Know Your Brigade Staff

     Our next staff member in my "Know your Brigade staff" is our color guard technician - Danielle Birkholz.  Danielle marched in the Lighthouse Brigade from 2002-2006 and was not only rookie of the year in 2002, but aged out a champion in 2006 with our MACBDA victory and high color guard trophy!  Danielle as a marching member was always one of the hardest working students on the practice field.  She NEVER coasted through rehearsals and the staff and myself would often be amazed at how she performed 100% of every second  of rehearsal.

       I remember telling Todd Neuenschwander (our color guard caption head) during his first year on staff to just watch Danielle if he wanted to see how his color guard work should look when performed.  It was a very easy decision to add Danielle to the staff in 2007 and we are all very happy that she shares her talents with us!  Here is my "Q & A" with Danielle:

Name:  Danielle Birkholz

Position: Color Guard Technician

Number of years on staff:  3

Marching Band Experience:  7 years total with Junior and Senior Lighthouse Brigades

College:  Music education, UW-Stevens Point

Main Instrument:  Voice

Home Town:  Racine, WI

Birthday:  May 20th  1988

Favorite Food:  Gyros

Top five favorite movies:  I don't really have a concrete list, but here are a few:  Fight Club, Sweeney Todd, Boondock Saints, Silence of the Lambs, Memento

Favorite TV shows:  House, CSI, One Tree Hill

Book you are currently reading:  A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

What song is currently playing on your iPod:  Le Temps des Cathedrales from Notre Dame de Paris

Favorite sports team:  The Packers of course!

Favorite pig-out food:  I can pig out with the best of them, doesn't matter what kind of food!

Dream Vacation:  I've studied Greek and Roman art and architecture and I would love to actually visit and experience the beauty of it first hand.

Worst habit:  I run my hands through my hair all the time - it actually gets quite  obnoxious I'm told.

Hidden talent you have:  I can kick some butt at judo!

Famous person you have met:  Wynton Marsalis

Famous person you would like to meet:  I would LOVE to meet Stevie Wonder!

Favorite quote:  "The only thing better than singing is more singing".  - Ella Fitzgerald

Favorite Actor:  Anthony Hopkins

Favorite Actress:  Angelina Jolie

Favorite ride at Disney World:  Aerosmith's Rockin' Rollercoaster!!!

Add your own personal thoughts about the Lighthouse Brigade:  Honestly, I have no idea what to say here.  In short, so far I've dedicated ten years of my life to this organization, both performing and teaching.  I wouldn't have stuck around this long if it wasn't all worth it in the end.