LEGENDS PAA MISSION
Our mission is to develop and enrich lives of youth through performing arts.
ABOUT US
The Legends Performing Arts Association (LPAA) was formed in September 2006 by Ibe Sodawalla. Legends is committed to provide performing opportunities to the youth in the West Michigan area. These ensembles focus on life skill development and support the foundational purposes of music/arts education in schools. The LPAA supports the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps that serves young people from age 16-22. The LPAA also sponsors 2 Drum Corps International (DCI) events in Michigan during the summer and various educational clinics throughout the year. The LPAA is responsible for the oversight, planning, finances, and vision of Legends. Our flagship program, the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps, is a DCI Open Class Finalist which performs at select DCI events, community performances, and educational clinics. This ensemble is comprised of select members across the country. Their tour culminates at the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana the second week of August. The Legends Drum & Bugle Corps is the only one of its kind in Michigan.
HISTORY
Formed in 2001, The Legends program began as an indoor winter program for Portage Central High School brass and percussion students. Summer 2006 marked the first “Summer Experience” season for the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps. In 2008, the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps was granted DCI Open Class (OC) membership as a competitive corps. Legends finished as an Open Class semi-finalist at the DCI World Championships in its first year in competition (2008). In 2009 Legends finished 10th place as a finalist corps of DCI OC and received three awards: DCI OC Most Improved Corps, DCI OC Jim Jones Leadership Award (Kelly Koch), and DCI OC Corps Director of the Year (Ibe Sodawalla). In 2012, Legends was named the Most Improved DCI OC corps, and in 2013, DCI OC Jim Jones Leadership Award (Jenna Wojdula). Legends has been a DCI Open Class Finalist since 2009. Legends Winter Percussion began in 2010 and participates in the Michigan Color Guard Circuit (MCGC) and Winter Guard International (WGI). Legends Winter Percussion is the 2013 MCGC Percussion Independent A Champion, 2014 WGI Percussion Independent Open Finalist, and 2015 MCGC Percussion Independent Open Champion. In 2015 Legends finished in 5th place as a finalist corps of DCI OC and first year as DCI World Championships Semifinalist. Additionally, two awards: DCI OC Most Improved Corps, DCI OC Corps Director of the Year (Ibe Sodawalla). In 2016 Legends finished as the DCI Open Class Bronze Medalists and DCI World Championships Semifinalists and received one award: DCI OC Jim Jones Leadership Award (Noah Koch). In 2017 Legends finished as the DCI Open Class Bronze Medalist for the 2nd consecutive year and DCI World Championships Semifinalist. In 2018 Legends finished in 4th place as a finalist corps of DCI OC. In 2019 Legends finished as the DCI Open Class Silver Medalist, was the recipient of the DCI Open Class Best Percussion Award, and was a DCI World Championships Semifinalist.
THE LEGENDS LOGO
The Legends logo is a compass that is surrounded by a circle. The “compass points” of Legends provides us a reminder of the key facets of our success. The four points are the exceptional efforts of our staff, support from our community, continued commitment from our volunteers, and the members that we support.
