Greetings, Madison Scouts!

I spent the last two weekends in Dayton for Color Guard and Percussion WGI Championships, and I am truly inspired by the quality of performance and production that Madison Scouts staff and members are achieving in that space. Congratulations to all involved! -- I've included some pictures from the events.

You can order tickets to dozens of DCI events, including the Scouts shows in Madison, Whitewater, and Eau Claire. In addition, you can now order tickets in the special SCOUTS BLOCK to the Atlanta and Allentown regionals, as well as the DCI World Championships. Just use unlock code SCOUTS to access seats exclusively reserved for Madison Scouts family & fans.

We wrapped up November camp on Sunday afternoon. What a weekend!

We opened the camp with a member meeting in the auditorium at Milton High School, where we watched the 1995 opener and talked about what it means to be a Madison Scout. We heard from a few vets on the topic. I reinforced our values of service and entertainment — service off the field by being selfless and supportive of those around us, our facilities, etc. — service on the field by seeking excellence for entertainment, uplifting audience members who need the Madison Scouts to bring them joy.

While the weekend was mostly about fundamentals and auditions, the battery worked on intro material for the 2023 production, the brass developed Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and YNWA, and the FE worked on their lot tune. The guard put together a series of 1-2 minute performances on various equipment. We ended camp with the sections performing for each other.

The corps is in great hands as the professionalism, positivity, and quality of instruction continue to improve yearly. In particular, the addition of Susan Smith to our brass staff is fantastic for the corps. Her extensive experience as a music educator makes her an incredible motivator, role model, and resource for the horn line.

PJ Tankard is embarking on his first full season as our guard caption head after inheriting the program in the Spring of 2022. Reports from Alumnus (and Choreographer/Visual Coordinator) Ty Rainey indicate that the guard is starting stronger than last August. I’m looking forward to the progress this caption will make with consistency in leadership and pedagogy.

Greetings Alumni!

With Championships week rapidly approaching, now is an excellent time for me to offer you a reflection on the 2022 season. We've worked hard since 2020 to establish a design and educational approach that provides the organization with consistency, excellence, and an enhancement in member experience. The team navigated a pandemic together, a non-competitive 2021 half-summer season, and now its first full competitive season. While I could tell you all about the bumps in the road or adjustments we plan to make as our team develops, I'll let you know about all the great things happening.

I'm sure many of you are wondering, 'how has the transition to gender inclusivity gone?' My short answer is, 'it's gone well, but we're always learning how to better support our female and non-binary identifying members.' Like our world, macro and micro-communities are complex and dynamic while simultaneously beautiful and enriching. Adding more people into the mix presents new community dynamics but has certainly pushed us to be a better organization. I feel confident that we're providing our members a community where they are welcome, celebrated, and challenged daily to give their best on and off the field.

The Madison Scouts, Forward Performing Arts, and the Madison Scouts Alumni Association are pleased to announce the newly established Madison Scouts Hall of Fame, the highest achievement recognition and honor to individuals who have participated in the Madison Scouts organization throughout its long history.

“We are thrilled to have finally established a Madison Scouts Hall of Fame to recognize, honor, and celebrate those who have given so much to the organization,” said Executive Director Chris Komnick. “Our inaugural class sets the standard of service and leadership and represents the true character of the corps.” This year’s inaugural class of inductees include C.H. Beebe, Bill Howard, and Scott Stewart.

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Madison Scouts are proud to feature stories from the first class of women in membership as well as the women on staff. 

‍Carley Belknap, Amelia Kannon, and Thea Kilbane were members of the Madison Scouts in 2021. Belknap was a cymbal player, Kannon was in colorguard, and Kilbane was a drum major. Belknap and Kannon will be returning for their second summer. Kilbane aged out in 2021 and returned to the Scouts as an administrative intern.