Welcome back to **On A Water Break**! 🎙️ This week, we’re diving into another dynamic and insightful episode celebrating the **marching arts community** during **Black History Month**. Get ready for **powerful discussions**, **expert insights**, and a whole lot of fun! This episode features an incredible lineup of rotating hosts and special guests, including **Michael James, Tony Lymon, and Sabine François**. 🌟
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## 🎧 **In This Episode:**
🔥 **Key Topics & Segments**
✅ **Celebrating Black History Month** – Highlighting Black excellence in the marching arts, representation challenges, and progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
✅ **Marching Arts Industry News** – The latest updates impacting our community, from safety concerns to major event highlights.
✅ **We March Initiative** – Connecting performers with open spots in drum corps and broadening accessibility.
✅ **HBCUs & The Super Bowl** – A discussion on the groundbreaking moment of HBCU bands taking center stage.
✅ **Honda Battle of the Bands** – Its **West Coast debut** and why it matters for the marching arts world.
## 👥 **Featured Hosts & Guests:**
🎤 **Michael James** – Renowned choreographer and designer in the marching arts.
🎤 **Tony Lymon** – Pageantry design expert and YouTube content creator for marching arts education.
🎤 **Sabine François** – Educator and advocate for inclusivity in color guard and dancewear.
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## 📰 **News & Important Links:**
📢 **Breaking News:** Pasadena Memorial HS incident → [https://abc13.com/post/dennis-erwin-b…](https://abc13.com/post/dennis-erwin-b…)
🚀 **We March Initiative:** Connecting cut performers with open spots in drum corps! More details on Drum Corps Today’s Instagram → [https://www.instagram.com/drumcorpstoday/](https://www.instagram.com/drumcorpstoday/)
🎟 **DCI 2025 Tickets:** On sale February 10! Get yours here → [https://www.dci.org/news/mega-monday-…](https://www.dci.org/news/mega-monday-…)
🏆 **HBCUs at the Super Bowl:** NY Times Article → [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/ar…](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/ar…)
🎶 **Honda Battle of the Bands:** West Coast debut at SoFi Stadium → [https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-cor…](https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-cor…)
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## ⏳ **Time Stamps for Easy Navigation:**
00:00:00 – Introduction & Episode Preview
00:00:40 – Celebrating Black History Month Series
00:01:32 – Listener Engagement & Participation
00:01:54 – Pride in Colette’s Growth
00:03:18 – Meet Michael James & Sabine François
00:05:01 – Balancing Roles in the Color Guard
00:05:54 – Rapid-Fire Life Stories
00:08:59 – Crisis Management in Marching Arts
00:12:33 – Safety Measures & Board Actions
00:17:20 – ‘We March’ Project Introduction
00:19:46 – HBCU Bands at the Super Bowl
00:26:59 – Honda Battle of the Bands Spotlight
00:32:10 – DEI in Marching Arts
00:33:05 – Challenges in Pageantry Arts
00:38:33 – Expressing Black Experiences
00:46:57 – Inclusivity & Representation Journey
00:56:02 – Performance Preparation Tips
00:59:55 – Why do percussionists feel like they are being trolled by the Color Guard during world championships?
01:10:04 – Demystifying Design on YouTube
01:14:15 – Self-care & Inspiration in Arts
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## 📲 **Stay Connected!**
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– Instagram: [@onawaterbreak](https://www.instagram.com/onawaterbreak/)
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💬 **Drop a comment below** and tell us your **favorite part of the episode!** Don’t forget to **subscribe** for more marching arts discussions and insights from our amazing rotating hosts! 🥁🎶
