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Special Needs Drum Corps Chosen to Participate in WGI Percussion World Championships
September 29, 2015 | News
Announcement to Be Made at Rally Where Drum Corps Will Perform
On Friday, October 2, Family Residences and Essential Enterprise (FREE) will be holding a rally at their Old Bethpage headquarters where they will announce that the FREE Players Drum Corps will be participating in the WGI Percussion World Championships in April 2016 at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, OH.
Where:
Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE)
Multi-Purpose Room
191 Bethpage Sweet Hollow Rd
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
When:
10:00 a.m.
Friday, October 2, 2015
***Great visuals as all members of drum corps will be present and drumline will be performing***
In 2014, the FREE Players Drum Corps made history as the first Special Needs Group to ever perform at the WGI Percussion World Championships. They we will be returning to the University of Dayton Arena for the first time since their historic performance in 2014. The Drum Corps is scheduled to perform in Exhibition on Friday, April 15, for A Class Finals and Saturday, April 16, for World Class Finals. Thousands of spectators are expected to be in attendance as this is the largest Indoor Percussion event in the World.
FREE will also be announcing that the FREE Players Color Guard will be returning to the WGI Eastern Color Championships in West Long Branch NJ for the 2nd year in a row. The WGI Eastern Championships will be held on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at the MAC in Monmouth University. Thousands of spectators are expected to be in attendance.
About the FREE Players Drum Corps
The Free Players Drum Corps are one of the first Special Needs Drum Corps to exist in the world. The Corps was developed at FREE’s Day Program in Old Bethpage. It is part of a unique theatre arts curriculum for adult men and women with talent and similar interests who have autism and other developmental disabilities. Drum Corps has been therapeutic for many of the adults that attend the program, as rhythm is a powerful tool that permeates throughout the brain. Drumming has been proven to reduce both mental and physical challenges that one may have and has enabled these men and women to work on their social skills as well as build a sense of unity and self-worth.
The Corps is comprised of 3 sections, a Drumline, Color Guard and a Front Ensemble. The Corps performs in parades, competitions and festivals, year round, never taking a season off. Each year they develop programs for Indoor Season (Winter Percussion and Winter Guard), Drum Corps Season and Marching Band Season.
In the past 3 years, FREE’s Drum Corps has made history on several occasions, traveling and performing at world class events across the country. At these world class events FREE’s men and women are embraced with open arms, respected, appreciated and have been credited for inspiring others to create similar corps around the globe. The main component that FREE’s men and women share with these world class corps, is passion; the unwavering passion, heart, determination and dedication to achieve excellence in the marching arts.
By performing in the community, the Drum Corps is helping to dissolve boundaries and educate the community on the abilities of individuals with disabilities rather than focusing on their differences.