Returning for his second year as caption head, Apo expressed his excitement as the corps heads into the 2012 season. "With a couple of new additions to our team of instructors, I'm confident that this will be another successful and memorable season for the Cavalier Color Guard."
Sheldon Apo is the Guard Director for Bellbrook High School and designs/choreographs for Centerville High School. Sheldon marched in the 2001 and 2002 Cavalier Color Guard.Sheldon was a performer in the Pride of Cincinnati from 2003-2005. Since then, he has written for the Independent World Class finalist, Zydeco Color Guard as well as Northern Academy of Performing Arts from Sheffield, UK. After aging out of The Cavaliers, he received his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and Computer Engineering. Read more about Color Guard Caption Head, Sheldon Apo.
Tommy Allen is the program/visual coordinator and guard director for Norwin High School from North Huntingdon, Penn., helping lead the Norwin Knights' creative development and programming since 2008. In 2011, the Norwin Winter Guard claimed its first appearance in Winter Guard International's (WGI) Scholastic World Class Finals.
Allen serves as program coordinator for the Paul J. Hagerty High School Marching Band and Winter Guard in Oviedo, Fla., as well as designer for Zydeco World (Dayton, Ohio) and Centerville High School Winter Guard (Centerville, Ohio). Allen has also worked internationally with Northern Academy of Performing Arts (Sheffield, UK), the 2007-2009 Winter Guard United Kingdom (WGUK) Champions and 2010 WGI Independent Open Class Finalist. After marching as a color guard performer and drum major with The Cavaliers from 2002 to 2006, Tommy joined the corps' guard staff and design team in 2007. Read More about Artistic Director / Color Guard Designer, Tommy Allen.
Andrew Toth has been a member of the design team for The Cavaliers since 1998, and was a member of the color guard for two years prior. Other performance experience includes the Cadets of Bergen County (1993-1995), Emerald Marquis (1994-1995), Adagio (1996), and Pride of Cincinnati (1997-1998).
Toth is currently a designer for the Pride of Cincinnati winter guard as well as Carmel High School. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago where he resides today, and works as a physical therapy aide. He plans to continue his education in this field while maintaining his collaborative relationships in pageantry, and his passion and love for The Cavaliers. Read More about Color Guard Designer, Andrew Toth.
Bart Woodley has been on The Cavaliers' instructional staff 1994-95 and 2000-present. After performing in the Cavalier color guard (1991-1993) and Escapade Winter Guard, he began working with World Class programs such as Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard, Center Grove High School, and Centerville High School. Bart has served many Midwest marching bands and winter guards in various roles: director, coordinator, caption-head, choreographer, drill writer, designer, technician, clinician, and judge.
Bart holds a Masters in Public Relations and BA in Advertising from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Currently, Bart is the Director of Operations and Sponsor Relations for Winter Guard International. Read More about Visual Designer / Color Guard Instructor, Bart Woodley.
Brady Sanders, originally from Oswego Ill., attended Illinois State University, where he performed with the Illinois State Dance Theater. He has also trained and performed with the School of DanceWest Ballet in Naperville. Brady has toured nationally and internationally with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps and Thodos Dance Chicago. Recently he performed at the Busan International Dance Festival in South Korea.
Brady’s most recent teaching endeavors include Steven F. Austin High School, Marian Catholic High School, Norwin High School, and the Pride of Cincinnati winter guard. He performed with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2003 to 2007 and was Co-Guard Sergeant during his last two years. Brady has been privileged to teach The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps since 2008. Read more about Movement Choreographer / Color Guard Technician, Brady Sanders.
Travis Speice has performed with world class units including the Pride of Cincinnati (2006-present), Aimachi (2009), Empire (2005), and Patriots (2002-2003). He is also an alumnus of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (2004). Currently a Ph.D. graduate student, Speice recently received his master’s degree in sociology from the University of Cincinnati, and bachelor’s degrees in sociology and psychology from the State University of New York College at Brockport.
Speice has worked for several high school programs in various roles in Ohio, Kentucky, and New York. He is thrilled to be returning for his third year with The Cavaliers' instructional staff! Read more about Color Guard Technician, Travis Speice.
Robin Wells is from Oxford, Ohio, where she attended Talawanda High School. Her color guard accomplishments include marching the Phantom Regiment from 1994-1997, aging out as a 2-yr Captain and 1998 Pride of Cincinnati.
Robin currently teaches Bellbrook HS. Robin took a break from the guard activity in 2004 to pursue her law degree at America University in Washington, D.C. She came back to Ohio in 2008 and has been teaching Independent World Finalist, Zydeco. She has also taught Crown Guard (2000) and Centerville HS (1997-2004, 2008-2012).
Robin is excited to return for her second year on the Cavaliers Staff is and excited to meet new people as well as teach many talented performers. Read more about Color Guard Technician, Robin Wells.
Blake Dutton, from Dallas, Texas, is currently finishing his undergraduate degree in Communication Design from the University of North Texas. He was a member of the Cavaliers Color Guard from 2007 through 2010, along with other performance experience including Ars Nova Winter Guard (2007-2011) and the Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard (2012).
Dutton also works with the color guard programs at L.D. Bell High School and Broken Arrow High School. This is Blake’s first year as a member of The Cavaliers' Color Guard Staff, and he is looking forward to what this upcoming season has in store. Read more about Color Guard Technician, Blake Dutton.
Jimmy Schlenkert was born in Detroit, Mich., and grew up in the small town of White Lake, Mich. He graduated from Lakeland HS in 2005; and attended Oakland Community College for Theatre Design and Performance.
After high school, Jimmy performed with Third Edition, Interplay, and Independence. He then marched with Zydeco Colorguard in 2009 and served as Captain in 2011. He proudly performed with the Pride of Cincinnati in 2010 and most recently in 2012, earning two bronze medal finishes. He marched with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp from 06-08 and aged out with Carolina Crown in 2009.
Jimmy has taught groups including Marian Catholic HS, West Bloomfield HS and Pike HS. Last summer he was a clinician for Fred J. Miller Summer Clinics. He currently teaches the Greenwood Irish Guard from Greenwood, Ind.
This will be his first year on staff with The Cavaliers. He is looking forward to a great summer of working hard and having fun with the staff and members of The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps! Read more about Color Guard Technician, Jimmy Schlenkert.
Founded in 1948, The Cavaliers are one of the most successful drum and bugle corps in history, winning 20 national championships, including seven Drum Corps International world championships since 1992. Each summer, 150 male brass, percussion and color guard performers aged 16-22 present a marching music show considered among the most challenging and original in the world.
The group performs at more than 30 competitions across the US and for more than 100,000 fans. Along the way, the young men not only learn about music and performing, but have a life-changing experience based on excellence, teamwork and camaraderie.
The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization sponsored by The Village of Rosemont, Illinois.
