Seattle Cascades Drum And Bugle Corps

The Seattle Cascades is a World Class junior field competition corps based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1957, the Seattle Cascades is the oldest nationally touring drum and bugle corps in the Pacific Northwest. Cascades attended the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships in 1977 and '78, but the corps was far down in the pack in 45th and 34th place. After the challenging '79 show was re-written 4 times during the season, the corps was told to either score a 70 in California or not go to DCI. Unfortunately they fell short of the goal and did not attend DCI. In 1980, the corps began rebuilding mostly with middle school students in only a parade corps. In 1981 the corps attempted to field a show in competition but, half way through the season, the last few remaining older members were asked to leave, and the unit returned to only parading. The corps appeared in only a very few shows per year from 1982 through 1985. The Cascades returned to DCI in 1985, competing in Class A-60 but placing last of the 15 corps in prelims. This was followed by three years of inactivity which was followed by another two seasons of parades. Back on the field in 1991, the Cascades were 12th of 14 Class A-60 but fielded a larger corps in '92 that competed in the renamed Division II. For five seasons, the Cascades labored near the bottom of the Division II rankings. In 1996, the corps shot up to 6th place, but only five corps made DII finals. Inactive once more in '87, Cascades were 9th in Division II in 1998, 6th in 1999. Fielding a smaller corps in 2000, the Seattle Cascade surprised the drum corps world when they were crowned the DCI Division III World Champions and received the Spirit of Disney Award, given to the corps with the most entertaining family-oriented show. The score enabled the corps to compete in Division I, where the Cascades placed 23rd in Quarterfinals. In 2001 the corps nearly doubled in size. Competing in Division II, the Cascades’ show titled 'Veneration' with music by David Holsinger wowed crowds from coast to coast. The corps appeared ready to continue its rise to another world championship, winning important focus shows leading to the DCI Summer Music Games in Buffalo, New York. In the end, the Cascades came in second in Division II. A high finals score included an automatic invitation to compete in Division I. Defeating several established Division I corps, the Seattle Cascades left Buffalo with its highest score ever achieved in DCI competition, placing 17th in the Division I Semifinals. Moving up to Division I competition in 2002 paid dividends as the corps took part in DCI Finals in Madison, finishing 12th with their show entitled 'City Riffs.' This Finals competition made the Cascades one of only two corps (Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps being the other) to go from dead last (44th in 1977 DCI Open Class competition) to a Finals berth. The 110-member Cascades' 2003 placement was 15th in Semifinals. This marked them as the first Pacific Northwest corps to make DCI semifinalist status for three years running, and the corps made it four years in 2004 with their 14th place Semifinals finish. The Casacades were very nearly a casualty of the "Great Recession" of 2007-09, but after going inactive in 2008 to stabiize their finances, they returned to the field in 2009. The corps has since advanced to semifinals in 2011-12 and 2015-16; and only the overall growth in the strength of all corps has prevented their being more successful. [Northwest Youth Music Association; Dave Strickler; Drum Corps World (various issues); Joel James; Drum Corps International]