Iris Schneider
The North Carolina Central University Sound Machine appears at the 122nd Rose Parade in Pasadena, Ca. on January 1, 2011. The band marched past the reviewing stands and down Colorado Blvd along the 5.5 mile route, and finished to smaller but enthusiastic crowds.
PASADENA, Cal. -- N.C. Central University's Marching Sound Machine had to overcome funding problems, sieges of bad weather and even fear of flying to complete its long-standing goal: marching in Saturday's 122nd Rose Parade.
Thousands of roadside spectators cheered on the Marching Sound Machine as they played Michael Jackson's "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" while executing some of Jackson's most famous dance moves - the moonwalk and anti-gravity lean.
"I never imagined how many people would be there," said Letitia Harris, a junior trombone player. "I can't even think right now; I'm just trying to catch my breath."
The band wooed spectators who braved cold weather for the parade, but the live ABC-NBC coverage cut away before the Marching Sound Machine strutted past network cameras. Hallmark Channel viewers later saw the complete parade, including NCCU's performance.
"It is disappointing, but we are going to have news coverage," NCCU spokeswoman Cindy Fobert said. "We're trying to find a good option for people who want to watch it."
The glitch over network television coverage was far from the Marching Sound's biggest obstacle. A blizzard that blanketed much of the East Coast last month hampered practices with freezing temperatures.
Freezing practices
"Our biggest trial toward the end was really the weather," band director Jorim Reid said. "It got really cold - in the 30s and approaching the 20s."
Foul weather also delayed the flights of band members who had to travel to Raleigh-Durham International Airport before heading on to California, Reid said. Many of them caught a train at the last minute, Reid said.
Even the plane ride proved troublesome for many of the marchers who had never flown before, equipment manager Rebecca Grovenstein said.
"I would say about 75 percent of the band had never been on a plane before," Grovenstein said.
Paying for the trip also proved a challenge. The band is still about $200,000 short of the trip's $500,000 price, Fobert said. Videos of the band's performance in a pre-parade show may help them pay for the trip.
"We're still fundraising," Fobert said.
Wal-Mart saved the university about $100,000 by packing up and transporting all the instruments and equipment.
The band's booster club also pitched in, raffling off a new Nissan Versa to the tune of $56,000, said Marilyn Clements, the club president. The club also sold NCCU marching band sweaters, hats, key chains and blankets, Clements said - "whatever we could do to help them get here."
Aside from raising money for the trip and getting to Pasadena, the 200 member band also had to put in plenty of practice, Reid said. The band performed 24 laps on the university's track in final preparations for the six-mile march, Reid said.
Conditioning helps
The hard work paid off.
"They held up well," Reid said. "A little fatigue with the brass players lips, but that's normal."
Despite the band's conditioning efforts, the long march took its toll on some band members.
"I think my feet are bleeding," freshman Mariah Mooring said as she limped back to the bus.
Sore feet or not, most band members agreed the arduous preparations were well worth it.
"This was the greatest experience of my life," trumpet player Marcus Ballentine said. "To march down the street and see everyone on the side cheering, it felt good."
