Fusion Core

Fusion Core Drum and Bugle Corps, founded in 2006, is a Class A DCA Drum Corps based in Morris County, New Jersey. Also simply called "Fusion", they are relatively new to the drum corps world.

History

In 2006, after the Championship weekend held in Rochester, New York, Holly and Ralph Marino met up with a couple of people to discuss the creation of a new competing Drum and Bugle Corps. Their intention was to be a different type of organization from the start. They came up with the name "Fusion Core" after a few different IDeaS. The reason why they decided on "Core" instead of "Corps" is to continue the idea of being different. The location of the corps was decided to be in Northern New Jersey.

The first time people had the chance to see what Fusion Core was AbOUT, the corps held their first open house on January 6th, 2007 at the Mine Hill American Legion Post #391 in Mine Hill, NJ.Spreading the word around of a new corps had people interested in checking it out. Many of the people that had arrived were from the Dover, NJ area. Also many of the prospective new members were relatively young, many of which were still in high school. Many of the people that arrived for the open house decided to stay for the duration of the season. Making the minimum 35 marching members, Fusion Core was a competing field corps for the 2007 DCA Season.

During the winter months, like any other corps, they were booking parades. The first parade was a St. Patrick's Day parade in Hoboken, NJ.

The corps had a very successful winter season, revealing their show "The Journey Begins", and continued through to the Spring season, the beginning of drill. People kept coming to join the corps and Fusion Core got larger. They completed all of the drill, put it to music and was ready for competition.

Fusion began it's competing journey at the Grand Prix, hosted by the Hawthorne Caballeros, on July 14th, 2007. The first performance was a successful one, receiving a score of 67.3251 and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Their next show was held in Manassas, VA. They place 2nd in the show, with a score of 74.5002, behind the Rochester Crusaders. Later that evening into the morning, Rochester and Fusion Core spent quality time with each other that will never be forgotten. Spending the night at the Freed Aquatic & Fitness Center in Manassas, VA, the corps had A Wonderful time with each other. A Sauna is at the center and was a place where the drumline from both corps came together and had a section in the sauna. Morning arrives and Fusion Core was told by their food provider that an emergency came up and couldn't serve Fusion Core their breakfast in the morning. Hungry, Fusion Core waits for their bus to arrive, but it is running late. Crusaders invites Fusion Core to eat breakfast with them, continuing the relationship between the two corps.

The next show was in Chambersburg, PA. The Corps received a score of 71.3753, while also receiving the Fan Favorite Award. Followed by a show in Syracuse, NY with a score of 74.688[http://corpsreps.com/scores.cfm?view=corpsyrscore&corps=677&corpstype=Senior&yearqry=2007]and one last one in West Haven, CT with a score of 76.0704.

Labor Day weekend comes around and the 2007 DCA Championship weekend has begun in Rochester, NY. Many people were talking that Fusion has a good chance of making finals, maybe winning Class A. The Preliminary Competition started and Fusion Core put up a performance to be remembered. Fusion came in 4th place overall with a score of 81.875, missing Class A finals, top 3 only, by .063 points. Though Fusion Core didn't make the Finals competition, they still practiced a little as they were to spend the time before finals with the Rochester Crusaders at their practice field, as they offered to share the field if Fusion Core made finals and Crusaders were to provide a steak meal with the corps. The first season of Fusion was in the books.

Fusion Core was back for the 2008 season with their open house on December 1st at Rahway High School in Rahway, NJ. Most of the corps was their from the inaugural season with many more new people coming and joining as Fusion Core continued with their "Momentum". Their show was much more complicated then the previous year but the members were up for the challenge.

Fusion Core began it's 2008 competing season in Wildwood, NJ with a score of 55.7. A penalty of 4.2 points was placed on Fusion Core for not meeting the required time, as the show had not been completed. The next show was in Manassas, VA. They scored 68.238 with no penalties. Returning to the site where Fusion Core began their journey, Clifton, NJ, they came and scored a 68.625. Following the Grand Prix, they were in Endicott, NY for a competition the next week and scored 71.213.

For the first time in DCA history, they were going to have a Northeast Regional Championship to be held at Waterloo, NY on August 2nd, 2008. The competition for Class A included: Fusion Core, Grenadiers, Carolina Gold, and White Sabers. Fusion Core won the competition with a score of 75.550, the corps' first victory in its short history. They performed an encore before the Empire Statesmen of Rochester, NY, winners of the Open Class competition and fellow hatless corps.

Their competition didn't end there. The next week, Fusion Core was in Kingston, NY and scored a 77.550. And for the conclusion of the "Regular Season", Fusion was in Reading, PA and finished with a score of 79.975.

New to the Class A competition for the 2008 season was that 4 corps were to be admitted into finals, instead of the 3 in previous years. Fusion Core came in and performed and scored an 83.025, placing them into the Class A finals, first appearance in finals for the corps. Rochester Crusaders made it a tradition to share their field with Fusion Core followed by a steak meal. Fusion Core performed their finals performance after Chops Inc. Coming off the field, Rochester Crusaders, standing by the entrance gate, congratulated Fusion Core on their performance, most of Fusion Core were in tears marching out of the gates. After packing up everything, most of the members decided to return the favor by emulating Crusaders as they marched out of the gates. Rochester had the same reaction, another memory these corps' will never forget.

Finals retreat came and most of the corps was anxious as they knew it was to be a close match with scores in Class A. Caption awards were announced and Fusion Core won High Brass, High Visual, and Best Color Guard, while High GE(General Effect) and High Percussion went to Alliance of Atlanta, GA. 4th and 3rd place were announced and the anxiety of Fusion grew. The announcer heightened the tension by announcing "It's close." Fusion Core came in 2nd place with a score of 82.463 behind Alliance's score of 82.750.

Fusion Core is now entering their 3rd season with a show entitled "ProgresS"

Show Summary

Links

Song History for Fusion Core

Fusion Core

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