Jim Moore - DCI Hall of Fame

Jim Moore

Inducted in 2025

As a high school trumpet player who joined the Spirit of Atlanta color guard in 1985 and who later became a principal dancer in the Georgia Ballet, Jim Moore has forged an extraordinary path into the DCI Hall of Fame.

Taking what he learned from future DCI Hall of Famer Scott Chandler and Tam Easterwood in that Spirit color guard and combining it with his dance experience, Moore brought a unique perspective to the drum corps design and instructional ranks. He helped start a choreography revolution.

“From 1991-1995, Jim was instrumental in the standard-setting color guards showcased by The Cadets … The excellence of these guards was legendary,” DCI Hall of Fame member Michael Gaines said in nominating Moore. “Drawing deeply from his professional dance repertoire, the way he crafted his choreography and equipment was astonishing to veterans of the activity. The grace and respect with which the movement and equipment were blended made Jim’s choreography distinct, mesmerizing and deeply inspiring to a generation of young choreographers.”

Moore would leave the field and head for the stage in the mid-1990s as Star of Indiana transitioned to “Brass Theater,” and its subsequent reinvention to “Blast!,” “Shockwave,” and “Cyberjam.” Moore’s choreography and staging work would help the production earn a prestigious Tony Award. His work on “Blast!” would also earn him an Emmy Award for outstanding choreography in 2001.

Returning to drum corps in 2005 with Carolina Crown, Moore brought a focus on choreography and body movement to the brass and percussion sections, leading to some innovative productions. He also helped the Madison Scouts return to the DCI World Championship Finals.

Then came 2013, the year that Moore joined the Bluecoats’ creative team. Something special was percolating in Canton, Ohio, and Moore was the perfect person to widen the visual vista for the corps, bringing his talents to such productions as “Tilt,” “Down Side Up,” “Session 44,” “The Bluecoats,” and “Change is Everything.”

“While the activity today looks and feels very different because of Jim’s work, I think it is important to recall how audacious such transformational ideas were,” Bluecoats CEO Mike Scott said. “Thanks to his valiant work, an entirely new generation of people have experienced drum corps as young fans, performers, audience members and staff.”