The Padelford Dance

by Claire Busse Alpha Iota - TBΣ University of Minnesota Band on Boat: The Padelford Dance

After two long weeks of sweat, hard work, and their first football performance of the season, the University of Minnesota Marching Band is ready for a bit of a break. On the eve of their Minnesota State Fair parade, the band kicks off their marching shoes and piles onto a river boat for a night of dancing, laughs and Mississippi views.

Teeming with marching band members, the Tau Beta Sigma Alpha Iota chapter strives to give back to the band that gives them so much. In a period called "Spat Camp", the marching band devotes nine hours a day in their final two weeks of summer towards preparing for the season. This time is full of rejoicing and bonding as the band family reunites for the first time since winter. Every year, the Alpha Iota chapter puts on the Padelford Dance to celebrate the band’s hard work and give the community quality time. The dance is well attended by the band, with over three-fourths of the 320 members attending in the last few years. The boat gets packed, sweaty, and loud as the marchers boogie their way down the river and back. Greta Fischer, a secondyear band members says that Padelford signifies the “unofficial end of spat camp.” While the event itself is grandiose, the planning of it is quite simple. The Alpha Iota treasurer is responsible for managing the details and logistics of the event, such as coordinating the date with the marching band directors and booking the boat. The Ways and Means committee sells tickets to the marching band members during rehearsal meal breaks for $20. The boat comes set with a DJ and free water, which is all the band needs to have one heck of a time. Padelford has become Members of the Alpha Iota Chapter at the 2019 Padelford Dance. Pictured: David Wu, Conner McCarthy, Julia White, Jeffery Drillings, Alec Johnson, John Crowley, Bridget Carpenter, Davis Little, Noah Adolphson, Katy Mattison, Emily Durkot, Tommy Luangrath, Rachel Bezdicek, Gianna Turturillo, Julia Moseman, Kaylee Mina, Jenny Ulven, Malynn Weiman, Pazey Yang, Brooke Linzmeier, Claire Busse, Kelly Jessen.

such a prominent part of Alpha Iota’s work that its existence is now mandated by their constitution. The event began around 2003, when the chapter had low membership and was searching for ways to improve community involvement and fundraisers. These efforts spurred a number of startup initiatives, and out of this Padelford was born.

Although the boat ride is only three hours, the band has turned Padelford into an entire afternoon and evening affair. The directors allow time off from rehearsal for the dance, and the band members take full advantage of this desperately missed free time. Friends enjoy getting together, exchanging their sweaty maroon t-shirts for formal attire, and relaxing on a well-deserved afternoon off. Each instrument section makes plans to go out to eat together before the dance as well. Brooklyn Linzmeier, a fourth year TBS member and graduating senior, says her favorite Padelford memory is going to Pizza Luce with the clarinet section this year. The sections know to make dinner reservations at an early hour, because the entire band shows up at Harriet Island Park to take pictures with the river in the background before heading onto the

Members of the University of Minnesota Marching Band Clarinet section. Pictured: Elizabeth Cecka, Greta Fischer, Rachel Bezdicek, Bridget Carpenter, Claire Busse, Wendy Baumann, Gia Turturillo.

Two best friends and TBS sisters at Paddelford. Pictured: Malynn Weiman and Jenny Ulven.

A view of the Mississippi River from the upper deck of the Padelford boat.

The event began around 2003, when the chapter had low membership and was searching for ways to improve community involvement and fundraisers.

boat. Julia Moseman, a fourth year TBS member and graduating member of the trumpet section, testifies that Padelford evening has always provided clear skies, which comes as a shock because spat camp weather always seems to be awfully unpredictable. As a whole, the band looks forward to all the events included in Padelford.

Padelford has more appeal to the band than just as a time to dance and dress up. For the first-year members, whom the band endearingly refers to as “rookies,” this is the first time they are able to socialize with the band outside of a rehearsal setting. Bridget Carpenter, a second-year band member and Alpha Iota’s current Treasurer, explains how even though Padelford is an optional event, most of the band chooses to go, giving members the opportunity to “spark friendships outside of band.” For returning band members, Padelford is a time to reunite with old friends and welcome the rookies into the band family. For the rookies, the introduction to an entirely new culture and lifestyle can be overwhelming, with Padelford even contributing to the confusion. Despite this, many rookies do attend, and the response is overwhelmingly positive. Ashlie Hamilton, a rookie Baritone player, says that Padelford “was such a big deal as I was able to feel like I belonged in the band” through the opportunity to “bond with those in the band which I hadn't had much time to do before Padelford since spat camp is such a stressful time both [mentally] and physically.” This sentiment is carried through the years by band members as they attend their first, second, third and fourth Padelfords. Graduating TBS members Tommy Luangrath and Malynn Weiman express their gratitude that as TBS members they are a part of something that provides such a meaningful and unifying experience to the band.

At the end of every Padelford dance, the University of Minnesota Marching Band members gather in a large circle, with arms intertwined, to sing along to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” After 3 hours of dancing, celebrating the end of spat camp and bonding as friends rather than band members, the boat is full of sweat, smiles and new relationship sparks. In the words of Billy Joel, Padelford gives the band a chance to simply be together and “forget about life for awhile.”