Donald Shorter Nomination Letter

4/12/2019

Re: Letter of Recommendation for Michelle Owens

My name is Donald Shorter and I writing this letter of recommendation on behalf of Michelle Owens for consideration of being inducted into the Cadets Hall of Fame. I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle in 1996 when I started my first year of marching with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corp as a member of the colorguard. I was a young gay kid from a small town in New Jersey who never felt like I fit in anywhere until I marched with the Crossmen (1996-1999). During this time I was surrounded by so many brilliant members, teachers, artists, musicians, as well as a a kind and loving staff. Over the course of my four year journey with the Crossmen I had one teacher who was there the entire time. That was Michelle.

As a teacher, she instilled in me a work ethic like none other. Through her, I learned that drum and bugle corp was a way of life and that spinning a rifle, flag, and sabre was a mode of self expression. Most of my time with Michelle was spent during sabre blocks where she taught me stellar technique (how to catch on the tape). I’ll never forget how much joy she brought to her pedagogy. Even during those grueling tours that consisted of 14 hour days in extreme heat, she always managed to exhibit a positive attitude. This positivity was infectious and would be what allowed us to endure many difficult days when we wanted to give up or quit.

As a marching member, there are times when you don’t want to see or be around your staff but that was never the case with Michelle. We always wanted to have her around when we had a free day, during lunch, or after a show when we could kick it at the food truck.

Now that I’ve grown older, I’ve been able to see Michelle’s dedication to the pageantry arts. She continued to keep colorguard at the forefront of her life. Her passion for colorguard has been passed down to several generations that spans states, cities, and countries. Any organization she was a part of was lucky to have her because she knew how to connect with each and every student, parent, and staff member while always being a positive energy. As someone who has been taught by Michelle as well as taught with her, I’ve learned that what we do is more than just counts and tosses. We are able to enrich the lives of the students we teach by giving them confidence by letting them know they can do anything they put their minds to.

After marching with the Crossmen I’ve gone on to be a professional dancer and was a principal dancer with the Bill T. Jones Arnie Zane Dance Company and have gone on to work with Phildanco, The Sean Curran Dance Company, and Crystal Pite. I’ve been in Broadway national tours such as: A Chorus Line, La Cage Aux Folles, Hairspray, and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I have earned a graduate degree in Dance from New York University Tisch School of the Arts on a Dean’s Fellowship and I am now an Assistant Professor of Dance at Sam Houston State University. None of this would have been possible had it not been for marching under the direction of Michelle Owens and being apart of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corp. She was a friend, mentor, and someone I’m eternally grateful for having in my life.

Thank you, Donald C. Shorter Jr.