Family ties offer a unique and powerful connection throughout the drum corps universe.
Many performers will march in the same corps as their parents and grandparents did. In other cases, parents or siblings become passionate fans, or even volunteers on the summer tour.
For Cincinnati Tradition’s 2025 corps, those familial threads weren’t just present in the audience or in the alumni ranks — they were together on the field.
According to director Andrea Meyer, shared family experiences are a hallmark of the Cincinnati Tradition organization, and one she greatly appreciates.
“It is who we are,” Meyer said. “It is what we are and have consistently been about since our corps’ inception 42 years ago.”
The representation of so many families, as Meyer put it, only strengthens the overall familial bond shared by the corps as a whole.
“One of the definitions of family is a group of people from a common stock,” she added. “The Cincinnati Tradition family are those individuals who are passionate about the marching arts.”
In total, Cincinnati Tradition’s 2025 corps — which earned a second-consecutive DCI All-Age Open Class championship and earned fifth overall in the All-Age division — featured three pairs of parents and children, and two pairs of siblings.
“We never got the chance in high school to share the field, because I graduated before he even stepped on it,” said Daniel Povis (trumpet), performed in 2025 with his brother, Andrew (front ensemble). “And now, we get to come and do one of the most fun activities every single weekend.”
Of course, especially as it pertains to parents and children marching side by side, much of Cincinnati Tradition’s family-inclusive nature would not be possible without the All-Age Class setup.
An all-inclusive age range, as well as the fact that All-Age organizations often offer a drum corps experience at a lower cost and lower level of time commitment, serves as the perfect stage for parents to rehearse, travel and perform alongside their grown children.
“When I found out about auditions, I said (to my son), ‘Well, if I’m going to do this, why don’t you do it with me?’” Said color guard member Jill Campbell, whose son Colin performed in the corps’ baritone section. “We’re getting to march on the field together, and our opening show was at (Colin’s high school). That was one of the coolest things about this for us.”
For Julian Owens, a euphonium player who had previously performed at the World Class level with Phantom Regiment, the opportunity to march with his father James, a baritone player, made the switch to a new corps more than worthwhile.
“After two years with Phantom Regiment, I figured I’d take a break and come march with my dad,” Julian said.
“I watched Julian at Lucas Oil Stadium the last two years,” added James, “and I thought it would be really cool for us to have the opportunity to come do it together. It’s been a really good time.”
As Meyer noted, the All-Age activity also affords the opportunity for individuals who may be past age eligibility to join a World or Open Class ensemble to still achieve their lifelong drum corps dreams.
“For some parents, it’s the opportunity to live out the dream that didn’t happen when they were younger, and for others it’s the opportunity to revisit the past and reignite their passion,” Whatever the motivation is, All-Age offers the opportunity to make their dream a reality. Sharing the experience with their child is a step above.
Ultimately, according to Meyer, one of the most meaningful aspects of seeing family members march together in her corps is the display of passion and intentional prioritization — not just of drum corps and of Cincinnati Tradition, but most importantly, of one another.
“You have to make time for the things that you’re passionate about, things that are truly important to you,” she said. “Our parents that march embrace that philosophy. They follow their passion and seize the moment. To be able to share that with the ensemble and also your child is a memory you and your child carry with you your whole life.”
