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FREE Players Drum and Bugle Corps

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FREE Players Drum and Bugle Corps is an American drum and bugle corps in Long Island, New York, made up of disabled people. With four sections – drumline, front ensemble, color guard, and brass – the corps has more than 70 members.[1] The FREE Players regularly perform in parades, competitions, and festivals throughout the United States,[2] and have performed at the Drum Corps International and at the Drum Corps Associates world championships, where they also competed in 2019.[3][4]

History

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The corps was founded in 2010 by Brian Calhoun,[5] and is run by Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illness, and traumatic brain injuries.[1][6][7]

The corps was invited to perform at the Drum Corps International World Class Championship in 2018,[8][2] along with the Community Living Hamilton Drum Corps from Ontario, Canada.[9] Although the FREE Players Drum and Bugle Corps performed at the 2018 DCI World Champions, they did not compete.[1]

In 2019, however, the FREE Players Drum and Bugle Corps was invited to both perform and compete at the Drum Corps Associates World Championships.[4][1] According to Newsweek, it was "the first time a differently abled drum and bugle corps was selected to compete".[1] The FREE Players headlined the DCA championship, performing "Fabulous" on August 31, 2019,[6] one day after their first Color Guard member performed an on-stage solo to the song "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Keeley, Matt (September 6, 2019). "Differently Abled Drum Corps Makes History at World Championships". Newsweek. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Strack, Ben (July 14, 2016). "Weisenberg donates to local drum corps". Herald Community Newspapers. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  3. ^ "Special Needs Drum Corps To Make History By Competing At World Championships". CBS New York. April 19, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Special Needs Drum Corps From Long Island Gives History-Making Performance At World Championships". CBS New York. August 31, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Driscoll, Kelly (January 24, 2017). "FREE Players Proves They Are More Than Able". FloMarching. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Danneker, Derek. "Differently abled drum corps featured at DCA world championship in city August 31, 2019". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  7. ^ "FREE Players Drum & Bugle Corps make DCA History!!!". Family Residences and Essential Enterprises. September 6, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  8. ^ Goldstein, Jennifer (April 3, 2018). "'Together as one' in the FREE Players Drum Corps". The Hofstra Chronicle. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  9. ^ Roberts, Nicole (August 18, 2018). "FREE Players and Community Living Hamilton". Halftime Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
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