For more than two decades, the PHC Majorettes and Drum Corps has carried a Bermudian tradition forward while creating a structured space for young people and families to belong, learn and perform.
PHC Majorettes and Drum Corps was founded in 2002 by director Tawana Lee and her mother, Bettyann Nolan, after the closure of Warwick United Majorettes, who had been in existence since 1970.
Their aim was precise. Keep the majorette and drum corps tradition active, and build a programme rooted in community, connected to Pembroke Hamilton Club, and shaped by family leadership and hard work.
The organisation took shape during a period when many Bermudian families were looking for stability and positive options for youth. There were broader social concerns, including anxiety about crime, limited policing resources, and uncertainty in the education system. PHCMDC was built as more than a parade group. Fundraising was part of the foundation, so cost would not be the reason a young person sat out. Priorities were access, discipline and a place to develop talent outside the usual pathways.
The early years were organised and demanding. Tawana and her mother set the structure and built a well-supported leadership model. Rehearsals became the weekly anchor, with additional practices on Saturdays as major events approached.
Growth and success
PHCMDC’s first Bermuda Day Parade in May 2003 brought an unexpected surge. Membership grew to about 180 in the first year, and sections were set up to support different ages and skill levels, including Precious Pom Poms, Junior Cutie Majorettes, Senior Diva Majorettes, Fabulous Flags, and the Dynamic Drum Corps.
Like many Black community organisations building programmes with limited resources, PHCMDC had to solve practical problems as it grew. The demolition of the club hall and bar made it harder to coordinate rehearsals. Temporary spaces were utilised, including Spice Valley Middle School and the Bermuda Industrial Union Hall. The Drum Corps faced limitations due to noise and storage needs, which led to creative arrangements at Tawana’s home and full-group outdoor practices.
By 2005, the group’s standards were being recognised. PHCMDC won Best Uniform in the Dance Groups category at the Bermuda Day Parade, remembered for its pink and lime green costumes. PHCMDC also became the first Bermudian majorette and drum corps to perform aboard the Carnival Cruise Line Fascination. The group travelled to Orlando for Disney World’s musical parade and workshops and performed at venues including Wet ‘n Wild and Universal Studios.
Travel was never just a trip. It became part of the training. PHCMDC marched in the Washington, DC Independence Day Parade, completing the route in intense heat without breaks, an experience leaders continue to reference when teaching endurance, focus and commitment.
At home, PHCMDC has remained a steady presence in Bermudian cultural life. The group has performed at the Annual Gombey Festival, the Bermuda Agriculture Exhibition and the Bermuda Day, Labour Day and Christmas parades. They have brought performances to senior residences, churches, school fairs, sports events and community celebrations.
Each term, preparation becomes visible in the Cedar Hill neighbourhood through practice marches, which effectively provides a mini parade for elders and residents who may not be able to attend the real thing. The relationship with the community stays grounded in real contact.
Over time, PHCMDC has adjusted to changes in what draws young people, without abandoning its core identity. Traditional majorettes and the drum corps remain central, while additional sections have created more entry points, including Ribbon Dancers, Hoop Twirlers, flag dancers and pom pom groups. The approach is practical. Build confidence, develop performance habits and allow members to find where they fit while staying connected to the broader team.
Sustaining the programme has also depended on relationships and community support. PHCMDC has maintained a relationship with Enstar Bermuda, with support tied to equipment needs and leadership development, and has worked with drum teacher Nick Wadson, offering music theory and practical drum lessons.
Tawana Lee’s leadership is central to the culture. She describes her role as wider than directing routines. It includes mentoring, solving problems, building confidence and setting expectations that young people can carry beyond performance.
That impact shows up in the stories of members who have moved into wider opportunities. Divine Turner began as a Precious Pom Pom girl, carried that foundation into cheerleading and performance in the United States, and is now a professional dancer for the Atlanta Hawks. Aden Peets joined the Drum Corps young, earned the PHC Scholarship, pursued music production, and now teaches music in Bermuda while working with the Department of Culture.
PHCMDC has also invested in continuity through its Future Leaders Programme, where mentees spend a year learning under an established leader.
Familiar challenges
Funding has not been consistent, visibility has often been tied too narrowly to Bermuda Day, and membership declined as dance groups expanded and traditional majorette culture became less common. PHCMDC responded with outreach and education, including school presentations and Heritage Month engagements, introducing young people to a tradition many had never seen up close. A 2022 collaboration and fundraising campaign with Cassine provided timely support and helped strengthen the organisation’s ability to keep operating.
Some moments capture what PHCMDC represents. Tawana highlights performances at White Hill Field before the club’s demolition and at the Shelly Bay Extravaganza in 2010, when the group surprised audiences by having majorettes transition into drummers and present an original drum composition. In June 2025, she returned to Shelly Bay Field and performed on drums alongside her three sons. For many in the crowd, it was more than a performance. It was a statement about family, tradition and the way Black community organisations pass culture forward through participation.
As PHCMDC looks toward its 25th anniversary in 2027, Tawana’s vision includes building a full instrumental band. She is inviting woodwind players, percussionists, singers, and anyone committed to music and tradition to be part of that milestone. She also wants to keep strengthening the Future Leaders Programme.
PHCMDC’s story sits within a larger Bermudian legacy. Black community organisations have long carried culture, created structure for young people, and built spaces where talent can be trained and protected. PHC Majorettes and Drum Corps is part of that legacy because it has kept showing up, term after term, building discipline, building confidence and maintaining a tradition visible in public life.
- Bermuda is proud of all our Majorette groups. If you would like your group to feature in RG Mags, email [email protected]
