Catherine.Crow
WATERLOO — Marching bands from Waterloo high schools took their shows on the road to competitions in Cedar Rapids on Saturday.
The East High School Marching Band spooked the judges with its show “Ghost Ship,” while West High School showed off its “Black Swan” routine.
West High participated in two contests in Cedar Rapids on Saturday.
The band kicked off in the morning at the Bands Across the Prairie competition at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School. The unit placed fifth in the 4A class portion of the contest.
West High band Director Jason Dobbs said Monday the band has “made tremendous progress” and that “performances this week were exceptionally better.”
Last week the band struggled a bit on its routine. Since then, Dobbs said, “They really improved on marching.” On Saturday, the band was able to perform 100% of the “Black Swan” show.
People are also reading…
It performed the same show later Saturday at the Five Seasons Band Invitational, earning fourth place. The band also received third in percussion and third in music. “We improved our score from the previous competition,” said Dobbs.
One asset band members were thankful for Saturday was their new uniforms. The uniforms have layers, and with the warm weather Saturday that paid off, allowing marchers to present a professional appearance while being performance ready.
Band parents also helped out, providing food, water and other essentials. Dobbs said he’s “really proud of our parent team,” and that “they play a really big part in the competition.”
West’s next round of competition will be Oct. 12 in Dubuque for the State Marching Band Festival.
East High
East High School also participated in the Bands Across the Prairie competition. Despite battling wind and heat, the band pulled off a strong performance of its show, “Ghost Ship.” Director Joelle Smith said, “The band put out the best performance of the season, and the best, so far, in Trojan history.”
The score was the highest the school’s band has ever earned, “not only at this festival, but also at any festival we have ever participated with,” Smith said.
The band finished sixth.
The students were able to pick up the routine for the show quickly.
“The band learned the show tremendously faster than usual. We were ahead of schedule by about a week, again, something that has not happened in my career here,” Smith said.
For the next set of contests Oct. 12 the band will work on adding more visuals and fine-tuning the routine. East High is set to perform at the State Marching Band Festival in Dubuque and the Muskie Marching Band Invitational in Muscatine. This will be East’s first time participating in the Muscatine Invitational.
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The Waterloo East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Oct. 4 at Memorial Stadium in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays the xylophone during the band's halftime performance Friday at the opening the Cedar Falls' new 27th Street Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band get ready to perform at halftimeFriday at the opening the Tigers new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band play a tune during the gameFriday at the opening the Cedar Falls' new 27th Street Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
West High marching band members practice drills during a camp at theschoolon Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
West High band members practice hand positions and marching in a straight line during band camp at the school on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Director Jason Dobbs leads practice during marching band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Marching band members grab their horns and a drink of water at practice durin band camp at West High on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
West High marching band members practice drills during campgh on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Tubists Robert Dellit, left, and Steven Locke grab their horns during practice at the West High School band camp on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Director Jason Dobbs leads practice during band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Color guard members practice during band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Members of the Waterloo West band perform during halftime Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of Waterloo West's band perform during halftime Friday of the Wahawks' game with Dubuque Hempstead at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of Waterloo West's band perform during halftime Friday of the Wahawks' game with Dubuque Hempstead at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Waterloo West band's percussion team perform pre-game Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A Waterloo West band member performs a dance prior to the Wahawks' performance at halftime Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
PHOTOS: Cedar Valley high school's 2024 marching band seasons
Photos of the East, West and Cedar Falls high schools' bands from marching camp and football halftime shows during the fall of 2024. Photos by Chris Zoeller and Jim Nelson.
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The Waterloo East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Oct. 4 at Memorial Stadium in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
The East High Marching Band performs during halftime of the Trojans' homecoming game against Mason City on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays the xylophone during the band's halftime performance Friday at the opening the Cedar Falls' new 27th Street Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band get ready to perform at halftimeFriday at the opening the Tigers new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A member of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band plays at halftime Friday during the opening game of the Tigers' new 27th Street Stadium in Cedar Falls.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Cedar Falls marching band play a tune during the gameFriday at the opening the Cedar Falls' new 27th Street Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
West High marching band members practice drills during a camp at theschoolon Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
West High band members practice hand positions and marching in a straight line during band camp at the school on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Director Jason Dobbs leads practice during marching band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Marching band members grab their horns and a drink of water at practice durin band camp at West High on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
West High marching band members practice drills during campgh on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Tubists Robert Dellit, left, and Steven Locke grab their horns during practice at the West High School band camp on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Director Jason Dobbs leads practice during band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Color guard members practice during band camp at West High School on Aug. 9 in Waterloo.
- CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Members of the Waterloo West band perform during halftime Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of Waterloo West's band perform during halftime Friday of the Wahawks' game with Dubuque Hempstead at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of Waterloo West's band perform during halftime Friday of the Wahawks' game with Dubuque Hempstead at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
Members of the Waterloo West band's percussion team perform pre-game Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
A Waterloo West band member performs a dance prior to the Wahawks' performance at halftime Friday at Memorial Stadium.
- JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Editor
0 Comments
'); var s = document.createElement('script'); s.setAttribute('src', 'https://assets.revcontent.com/master/delivery.js'); document.body.appendChild(s); window.removeEventListener('scroll', throttledRevContent); __tnt.log('Load Rev Content'); } } }, 100); window.addEventListener('scroll', throttledRevContent); }
Want to see more like this?
Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.
Catherine.Crow
- Author email
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don't have an account? Sign Up Today