Cabs Announce Their 2020 Color Guard Staff
Taylor Aves – Instructor
Taylor began her color guard career in middle school with the Mechanicsburg Color Guard program and marched every indoor and outdoor season from sixth grade until she graduated in 2014. While in high school, she began her drum corps career marching two summers with the Hawthorne Caballeros (2012-2013). Taylor continued her marching career during college by marching with the West Chester University Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band (2016-2017) where she served as a captain her senior year, the Towson University Winter Guard (2017), and AMP World (2018-2019). Taylor also marched Cadets2 (2015-2018), serving as a captain in the 2016 and 2018 seasons.
Taylor began teaching color guard as a junior in high school to help her middle school color guard program. She is currently the color guard director for Downingtown East High School out of Exton, PA and has taught there since January of 2017. Last summer was Taylor’s first summer teaching the Hawthorne Caballeros color guard.
Taylor graduated from West Chester University with a BA in Psychology in May of 2018 and still resides in the area. She currently works as a paraprofessional at a local elementary school and is hoping to attend graduate school next fall to pursue a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
Taylor is incredibly excited to return and start her second summer teaching the Hawthorne Caballeros!
PJ Tankard – Instructor
This is PJ Tankard’s third summer with the HCCG.
As a high school student, he was a member of the Elizabeth High School Marching Band. His marching experience includes Alter Ego (IO), Black Watch (IW), The Bushwackers (DCA), Jersey Surf (DCI) and The Cadets (DCI).
His experience in teaching programs goes from Novice through the World level. In the past he has worked with: Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps (2005 Div 3 Champions, 2006 Div 3 Bronze Medalist), Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, Union HS, West Orange HS (SA through SW and the 2014 SO Silver Medalist). Currently, he works with AMP World Guard.
Currently, PJ lives in Ledgewood, NJ and works at a Home Infusion Pharmacy as the Director of Contract Management for the Neurology, Immunology and Transplant Division. He has been on the Mid-Atlantic Indoor Network (MAIN) Executive Board for 4 Years.
Laura Saad – Choreographer & Instructor
Laura is excited to return to the Hawthorne Caballeros color guard for her fourth season!
Her marching experience includes six years of DCI (2009-2014) at the Jersey Surf and Carolina Crown, as well as three years in WGI performing with the Black Watch. Laura has spent the past seven winter seasons working with AMP winter guard in various capacities and has choreographed/instructed various marching bands in the NJ/PA-area since 2012.
In addition to her color guard endeavors, Laura holds a BS in psychology from the University of the Sciences and is currently a Ph.D. student in cognitive psychology at Rutgers University.
Joshua Marrero – Instructor
Joshua started out his color guard career with AMP Winterguard from 2007 – 2014. He moved forward as a cast member with Black Watch (IW) for two seasons and participated as a member of Contemporary Color with the group. Joshua returned to AMP in 2017 when the group placed first in WGI IO Finals. He is one of the captains of the group and is excited for the 2020 season for AMP’s third year in World Class.
Joshua expanded his experience with drum corps. He was a member of Jersey Surf (2012 – 2014), Hawthorne Caballeros (2015), Blue Knights (2016 – 2017) and aged out with the 2018 DCI Champions, the Santa Clara Vanguard.
Joshua has worked with various marching band programs throughout New Jersey & Pennsylvania and is currently teaching Marple Newtown High School in PA. Joshua is excited to be coming back to the Caballeros for his second year as a staff member.