2006 Independent World Winterguard
Design/Instructional Staff
Jonathan Vanderkolff (Staging Director, Choreography, Composer) serves on the creative team for Blast, Shockwave and Cyberjam and has been a member of the Blast/MEG organization for the past 12 years. Jonathan, along with the choreography team received an Emmy Award for the PBS broadcast of Blast. They were also nominated for the 2002 Tony Award and 2002 National Broadway Theatre Award in Choreography. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, he has been the stage director, composer and choreographer for the Emerald Marquis Winter Colorguard, Northview High School, and several other pageantry award winning organizations throughout the world. Jonathan graduated with an honors degree in music theory and composition from the New England Conservatory in Boston.
Jim Moore (Choreography) has served on the design team for the Blast/ MEG organization for the past 10 years. Jim has been the principal dancer of Blast, Shockwave and Cyberjam as well as working extensively on training the casts in all movement technique. Jim along with the choreography team received an Emmy Award for the PBS broadcast of Blast. They were also nominated for the 2002 Tony Award and 2002 National Broadway Theatre Award in Choreography. Jim has been dancing professionally for 12 years, beginning his career as a principal dancer for the Georgia Ballet Company. Along with Jim's ballet career, he has been the choreographer for many World Champion Winter Guard and Drum & Bugle Corps organizations including the Pride of Cincinnati, Emerald Marquis and the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.
Greg Lagola (Choreographer, Design Consultant, Costume Designer) has served on the creative team of the World Champion Cadets Drum Corps for the past 16 years. Greg also served on the design team for the World Champion Emerald Marquis winter guard from 1990 through 2001, and Miamisburg High School. In addition to instructing, Greg has designed costumes for various color guards and Drum Corps, and is currently the designer of the "Greg" collection available through Fred J. Miller. Greg received his BA in Art from the Pennsylvania State University, and an AAS from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Greg works as a design director for a major women's apparel private label manufacturer and has recently launched his own men's designer collection, available in specialty stores.
Carol Abohatab (Choreographer) is the Director and Choreographer for the Children's Adventures in Movement which Carol created in the Fall of 2001. The program was created as a way to offer high quality, affordable creative movement to the community to allow children to express themselves freely, and to help enrich their artistic experience. Carol has both BS & MFA degrees in Dance Performance and Choreography, and has been teaching children and adults around the country for 20 years. Carol has been the principal movement choreographer for the World Champion San Jose Raiders and Emerald Marquis Winter Guards. Carol was the Color Guard Caption Head at the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum Corps in 1997-1999, and the principal movement choreographer for the World Champion Cadets Drum Corps in 2004.
Denise Bonfiglio, 2000 WGI Hall of Fame inductee, started her performing career with the 27th Lancers Drum Corps. Since aging out of the Lancers, Denise has taught the 27th Lancers, World Champion Cadets, Star of Indiana, and Santa Clara Vanguard Drum Corps for the past 27 years. Along with Denise's extensive drum corps career, Denise was the Assistant Director, and served on the design team for Emerald Marquis 1990-2001, and Miamisburg High School 2002-2004. Throughout Denise's pageantry career, Denise has taught a number of successful Independent and Scholastic winter guard programs across the US. Currently Denise is the Santa Clara Vanguard Staff Coordinator, and will be part of the design and technical team for the Santa Clara Independent World Color Guard. Professionally, Denise is a 2nd Vice President for MetLife, the largest Life Insurer in the United States. At MetLife, Denise coordinates and manages software Development, and Quality Assurance functions in several locations around the US and Canada.
Dave Meikle, Director of Santa Clara Winter Color Guard, started his performing career in the Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps. After a 10 year career with the Dutch Boy, Dave moved to the States and performed with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum Corps, and the Garfield Cadets. Dave's winter guard performance experience includes the Imperial Knights from Long Island, NY and the World Champion San Jose Raiders. After aging out, Dave taught the Sonnor Independent World Color Guard performing the role of the Artistic Director, and Technician. Dave has spent the past 10 years educating the students of the 8 consecutive time Scholastic World Champion James Logan High School Color Guard, holding various positions as technician, choreographer, class teacher, and guard coordinator for both their Fall, and Winter guard programs. Over the last 15 years, Dave has taught for many groups including the Blue Devils Youth Organization for 10 years before joining the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2005 as the Color Guard Caption Head.
Diane Corbett started her performing career with the Santa Clara Vanguard B-corps in 1984. Diane performed with the B-corps/Cadet Corps Color Guard from 1984-1990. In 1991 Diane joined the A-corps where she performed from 1991-1996. Diane has worked with many high school, college and drum corps Color Guards in Northern California, Taiwan and Connecticut. Diane is been the Guard Caption Head for the Santa Clara Cadet corps since 2001. Diane currently teaches at the Children's Adventures in Movement, and also works as a Special Education Aide. Diane recently finished her B.A. in Liberal Studies at Norte Dame de Namur University.
Jillian Powers started her performing career with Lawrence Central high school marching band and winter guard 1993-1997. Jill performed in the World Champion Emerald Marquis Color Guard from 1998 through 2001, and also performed in the DCI World Champion Cadets in 2001. Jill has taught at many high schools including Lawrence Central and Leigh High School and was the Color Guard Caption Head for the World Champion East Cost Jazz in 2002.
