One of the largest student organizations on the campus of Belleville East High School is the Belleville East Marching Lancers. This year, the band consists of approximately 187 musicians and 28 in the color guard.  The band is lead by drum majors Philip Cheng, Jackie Heffner, Colin Connor and Rebekkah Dothager.

The Marching Lancers march parades throughout the year, starting at the beginning of the summer and finishing in late November. At the beginning of August, the band goes through two weeks of band camp, when they learn their marching show for the fall season. They perform the show during halftime at home football games and at major competitions in the Metro East area.

This year the band is planning to compete at the...

* Mozingo Percussion Competition
* Belleville East Marching Invitational (exhibition)
* Metro East Marching Classic
* Lafayette Contest of Champions
* McKendree University Preview of Champions
* Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional
* Francis Howell Central Colliseum Classic 
* Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival

Every two years, the band attends a bowl game. In 2002, the Marching Lancers went to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia where they won top honors including Grand Champion. In 2004, they marched at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee, also winning the Grand Champion trophy. In 2006 the Marching Lancers performed in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL where they were grand champions of Jazz and Concert Band and placed 2nd in the parade and 3rd in the field show. Recently the band returned from another successful trip to the 2008 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN. They placed 2nd in field show and 1st in the Liberty Bowl Parade. This fall we are planning another trip to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL.

The Marching Lancers have a strong history. Under the direction of the first director, Mr. Leroy Kirsch, the band was chosen to participate in the grand opening of Six Flags - Mid America (now Six Flags - St. Louis).

2010 - "... the Box"

The Belleville East Marching Lancers are proud to present their 2010 program, "... The Box". Each movement references the box in a different way. There are four soloists at the beginning of the show who quote each movement's music and they represent the four sides of the box. Movement 1 is titled "Trapped Inside the Box". Sometimes in life we feel like we are going through the same routine or we are trapped inside a way of life that may be inescapable... same schedule... same routine... trapped... Need a break or a vacation! The music chosen for this movement is some great jazz from guitarist Pat Metheny called "Heat of the Day" and music from Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band called "Hunting Wabbits 2" (a bad hare day). Movement 2 is entitled "To You It's Just..." You will hear a quote of small children saying "To you it's just a box... but to the mind of a child". Imagination of a small child has no limits. How many times, at Christmas, has a child opened a large very expensive package just to empty the contents, push them aside and start playing with box. A box can be a clubhouse, a costume, anything... The music from this music is New World by Icelandic singer/ songwrite Bjork.  Movement 3 is called "Think Outside the Box". In corporate America, we have all been asked to think outside the box. To bring new inventive ideas to the table. Well, a funk version of Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunesia" is the basis for think outside the box.  We hope to try some things that are outside the box. We hope that you enjoy your journey through... "... The Box".