Lauryn Heller is looking forward to her sixth season with The Bushwackers Drum Corps. Lauryn has experienced the world of the marching arts from a very young age, particularly because of her mother’s influence. She attributes much of her success to her 8 years performing with the WGI A class finalist Haddon Heights HS “High Voltage” color guard program and its exceptional staff (2002-2009). After high school, Lauryn marched indoor color guard with The Light Brigade (2010), Alter Ego (2011, 2012), and The Black Watch (2014, 2016). Additionally Lauryn marched as a color guard performer, and served as a captain, with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. (2008-2013).
Lauryn’s creative and instructional experience includes Washington Township HS (2011 – 2019), Surge Independent (2016 – 2019), The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (2014, 2015), The Black Watch (2017, 2018), Hatboro Horsham Indoor Percussion Ensemble and Marching Band (2019), United Percussion (2017 – 2020), Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2016 – 2019), Haddon Heights HS Color Guard (2010 – Present), Bridgewater Raritan HS Color Guard (2019 – Present), and The Bushwackers Drum Corps (2016 – Present).
In almost every aspect of her life, Lauryn chooses to dedicate her time and efforts to the growth and support of the youth. She has earned an Associate’s degree in social services from Gloucester County College, a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rowan University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Teaching Special Education at New Jersey City University. By day, Lauryn is a special education teacher in Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District for kindergarten students. On nights and weekends, she works with multiple marching arts organizations. Lauryn is looking forward to an exciting season of creativity, collaboration, and growth!
Tanner Jones returns the Bushwackers Color Guard staff for the 2020 season as our lead choreographer! Tanner currently resides in Coatesville, PA. His marching experiences began very young, and expand as far west as California. Tanner’s marching experience includes Archbishop Wood, The Jersey Surf, The Black Watch, The Reading Buccaneers, Pennsauken Independent, Santa Clara Vanguard, and The Blue Devils. He found an instant love for the education side of the activity and began choreographing and instructing quickly. He’s crafted and assisted at many local winterguards and just began traveling to different parts of the country to continue his development as an educator in working with various groups. Tanner currently serves as the Artistic Director of The Black Watch Winter Guard. Tanner is looking forward to another season of creativity and hard work with The Bushwackers.
Lance Boggs returns to the Bushwackers Color Guard Staff for his fifth year with the drum corps. Lance started his journey performing arts journey at a studio called Chico Creek Dance in California, where he joined a hip hop and lyrical company for 5 years. Lance began color guard in high school and continued on to march Blue Devils for 2 years. Later, while living in Seattle, he marched with Rhapsody Winter Guard. During that time Lance shared his talents with many different high schools, but most prominently with North Kitsap for 4 years.
In 2014, Lance moved to New Jersey. Since his relocation, he has marched with The Black Watch color guard from 2014 to 2018 and he is the color guard director at Triton High School. Lance collaborates with many other groups in the area such as Haddon Heights and Surge Independent, where he works with Lauryn all months of the year. This is Lance’s second year as caption head. He is so excited to be working with Bushwackers again and to get started on 2020.
Dylan Brierley returns to the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps staff for the 2020 season! Dylan began his marching arts career with Southern Regional High School (2009-2012). After high school, he marched with WGI’s Field of View in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Dylan also marched with DCA’s Reading Buccaneers in 2014, and DCI’s Cavaliers in 2015. Most recently, Dylan was a flag corps member with Walt Disney Live Entertainment for the 2019 Saks 5th Avenue Holiday Show featuring Idina Menzel, and our friends from Arendelle!
Dylan’s instructional experience includes Southern Regional High School (2012-Present), Lacey Township High School (2014-2016), and Towson University Winterguard (2014).
Dylan’s drive in life has been to inspire others, and validate that everyone’s dreams are possible. After receiving his B.A. in the Studies in the Arts, with a concentration in Dance Performance from Stockton University, he had the chance to participate in the Disney College Program, and work in the Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, Florida! His dream is to return to the happiest place on earth to keep inspiring the young, and the young at heart! Dylan is ecstatic to join the Bushwackers again for another summer to contribute to the growth of the corps!
Samantha Burns is thrilled to be returning to the Bushwackers Color Guard staff for the 2020 season.
Samantha began her marching career with four years in the Washington Township High School marching band (2007-2010) and indoor color guard (2008-2011). After graduating high school, she marched two years with the Co-Motion Open Winterguard (2012-2013). She found her love for teaching color guard at Washington Township HS in 2012 and has been teaching at WTHS ever since, currently serving as a color guard instructor for both the WTHS marching band and winterguard programs. In addition, she is joining the AMP Winterguard staff for her second year, working with their Independent A class group.
Samantha holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and currently works as the Quality Coordinator for a South Jersey based social services agency. She found a love for the Bushwackers in 2016 and can’t wait to begin her fifth season as a part of the Color Guard staff!
Kirby Kistler began her independent marching career with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2011, also performing with them in 2012 and 2014. She continued her DCI experience as a member of Carolina Crown in 2015. She also performed with the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps at the 2019 DCA Championships. During the winter season, Kirby was a member of Field of View Winterguard from 2014-2015, and the visual ensemble at Cadets Winter Percussion in 2016.
Since aging out, Kirby’s passion has been educating in the marching arts. After 5 years as a member of the Abington Senior High School colorguard, she stayed on as a Colorguard Technician from 2013-2016. She was the Colorguard Caption Head of Hatboro-Horsham High School from 2017-2018, followed by Upper Moreland High School from 2018-2019. She also contributed choreography and movement instruction for Hatboro-Horsham Indoor Percussion from 2016-2018, and Imperial Dynasty Indoor Percussion in 2017. Currently, Kirby is a Movement/Visual Technician for United Percussion, and a Colorguard Technician at the Black Watch winterguard. This will be her second season as a Colorguard Technician with the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps, and she cannot wait to begin another summer with the Bush family. She is a recent graduate of Temple University in Communication and Social Influence and Environmental Studies and looks forward to the start of her career in strategic communication.
Dylan Mazzarella returns to the Bushwackers Color Guard staff for the 2020 season!
Dylan Mazzarella is currently an exercise science major at Southern Connecticut State University. He has been involved in his high school color guard since 2013 and has since continued at the University of New Haven for the fall and winter seasons. Dylan has marched 4 summers of drum corps since 2015. He marched three seasons with 7th Regiment based out of New London, CT. This past summer, Dylan performed and aged out with Blue Knights from Denver, CO. Currently, he is instructing for Naugatuck High School in Naugatuck, CT. Dylan looks forward to this new teaching opportunity with the Bushwackers for the upcoming 2019 season.
Cathryn currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her colorguard career 10 years ago at the age of 13 and performed with the Colorguard and Winterguard programs from 2009-2015. She then went on to march with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2015 and Lexis Winterguard in 2016 where she received a bronze medal. Cathryn is now studying floral design at The Flower School and finishing her yoga teacher certifications.
Cathryn has worked with various colorguard and percussion programs in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana as a tech, choreographer and consultant since 2015. This is Cathryn’s first year teaching DCA and she’s very excited to see the 2020 version of the Bushwackers.