6 Minutes To Glory: The HBCU Band Experience

Witness the talent of the Jackson State University band, The Iconic Sonic Boom of the South. Hear from the band directors at JSU who discuss the importance of respect and a paramilitary structure within HBCU bands, as well as from the leaders of The Jackson 5 Drum Major Squad and The Prancing J-Settes dance line.

Visit Alcorn State University and meet the Funky Four drum majors, the Golden Girls dance line, the Purple Flashers flag team, as well as the other band members (known as Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite) who bring campus events to life.

Follow the GSU Tiger Marching Band and the Orchesis Dance Company as they prepare for their season and meet the trailblazing first female band director at Grambling.

Over its 80-year history, The Marching Storm band has influenced recruitment at the university and continues to be one of the largest organizations on campus. Hear from not only the band members and directors, but also from the director of The Black Foxes dance line and The Twirling Thunder color guard.

Texas Southern University is the second largest HBCU in the nation, and home to the Ocean of Soul marching band that performed alongside Janet Jackson’s 2004 Superbowl Halftime show. Meet some of the key Ocean of Soul members, as well as the directors and dancers on the Motion of the Ocean dance team.

Alabama A&M University boasts nearly 150 years of history, and its band, the Marching Maroon & White, has been around for almost all of it. Hear from the band directors on what it takes to craft their signature sound, as well as from the leaders of Alabama A&M’s flag and dance teams, The Fabulous Flags and The Dancin’ Divas.

Expert commentary as we review the highs and lows of season 2, the bands, their styles, and what makes them unique.