NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Sky Ryders Performing Arts Foundation is looking to bring back the long-time Hutchinson-based drum and bugle corps to the Salt City and the kickoff for the group is a clinic next week at Gowans Stadium.
"The Blue Devils are the 20-time reigning champion of Drum Corps International," said Dr. Jay Smith with the foundation. "They are the best of the best. They are the Kansas City Chiefs of DCI. They will come in and you will see excellence in terms of all the players are top notch. Most of them are college age students, like HCC students, who have reached the top of their game. The pageantry is stunning, the colors, the props they use and then of course, the sound."
The reason the Sky Ryders ultimately left Hutchinson was due to financial struggles, so Smith knows it will take some time to put together.
"What happened with the Sky Ryders in the 1990s was, the whole funding model became a bit antiquated," Smith said. "For example, the Sky Ryders had this bingo hall on 4th Street. Obviously, the activity now, like everything else in our country has just skyrocketed in terms of cost. The whole fundraising model that the Sky Ryders Performing Arts Foundation has is a little bit different and it requires fundraising on actually a national level, not just going to our alumni for financial support or for marching members for dues, fees, but we're talking corporate level sponsorships. That's already all begun."
The hope is to get the enthusiasm for the art form started again so that when the money is there, the players will be, too.
"We can only project timelines at this point," Smith said. "We're looking at a minimum of five years to seven years, actually. Having said that, the age out is 21."
The tentative schedule for Monday is as follows:
- 1pm – 5 p.m. – Blue Devils work with visual staff on field (Free stadium seating to all attenders)
- 3:30 p.m. – KS Band students – After introductions by Eric Stambaugh, Jay Smith, and Pat Seidling, the students will work with Blue Devils sections in and around the Stringer Fine Arts auditorium
- 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Band students work with Blue Devils instructors in sections
- 5:30 p.m. – 6:30pm – Concessions will be open
- 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Blue Devils in Stadium field for ensemble work and run throughs
- 9:30 p.m. – Final full run through by the Blue Devils
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.