WINTER GUARD EDUCATIONAL STAFF
Cecil Crabtree-Spring
Program Director - Program Designer
Cecil began his teaching career as a graduate/teaching assistant for West Texas A&M University from 2001-2003, assistant band director at Harold Wiggs Middle School from 2003-2004, and at Americas High School from 2004-2012 where he served as an assistant band director, color guard director, and most recently as the high school’s student activities director. Mr. Crabtree studied conducting under Dr. Gary Garner and Mr. Don Lefevre who he also had the pleasure of studying saxophone.
Cecil has been a major contributor in the band and color guard activities creating successful outdoor programs and winter guard shows since 2004. He has also worked with the Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corp and the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corp. His programs have consistently medaled or won at every Winter Guard International Regional competition they have attended, won several fall marching show auxiliary championships, and state winter guard championships during his time at Americas High School and Pebble Hills High School. He is also the second color guard director to place a Texas high school winter guard in Scholastic World Class Finals at the WGI World Championships.
Cecil has been a clinician and design consultant for multiple competitive groups all over the state of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and many more. He has had the pleasure of working with fine programs such as Haltom High School (WGI Scholastic A Class Finalists & UIL State Marching Finalists), The Woodlands High School, Harlingen High School, Coronado High School, Mansfield High School, Onate High School, Permian High School, Ars Nova World Guard, Americas Independent (WGI Independent A Class Finalists), and many more other fine programs.
This is Cecil's first year with Arsenal Performing Arts, Inc. and he is the Assistant Band/Color Guard Director at Pebble Hills High School in El Paso, Texas.
Aaron Lozoya
Winter Guard Tech
Aaron is El Paso born and raised graduating from Eastwood High School in 2014. In high school he was a member and Captain of the Eastwood High School Color Guard. He is a recent 2020 graduate from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. While at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Aaron was a member of the UTEP Diamonds Color Guard and served as Captain for 4 years. While managing the team he also was the social media manager for the UTEP Diamonds. During his last year, he was the Undergraduate Assistant for the UTEP Diamonds assisting Cecil Crabtree-Spring and Dr. Andrew Hunter with the team.
Aaron is currently a Color Guard Technician for the Pebble Hills High School Spartan Color Guard. He has been a color guard instructor/technician since 2015 and has worked with Eastwood High School, Ysleta High School, Chapin High School and currently Pebble Hills High School. He also manages and helps create content for the Spartan Band/Color Guard social media platforms.
Meagann Tristano
Winter Guard Weapon and Equipment Tech
Meagann discovered her passion for spinning at Wakeland High School in Frisco, TX. While she was still in high school, she was asked to fill a flag line spot at the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in 2013. She fell in love with color guard and then completed 4 more years as a color guard member and captain at the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. Meagann worked to help design many local Color Guards achieve their goals and dreams throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. During the winter season, she also performed with the Colorguard Theater Dallas Winterguard during 2015 and 2016. When Meagann moved to El Paso in 2017, she began working with Pebble Hills and performed with Americas Independent for the 2017 season. She came joined Glory Independent 2022 and she is currently our Weapon Line technician in her second season. Meagann is currently pursuing her degree at NMSU in Secondary Education.
Ashley Fanning
Dance Choreographer/ Color Guard Tech
Ashley Fanning is from El Paso, Texas. She first started dancing at the age of 6 at multiple local dance studios throughout her childhood. Years later, she started her color guard journey in middle school and continued on at Americas High School. She was a part of the varsity team that became WGI world class finalist in 2011 & 2012. Ashley marched with Americas Independent in 2015-2017, The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps Color Guard from 2016-2018 and Fantasia Winter Guard in 2019-2020. Ashley has taught at Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, Americas High School (El Paso, Texas), Montwood High School (El Paso, Texas), Pebble Hills High School (El Paso, Texas), La Quinta High School (Westminster, California), Wakeland High School (Frisco, Texas) and Frisco High School (Frisco, Texas.)
She has choreographed for Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps, Eastwood High School, Pebble Hills High School and Glory Independent. This Ashley's 2nd Season as a Dance Choreographer and tech with Glory Independent.
Ashley is currently residing in Dallas, Texas teaching color guard and is attending school at Texas Woman’s University. Ashley will soon be receiving her BA in Dance Studies.
Arleen Fanning
Movement and Dance Technician
Arleen Fanning’s instructional career with color guard/dance began in 2003 through the present. As an educator, she has had the opportunity to work with respected programs and has worked with scholastic and independent groups in El Paso, Texas including Americas High School Marching and Winter Guard groups, Walter Clarke Middle School Cadet, Americas Independent and is currently part of the movement staff for Glory Independent.
Arleen graduated from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas with a bachelor’s degree in dance.