Dennis gave us a quick, “Hi ... lets get to work” speech, handed out “Ritual,” and we all split into sections. Dennis and Pat took the snares. We started the day with 14 snares. We all knew this was not the number to finish the weekend. Pat had us start off with some of the usual exercises: Eight to a Hand, Tap Accent, Triplet Stuff, and the Rolls Progression. Things were really heating up, and being kicked up a notch. Pat was fixing hand positions, stick heights, and clarity. Then, Dennis broke out “Ritual,” not one but TWO pages long. Upon first scan one would think, “Whew!” But when you get to sit down with Dennis DeLucia and hear him explain what he meant, and what techniques he wants for each part, it makes things so much easier. It's a quick piece. Now some of the line had played this piece before. Dennis kept some parts similar but rewrote most of it. One particularly funny moment was a 2-measure section where Dennis asked Steve to rip the section off. Steve ripped it off, and Dennis said “NOPE!!! I rewrote it differently. I have been waiting for this ... Gotcha!!” Meanwhile back at the ranch, the rest of the drumline was working on exercises and the new “Ritual.” They “screamed” through the first page and soon it was time to put it all together. End day one ... fast forward to Day two ... Sunday. It was another day of people movement. The expression of the day was ... “What would be your second choice?” We're all team players and know what we need to do to make this drumline the best it can possibly be. We started off the day the same as the previous day. We split into sections and worked the standard exercises. Today would be a day of cleaning the first page and finishing up learning the second page of “Ritual.” Personally I didn't think we'd zip through the whole thing in two days, but with this bunch of guys and gals there isn't much we can't do. So we worked on specific sections of page one and finished page two. Let me tell ya: The joke of the day was “We should faint after this!“ I am hoping there will be oxygen masks for all after we march this thing. Dennis brought the whole line together for about an hour before we hit the full ensemble. Again this is a great time to watch Dennis work. The intricacies of his work and what he is looking for is pulled out by his style of teaching. A real successful weekend for the drumline setting spots, and learning the opener. Who could ask for more. Let's just say the drumline is “Raising the Bar.” - Stephen “Shimes” Shimer, snare drummer The horn player said... Saturday's horn line rehearsal in the chapel annex was snug for the 65 plus in attendance. It was a short but very productive session. During the warm up Larry used an analogy of the sun and the planets to give a mental image of notes and spaces. It worked well as the examples moved away from the sun until Uranus. Just because a horn line is good doesn't mean they're mature. Larry quickly shifted gears as work began to on a new piece to be played at the “Serenade in Brass” show. Larry's arrangement of “TAPS” will be played by brass members of the performing corps for what will be a great tribute to Maynard Ferguson. Saturday finished with the first look at “the surprise song,” another beautiful piece. Sunday the horn line and guard started in the gym for some visual work, a little forward, a little backward and a little shuffle. We need more shuffle! If Saturday's rehearsal was cozy, Sunday's rehearsal was downright crowded. Over 75 horns packed the annex as Matt got us started on “D.B.” About half-way through the rehearsal, we started work on “Ritual Fire Dance/Sabre Dance.” Sunday's rehearsal ended in the almost acoustically perfect St. Andrew's gym for ensemble. The staff didn't look too disappointed. It's going to be a great year. HYPE! - Keith “MoKeefus” Stokes, mellophone The color guard member said... Baby, it's cold outside but it is truly hot at color guard practice! This year the alumni guard is raising the bar once again. “Ritual Fire Dance/Sabre Dance” is the newest addition to their routine. Under the guidance of Matt Hurley,the guard will be doing new and innovative tosses, spins, and movements on the field this year. Also included in this year's show is a custom change for our rifles, new flags for the banner line and a special surprise for the fans during “the surprise song.” This past Sunday, Lisa Argul took the guard under her wing and provided the group with some positive instruction and shared her expertise the entire day. The entire squad is looking forward to meeting the challenges posed to us by our instructors. And we hope that we can provide our viewing audience with memories that will last forever. - Mary Cerreta, flag

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-14-07

BRIDGEMEN PRE TOS REHEARSAL 6-22-07 :

BRIDGEMEN PRE TOS REHEARSAL 6-22-07

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-10-06 : December 10th Rehearsal Was Our Bridgemen Christmas Present! December 10, 2006 The smell of pine needles in the air, people scurrying about doing their holiday shopping, baking cookies, sipping cocktails and prepping for the big day. Don't lose your head, we're Bridgemen and we've got more serious items to attend to, like a 6 hour rehearsal at St. Andrew. That's the attitude that was pervasive at Sunday's practice. After George did his quick update, it was all business. The guard and hornline immediately went to work on marching basics. Having a full contingent of instructors paid great dividends as we paced the gym doing various basic drill exercises. The intensity seen on the faces was surprising being this is only December. It is very apparent that the membership is taking the challenge of “Raising the Bar” in 2007 very seriously. The 1 hour of marching went quickly and showed great results as the corps began its quest for steady improvement in our visual show. While the rest of the corps was marching, the percussion section was hard at work cleaning and fine tuning My Favorite Things (MFT) and In The Stone (ITS). They were also identifying how to best utilize all the talent that has returned from 2006 and blend in the contingent of newcomers for 2007. The drumline continues to make incredible strides of progress and will surely wow the audiences with another spectacular Dennis DeLucia percussion book next year. Only Dennis knows what is up his sleeve to further enhance the level of entertainment. But, we all saw what a Delucia drum feature can do to a crowd last year. Expect more of the magic in June. The hornline and guard now split and worked on their specialties. Without going into great detail, work they did. Larry, Dennis, Gabe and Jimmy did the impossible. The opener is now in the bank! Though we have much cleaning and fine tuning to do, the 55 + horns in attendance got the entire 1978 opener completed. It's a killer tune and many a horn player had to tuck their lips in their shirt pockets at the end of rehearsal. But, they did it. Absolutely amazing. The day ended with our normal show and tell. The horns gave everyone in the gym a full preview of Ritual Fire Dance. The crowd was in awe. Is this December? After that excitement, we ran through MFT and ITS with the full corps. Again, is this December? The quality throughout all sections was astonishing for this time of the year. We all know there's a ton of work to be done but December's rehearsal set the tone for a very exciting winter in the Oil City. If we can keep this level of intensity up, the bar will be raised. The question that remains is, “How high?” - John Richard, Drum Major

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 12-10-06

BRIDGEMEN @ MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK HS 6-3-07 PART 1 :

BRIDGEMEN @ MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK HS 6-3-07 PART 1

THURSDAY NIGHT CLUB 12-7-06 :

THURSDAY NIGHT CLUB 12-7-06

BRIDGEMEN @ MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK HS 6-3-07 PART 2 :

BRIDGEMEN @ MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK HS 6-3-07 PART 2

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-12-06 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 11-12-06

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-26-07 : The Bridgemen Make The Most of Memorial Day Weekend! by James Reilly Saturday blessed us with beautiful weather and a determination to lock down our show. The hornline began brass rehearsal at 9:30am under the expert guidance of Brass caption head Matt Krempasky, assisted by Gabe Gulino and Drum Major Jim Jordan. The drumline pulled together under drum gurus Dennis Delucia,Bob “Dubie” Dubinski, and Pat Scollin. Dennis, Bob, and Pat charted a course to get the most out of percussion time and challenged the drummers in the ranks to give 100%. The color guard formed up under Matt Hurley, Claire Kronenfeld, and Lisa Argul to accomplish all they could in their time together. Soon the west side of Bayonne came alive with the sounds of drums & bugles, plus flags flapping in the wind, and the clop-clop of rifles spun. Matt has a way of commanding the hornline's attention and does a great job of explaining our goals musically, while still keeping a friendly atmosphere that makes it fun to be there. After warming up, we launched into reviewing our music and getting it ready for prime time. We worked on the pieces that make up “Great Moments in Drum Corps History.” Executive Director George Lavelle, Jr. pointed out that we have a large hornline of experienced players, playing on G bugles, so we're ALEADY loud. Matt injected a little comedy into our instruction when he declared, “Do you know how to make our loud parts sound even louder? By playing soft part of the time. There's a new rule in drum corps that says we can play soft. Yes... it’s ACTUALLY permitted now!” Our previous indoor exhibitions in Pennsylvania let us break out and perform with intensity; now we're learning about control and how to finesse our parts to turn heads this summer. As midday neared, we took a break, then began drill rehearsal at noon. Soon we broke out our drill charts and Drill Designer George Lavelle, Jr. put us to work cleaning up the visual part of our show, assisted by George Ruse, Bob Murray, Jerome Kimbrough, and Brian Law. The afternoon of hard work raced by, then we found ourselves back in sectionals to get our playing or equipment chops primed to perform in sync with the drill. The hornline got together by the “stage” of the 16th Street Park. Larry Kerchner, brass arranger, arrived and reviewed our progress. Larry reworked the ending of “Mr. Clown” to give it an ending that was a bolder statement. We also reviewed the music we'd be performing over the next two days in Bayonne. Matt Krempasky knows we're afraid of Dubie's outbusts, so he warned us to keep our chatter to a minimum before “the maniac from Indiana” was forced to keep us in check! Program Coordinator Dennis Delucia explained the creative ideas that the staff have been discussing for the “Great Moments” part of our show. Dennis explained, “When it comes to corps that are no longer with us, we'll play their music respectfully. But corps that are still around, we can have some fun with it!” Soon after, we reassembled on the yard lines; the guard, horns, and drums were soon swept up in a runthrough that helped build our endurance to perform our show from beginning to end. George Lavelle was proud of our hard work and the progress we'd made at day's end. George said, “Many of you, who were here at the formation of the new Bridgemen, can look back at the last few years and agree that we've surpassed our expectations for ourselves. And tomorrow, everyone will see and hear what we've accomplished!” He concluded the day's rehearsal by reminding us of how people will be bowled over by us on opening night (at Tournament of Stars) in a few weeks.

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-26-07

The Bridgemen Make The Most of Memorial Day Weekend! by James Reilly ...

Updated: May 26, 2007 7:19pm PST

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 11-11-06 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM REHEARSAL 11-11-06

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-6-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-6-07

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2006 : Bridgemen Open House plots the course for 2006 September 24, 2005 Bayonne Senior Center Alumni, members, staff, administration, and fans gathered in Bayonne to find out where we're heading in the new year. There were plenty of people wearing our gear plus there were yellow bowling shirts & black pants (the Mini Corps uniform) passing through the room. Members chatted with friends and family before we were sent outside to warm up. The Mini corps (a mini hornline, three drummers, and an honor guard) were going to perform first before the meeting. The hornline then warmed up in the Church parking lot and later entered the Senior Center, pumped up and ready to showcase some of what we've practiced weekly during the summer. The crowd sat with smiles on their faces knowing they were in for a taste of what to expect next year. We opened with the mysterious “Pagliacci” as the dark chords at full volume gave way to intricate moving parts that had the crowd's attention. But it was the solos from soprano Bob Hunter that were worth the trip to Bayonne as the crowd roared its approval! Next the lush parts of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” showed what a seasoned group of performers can do. We capped our performance with “In The Stone” a beloved piece from our heyday that lets each section have their moment in the spotlight. Everyone loves “In The Stone” and it left all of us all in a good mood for the night. It was an exciting way to begin the night as members and the crowd soaked up the good vibes that the Bridgemen bring to any event. The meeting got underway soon after, with Director George Lavelle taking the podium and walking us through the administration's/staff's plans for the new era of the Alumni Corps. They've been busy with the minutae of organizational planning, as well as focusing on the big picture of entertainment. They struggled with how best to combine the legacies of two eras: the St. Andrew's (shako) era and the Bayonne Bridgemen (yellow coats) era. All of our instructors are returning to help lead the corps into the next stage of our two year plan. Dennis Delucia, Jim Mallen, Bob Dubinski, Pat Scollin, Larry Kerchner, Brian Law, Matt Hurley, Claire Kronenfeld, and Nancy Ducharme have all signed up for another hitch with the Bridgemen Alumni. After a high turnout for Memorial Day weekend, we're confident we can realize our dream of a Mega Corps of 200 members. Most members are returning and promising new recruits for the coming season. Plus we have a core base of local members that gives us a stable foundation to work from. Bayonne, New Jersey's own “Tournament of Stars” home show will begin our season on June 10, 2006 opening with other popular corps; the lineup is still in the works as commitments are being finalized. George said, “The night will be capped off with the return of the Bridgemen to the field for the first time in 18 years! Our grand entrance down the hill and onto the field will recapture the wild ride that was first unveiled in 1976.” Next season we'll play some of our classics to bring back the magic of our best years. We'll warm up backfield to “Hymn to the Last Whale” and then open our show with “Pagliacci,” blending high drama with the Bridgemen's unique style. We'll segue into the musical celebration, “Land of Make Believe.” Larry Kerchner's creative take on “My Favorite Things” will remind fans of who first took this piece down a new road; it will also include a hot Dennis Delucia drum feature. The lush ballad of “Summer of '42” will give us an emotional color change before moving into the ever-popular “In The Stone” to brighten everyone's spirits. And you can't have the return of the Bridgemen without a taste of “William Tell Overture” at the end to feast on! And what about our uniforms, you ask? George and the team struggled with this issue for some time before coming to the conclusion that attendance at DCI started out low in the early 1970s and was at it's peak in the late 1970s/early 1980s. This is the era that fans in the drum corps activity remember best and it's this era of the corps that fans are most clamoring for. You see where this is going? The Bridgemen Alumni Corps will return to the field wearing a replica of our classic coats (yellow for horns and drums, black for the color guard), tailored to fit adults instead of teenagers. Bobby Hoffman must be smiling up in heaven. George outlined our practice and performance schedule (still in the works). The schedule asks for a reasonable amount of practice time from members, taking into account our busy family lives. But it's the payoff that we're here for: an appreciative crowd in the stands, some who remember our glory days and some who are new to our show style. The Bridgemen embodied a reckless commitment to entertainment that will make converts of anyone. We pushed the envelope to create rousing shows that would make anyone feel their trip to a show was well worth the price of admission. We're credited with transforming the activity and, along with other groundbreaking corps, ushered in a new age of creativity and showmanship. We were masters of GE and will continue this tradition for years to come. We left the auditorium that night feeling proud of what we have accomplished in the past year and revved up because the best is yet to come. Anyone interested in joining the new era of the Bridgemen can click on Join! Look around our site to see what we're about and find contacts if you'd like to ask questions or coordinate with other members traveling in for rehearsals at St. Andrew (4th St. & Broadway). You can also contact us by e-mail at Bridgemencorps@Bridgemen.com to find out more.

BRIDGEMEN OPEN HOUSE 2006

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-5-07 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-5-07

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 4-22-07 :

BRIDGEMEN COLOR GUARD REHEARSAL 4-22-07

BRIDGEMEN ALLENTOWN EVE 2006 :

BRIDGEMEN ALLENTOWN EVE 2006

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD REHEARSAL 2006 :

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD REHEARSAL 2006

BRIDGEMEN TOS REHEARSAL SHOW DAY 2006 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS REHEARSAL SHOW DAY 2006

BRIDGEMEN TOS EVE REHEARSAL 2006 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS EVE REHEARSAL 2006

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-23-06 : We Learned Most of Our Drill at April 23rd Rehearsal! April 23, 2006 Liz Duguay in the color guard pondered, “So is there anyone here who at some point in their marching careers hasn't awaken to a cold, rainy morning and wondered 'why it is we do this crazy stuff called drum corps!?' I'm sure if we're all honest .... yes we've done it before, and YES, we did it this past Sunday again. “Yet, you would never know that thought had crossed anyone's mind by what was achieved at practice on April 23rd.” The day began for some people loading the truck and demonstrating their commitment to the cause. The lower brass met under the stands at 11am for a baritone sectional, with contra Ken. Though the weather was drab, our playing was bright and intense! It was satisfying to see members of other sections listening in and nodding their heads in approval at how far we've come. Kevin Serfass of the mellophones helped out in leading the sectional. An MMA helping the BMO? Hey, we're all in this together! Before noon, Director and drill writer George Lavelle decided it was best to bring the corps indoors. Arriving back at St. Andrew's, we set to work in the gym on basics and then the power push at the end of My Favorite Things which helped our progress later. Liz said, “Once we got over the fact we were going to be stuck indoors for some time while Mother Nature made up her mind, we put our minds and bodies to work. In some ways the time indoors may just have worked to our benefit because we were able to hear George explain what it was we'd be learning when we got the opportunity to be out on the drill field later. Learning and practicing the ending of My Favorite Things indoors may have seemed like a way to kill time until the clouds cleared, but in the end it helped us push through those last few sets with the limited time we were left with later in the day. “At 2 P.M. George took a vote on whether or not we should attempt to move rehearsal back to Veterans Stadium and it was a unanimous YES!!! Mother Nature continued to play her day long joke on the corps and opened up the skies the minute we got into our cars. We didn't let her stop us. After getting the new drill sheets from George we assembled in what had become a light drizzle and proceeded to get down to work. After a quick review of the drill we had learned for Pagliacci/Land of Make Believe, we made swift progress of learning the new drill. “After not having the drummers with the horn line and guard at the last drill rehearsal, it was very nice to have the corps together as a whole. Additionally, having that solid beat they provide made the music come together and all the pieces fit perfectly.” The drumline joined us back at Veteran's Stadium doing drill and playing with a renewed vigor. Arranger and instructor Dennis Delucia kept them hidden until he was satisfied that his drumline was playing their parts at the level of musicality he expects of his drumlines. You could see their intensity in rehearsal. And they're a lot friendlier now than back in the day! The color guard showed the tenacity of hardened veterans as they laughed off the bad weather and were determined to make the most of our rehearsal time! It takes a lot to laugh off adverse conditions and our girls showed determination to nail their flag and rifle choreography while executing drill moves. Silks and rifles, we salute you! With almost 70 horns in the line, we opened up with a wall of sound at times that was amazing! Good blend & balance, intonation, tone quality, dynamics, attacks & releases were on display while also thinking about breathing, timing, rolling our feet, and drill. Jim Reilly commented, “Hey, we have a REAL marching drum corps again!” We're still looking to fill three lower brass positions so if you know any baritone or contra players, drag 'em to next rehearsal! Drum Major Jim Jordan proved again why he is the face of the Bridgemen on the field. He commands our field rehearsals and performances with style and intensity. He's also adept at costume changes. In the course of a half hour, he went from wearing a yellow raincoat, to a red and black jacket, to a blue jacket. He had more costume changes than Cher! Well Jim, we promise we'll never make you wear a clown suit again (1979)! All in all, it was a REALLY good day for the corps, not only for the progress we made, but for the good time we had while moving our show forward. John Riccardi commented, “I'm really PSYCHED at how the corps is enthusiastic about our visual show. Despite our age, we're all moving really well. Just look at the pictures of that rehearsal! We're rolling our feet, our horns are up and popping to the box. This is GREAT!” Liz added, “ Finally as we got near the end of our day, the sun came out just in time to dry off the ground before we did our run through. The applause of the spectators who had come out to watch, along with the looks on the faces of the corps members, made getting up and braving the elements totally worthwhile! With only 3 weekends of practices left before the Tournament of Stars on June 10th, it looks like the Bridgemen Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps has become an unstoppable force!” Remember that next rehearsal on Saturday, May 6th begins at 10am at Veteran's Stadium. Please review your drill charts so we can hit the ground running. Dress warmly and bring sun block. We only have a few sets left to learn then we'll be cleaning the show. And getting better prepared to pull off the physical workout that is our 2006 show!

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-23-06

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-9-06 : April 9th Rehearsal Introduced Drill Sets! April 9, 2006 Drum Major John Richard said “When people started to arrive at Veteran's Stadium on Sunday, I noticed a certain level of intensity on the faces of our members. I think the urgency of the situation has hit home and the Corps is up for the challenge and ready for some serious hard work. The members wasted no time in eliminating any marching cobwebs that might have existed and jumped into the warm up exercises and our new drill. This attitude was pervasive throughout our stay at the stadium.” Rehearsal was certainly CHILLY by the bay because of some determined wind. But we were more determined to accomplish our goals and improve ourselves. The drumline stayed at St. Andrew's to work hard on percusion, while Director George Lavelle started the hornline and color guard outdoors in a drill block, which soon gave way to our formation coming on the field (loaded with the Bridgemen antics people are waiting for!). The color guard girls were all smiles! Their enthusiasm was contagious and they were fun company as we mingled and joked with each other. Until we were called to attention by our staff or drum majors, then we were all business. Soon the drill charts came out and we were learning real drill sets to the opening phrases of Paglaiacci into Land of Make Believe. Once we had the drill sets locked down (while singing our parts), the hornline warmed up and played it a few times while doing our opening drill. President and Lead Baritone John Riccardi commented, “Can you BELIEVE how good we sounded? We were hitting our sets, everyone was running BACK to our first set, everyone was LOVING being there!” John Richard said, “George was ecstatic at what was accomplished and let everyone know it. We met, or should I say surpassed our objectives for phase 1 of today's rehearsal. Now, the hard part, will we lose that edge with the necessary break to get us to St. Andrew's? Not a chance. The troops arrived downtown, rearranged the practice areas and jumped back into the zone. The level of intensity could immediately be felt when you walked into the drumline sectional. Bob Dubinski and the rest of the instructional staff had our drumline smokin' and thinkin'.” Back at St. Andrew's, Larry Kerchner pulled out a new arrangement of Summer of '42 that put us back to work musically. Larry K. explained that "Dennis Delucia and I discussed how this chart needed to be a little more compact and bring out some of its lush passages more." Larry K. took mellos, baris, and contras, while Matt Krempasky took sopranos aside and we learned it fairly quickly. Frank Bentivegna said, "Y'know, I like the new arrangement of Summer of '42 better? It's pretty much the same song, just rearranged with some nicer parts!" It's also true that it allows for more expressive passages, as evidenced by how much fun Larry was having conducting the ending with a more expressive decelerando and decrescendo (ummm .... that means it got slower and softer at the end!). Soon afterwards, we found ourselves back in the gym for ensemble, which pushed our progress further and showcased our improvement. It was AMAZING how it all came together and we moved forward by leaps and bounds. John Richard said, “Our focus was really apparent on the faces of all members in every section at the Show & Tell. WOW, what a day! If this is a harbinger of future rehearsals, look out. The Bridgemen will be back with a vengeance on 6-10-2006.” Nancy Ducharme commented, “The corps turned the corner on Sunday - you could see it on everyone's faces by the end of the day - very tired, but with GREAT satisfaction. The energy and enthusiam was amazing. I saw it start with the drummers on Saturday and continue with them and the whole corps on Sunday. There was no going back now - the push was on!!! There was such a huge sense of pride and accomplishment when we finished on Sunday and WE ALL FELT IT!" John Riccardi commented afterwards, “MAN, that was a great day! I CAN'T WAIT 'TIL JUNE 10th!” John also said that there are only 3,000 seats available at Veteran's Stadium for our Tournament of Stars Invitational show, which are first come, first served. A lot of corps attending will be bringing friends and family so seats will fill up fast. Best to score tickets early so you don't miss out!

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 4-9-06

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-22-06 : January 22nd Rehearsal Kept Up The Progress! January 22, 2006 Some of us traveled in early on January 22nd to hook up with friends and comrades to transport the equipment that is the life's blood of a drum & bugle corps. We trekked to St. Andrew's and carried in the tools of the trade: different styles of drums, horns, and guard equipment. Director George Lavelle brought us together in the gym at 12:00 to give us our marching orders and focus us on the day's priorities. He said “Last practice was AWESOME and we took it to the next level. We're here to work hard and get a lot accomplished while having fun. That's a what being a Bridgemen is all about!!” The drumline went off by themselves to get in on the HYPE that Dennis Delucia channels into every drumline he's brought to prominence. The horns and guard spread out in the gym in formation to stretch out and get ready for some physical labor. George led us through some maneuvers to get our minds accustomed to moving while playing or doing guard work. We moved around in a box and let the Crazy Eights take over our concentration. We worked on The Bridgemen shuffle to improve our trademark visual. Once we'd had a taste of what drill outdoors will be like, we moved on to our respective sections and let our other talented instructors take over. Dennis Delucia got his drumline primed with Jim Mallen as his second in command. They are the most disciplined section of the corps as Dennis and Jim maintain a level of intensity and concentration that are instrumental to cleaning up such intricate, complex drum charts. The drumline weaves in an amazing layer of color and texture to our show, a percussive undercurrent that is the driving backbone of our show. To play such difficult parts cleanly is a testament to the determination of our instructors and the dedication of our drummers. Listen for the musicality and amazing rhythms when we take the field. If what we heard in the gym is any indication, people are going to marvel at what the battery brings to the table! The Color guard brought their usual dedication to bear when choreographer/instructor Matt Hurley got them revved up. Nancy and Claire gave valued assistance to Matt as he reviewed what he had already taught and anchored the routines in our girls' memories. Sometimes subtle movements or accentuated sweeps can project so much, while other times it's more aggressive guard work that will command attention. Matt's color guard brings bright smiles, dance, and colorful banners to our visual program that will entertain the eye. Their boundless enthusiasm was on display Sunday as they worked tirelessly to lock down their routines and move into new territory. Our girls bring a level of playfulness to a corps that's been long missed! Everyone in the hornline enjoys Matt Krempasky's instruction and it shows. He knows how to speak our language and get across what we need to accomplish in a way that's easy to grasp. We worked on musical phrases in our 2006 repertoire and isolated the sections we needed to work on together and at home. While working on our classic In The Stone, he said “We wanna have the right groove, have the right feel in the music. We need to move beyond the feel of Mr. Beat (bee goo bee goo bee goo!) and make this piece come ALIVE with the wonderful parts Larry wrote.” We even tapped out rhythms (“Imagine for a moment you're drummers”) to get a better feel for what our toungues need to do and to how to play it together. Larry soon arrived to kick things up a notch and push the tempos. We resisted at first, but soon felt the piece's momentum overtake us. Our music suddenly took on a new life up to tempo! We brought it all together in the gym at 4:30. We worked together as a team and had a taste of what lies ahead. We felt the electricity of how this charges us up and will charge up a stadium of fans. We get pumped over the comraderie we feel here as we piece together what we've learned and see/hear what the other sections have improved upon. We came down to rehearsal today to push our potential. The more we improve now, the more we can handle later on. We're committed to move this show forward and keep pushing what we can achieve. We know we'll have a memorably entertaining show ready to unleash on the drum corps community in a few months! John Nadrowski always has great photos to share on his Bridgemen Tribute site . He also has photos from our fundraiser Bowl-A-Thon! There's one rehearsal left before we close our ranks and write drill for those who have committed. Come to a rehearsal in Bayonne and see what we offer. If you want to hook up with other people traveling in, or just want to ask questions, contact Bridgemencorps@Bridgemen.com to find out more. Don't miss out!

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-22-06

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-8-06 : January 8th Rehearsal Gets the New Year Off To A Great Start! January 8, 2006 Our Sunday rehearsal on January 8th brought together familiar faces and new faces to the fold. It's always great to see new people caught up in the fun! It reminds us that we're on the right track. We assembled in the gym at 12:00 and circled up around Director George Lavelle to hear the rundown of how he's planned out our rehearsal day. George then had us line up to work on drill basics to shake out the cobwebs of the winter holidays and get our heads into the game. We got together in a block and moved forward, sideways, and backwards; the basics of a good marching drum corps. We were all pleased at the progress we made in so short of a time. After all, we each bring a lot of experience to the table and gel together well. Soon we moved into working on the Bridgemen shuffle, one of the visual hallmarks of the corps that fans, old and new alike, will enjoy! Soon we were back with our sections and getting warmed up to get to work. Horn instructor Matt Krempasky has a knack for getting us to concentrate and think about our technique on the horn. He's a motivating presence who gets us to focus and WANT to do better. Plus he has a good sense of humor and makes us feel comfortable. We began with familiar charts and soon moved into new material. We worked on phrases again and again until he was satisfied we were achieving Larry Kerchner's goals for the piece. The difficult sections and lush chords of My Favorite Things, In The Stone, Land of Make Believe, and Summer of '42 really came to life under his guidance. We're looking forward to hearing how rock solid this will all sound in the coming months. If this is where we're at in January, we'll blow people's minds this summer! The color guard stretched and warmed up, ready for the physical workout that is a dancer's life. Flags and rifles ripped through the air as our girls learned new routines and solidified what they'd worked on before. Veteran Matt Hurley proved he is a master of cheoreography and technique in putting our girls through the paces. With the help of Nancy and Claire, the guard is moving closer to showtime and the attention of a revved up crowd. Imagine how great they'll look wearing black coats! Read what Kelly had to say in the article below. Dennis Delucia primed his drumline with the discipline and determination you'd expect from a veteran of many drum wars fought and won. His warm-up exercises reflect his ability to get his drummers primed to reach their potential, with the tenacity to do their best. Soon they were ripping into Bridgemen music, bringing the battery to life and ready to wreak havoc like cannon fire! We all remember when Dennis' drumlines were the tops in their divisions at DCI, DCA, and more. All eyes are on Dennis' latest effort. Jim Mallen, a former head drum judge of DCI, brought valued assistance to keeping this drumline on track to make a GREAT impression this summer. Drum Major Jim Jordan put us to the test when we all joined together in the gym for Show & Tell at 5:00. Jim's experience as one of our greatest drum majors and as a dedicated leader brought us together for final run throughs as we put all the pieces together. Then we could ooh and ahh at each other's abilities! At day's end, we walked away satisfied that we had challenged ourselves to learn more of our 2006 show and clean it up along the way. Director George Lavelle thanked us for our dedication and gave us good reason to want to return to next rehearsal, January 22nd, ready to go. He pointed out that there's only 9 rehearsal weekends left until our own Tournament of Stars show! Optional rehearsals on Wednesdays or Thursdays will go a long way to getting us prepared. Veteran John Nadrowski has a great Bridgemen Tribute site where you can see LOTS of photos. Anyone who'd like to come on down to Bayonne to be a part of us is welcome to check us out. The ranks will close after next rehearsal so let us know if you're interested! If you'd like to speak with someone about which section you'd like to join, or want to discuss who you can travel in with, feel free to contact Bridgemencorps@Bridgemen.com. January 2006 Guard Rehearsal Was The BEST! Well today we had our first practice for the new year. I can say for myself and for the other Guard members it went GREAT!!!!! Matt Hurley showed us new routines to do and when he was done, Claire Kronenfeld helped us out. When we do the new routines, sometimes Claire or Matt will make a name up for us to remember the part. Some of them are funny like “wash the windows,” “sweep the floor,” or “feed the puppy.” Those names really help some of us to remember. Matt is a very talented guy and Claire is a good coach. Together with Nancy Ducharme, they are a GREAT team. During our practice, Matt will go over and work with the rifle line and Claire will work with the flag line. Claire will break down each part and go over it twice or maybe three times, then move on to the next part. Then we put it all together with the tape playing. This Sunday practice, I must say, was the BEST. There were tough new things to learn. The flag line did their spins and the rifles did their tosses. Matt will listen to the music as we stand there and watch him spin the flag, and do some little routines. Then he will turn to us and show us what he wants us to do. We go over it a few times, then Claire will take over. At one part of practice, Matt wanted to change a small part in the routine and we all said “No, leave it the way it is!” and Matt turned around and said “You guys are Cuba and I am Castro!!!” and we all laughed! Then he turned around and said “You guys are right, leave it the same.” We went over everything we learned and kept going on with it until everyone got it. Then towards the end of our practice we all got together and did all the routines together with the rifle line. I am very proud to be a Bridgemen Guard member under the care of Nancy, Claire, and Matt. They help you out when you don't understand something and they will tell you when you are doing it wrong and never get mad! At the end of the rehearsal, we all got together. As the horn line and drum line played what they have learned, and we put all our work together with them, it looks soooo awesome. To put it all together and see what it sounds like and looks like is a great feeling. I must say that the Bridgemen are BACK and will be SMOKIN'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Kelly Matos, January 8th 2006 rehearsal

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 1-8-06

THURSDAY NIGHT CLUB 10-27-05 :

THURSDAY NIGHT CLUB 10-27-05

BRIDGEMEN CG REHEARSAL 8-28-05 :

BRIDGEMEN CG REHEARSAL 8-28-05

BRIDGEMEN CG REHEARSAL 8-25-05 :

BRIDGEMEN CG REHEARSAL 8-25-05

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-28-05 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-28-05

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-6-05 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 5-6-05

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-13-05 :

BRIDGEMEN REHEARSAL 3-13-05

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