Colts Are Ready To Roll This Weekend

The Colts January audition/callback and rehearsal camp will take place this weekend at the Five Flags Center in downtown Dubuque, Iowa. We are still monitoring weekend weather but at this time it appears any snowfall in our area will be light. Always check the Colts website before leaving for camp. Any updates or cancellations will be posted as soon as decisions are made.

Some have wondered about the impact of Omicron on our plans. After lengthy conversation with our medical team, and with a commitment to understandable and necessary precautions, we are confident we can host our camp in a manner that is safe and productive for all students and staff who attend.

With that said, EACH INDIVIDUAL SHOULD MAKE PLANS THAT ARE BEST FOR THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES:
• If you have travel concerns (for example, you already know of cancelled or delayed flights), you may want to stay home.
• If you are symptomatic in any way — even if testing negative for COVID but are still dealing with a head cold or chest congestion — please stay home as to not infect others around you.
• If your circumstances at home would be jeopardized by your attendance (ie: you live with an immunocompromised family member), you may choose to stay home.

No student will lose their opportunity for a spot in the 2022 Colts if you cannot attend this weekend due to an excused absence.

As for precautions, ALL persons attending camp (students, staff and volunteers) must be vaccinated for COVID-19. If you are eligible for the third, “booster” dose, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity, and it will be required for summer tour. All attending should seek a COVID test within 72 hours of arrival. If you have no tests available in your area, we can test you onsite once you arrive in Dubuque. Please stay socially distant until you are tested and we know the results are negative. FACE COVERINGS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES. We have playing masks and bell covers for the brass section. If you own a playing mask, please bring it with you. Social distancing should be observed whenever possible. We have A LOT of space in the arena with only the brass and percussion sections.

A great analogy was posed by one of our professional advisors. “Think of each precaution as a piece of Swiss cheese. One piece of cheese will have holes. But as you layer more and more slices of cheese on top of one another, the holes virtually disappear.” That is our approach to precautions by utilizing vaccines, testing, masking and social distancing.

As always, please submit an RSVP now and any time your plans change. If you are now driving instead of flying, submit another RSVP. If you are unable to attend for any reason, submit another RSVP. Also, submit an RSVP if you had not planned on attending but want us to know you are still interested in a position in the drum corps. Do not lose your spot due to lack of communication. Use the RSVP form any time to inform us of your plans.

For a full list of camp details, check out the camp article on our website.

We look forward to seeing you soon!