Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Drohan.
Hi Monica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I often joke that my story started with “flags in a gym,” but it really began long before that.
I started dancing at age five, training in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater. Movement and performance were a huge part of my life growing up, and eventually that led me to discover color guard in high school. From that point on, I fell in love with the unique combination of athletics, artistry, music, and storytelling that the activity offers.
After graduating, I began teaching color guard programs throughout Michigan and quickly realized that I loved teaching even more than performing. Over the next two decades, I worked with numerous scholastic and independent programs, founded multiple winter guards, and helped develop organizations that grew from local competitors into successful, award-winning ensembles. Along the way, I learned that my greatest passion wasn’t necessarily winning competitions—it was helping students discover confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging through the performing arts.
Like many people in the arts, the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to step back and reevaluate what I wanted my future to look like. During that time, I returned to teaching dance and movement to young children. That experience reminded me how much I loved education and mentorship, and it sparked a realization: there were countless students and instructors across the country who wanted access to quality training and support but didn’t always have the resources available locally.
That realization became Evoke Performance Collective.
I founded Evoke with the goal of creating a modern, accessible educational platform for the color guard community. What began as an idea has grown into a nationwide network of educators, designers, performers, and mentors providing virtual training, instructor development, choreography, show design, consultation, and educational resources for programs of all sizes. Our mission is to make high-quality education available regardless of a student’s location, age, or experience level.
Today, I spend my time helping instructors build stronger programs, mentoring young educators, designing educational content, and continuing to advocate for the positive impact the performing arts can have on people’s lives. Looking back, every chapter—from dance classes as a child, to coaching winter guards, to building Evoke—has been connected by the same belief: when people are given the tools, support, and encouragement to grow, incredible things can happen.
Evoke exists because I never stopped believing that the activity could be more accessible, more collaborative, and more educational. In many ways, it’s simply the culmination of everything I’ve learned over nearly 30 years of teaching and learning alongside some incredible students, performers, and educators.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s true for most entrepreneurs and educators who are building something meaningful.
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to transition from being an instructor to building a business and growing a brand. Teaching, choreography, and performer development came naturally to me because I had spent years refining those skills. What I wasn’t prepared for was how much time and energy would need to be invested into learning social media, digital marketing, content creation, and audience engagement. When I launched Evoke, I quickly realized that having valuable educational resources wasn’t enough—you also had to know how to reach the people who needed them. Learning how to communicate our mission online, navigate constantly changing platforms and algorithms, create consistent content, and build a community beyond my local network required an entirely new skill set. There was a steep learning curve, and I had to become comfortable being a beginner again while figuring out how to connect with educators and performers across the country.
The timing of launching Evoke also came with its own challenges. The performing arts community was still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, and many programs were dealing with reduced participation, budget constraints, and uncertainty about the future. Building a new educational platform during that time required a lot of faith, adaptability, and persistence.
Another challenge has been overcoming the perception that quality color guard education can only happen in person. A large part of Evoke’s mission has been proving that meaningful education, mentorship, and community can exist beyond geographic boundaries. We’ve worked hard to create resources and opportunities that make training more accessible for students and educators who may not have local access to experienced instructors.
Like many business owners, I’ve also faced moments of self-doubt. Whenever you’re trying to create something new, there are times when you question whether you’re on the right path. What has kept me moving forward is seeing the impact on the people we serve—students gaining confidence, instructors finding support, and programs growing stronger because of the resources we’ve been able to provide.
Looking back, the struggles have been some of the most valuable parts of the journey. They’ve forced me to become more resilient, more creative, and more intentional about the kind of organization I want Evoke to be. Every challenge has helped shape not only the business, but also the leader and educator I’ve become.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the founder of Evoke Performance Collective, an educational organization dedicated to supporting color guard performers, instructors, designers, and programs through training, mentorship, choreography, show design, and professional development. While much of my work centers around the marching arts, my passion has always been education and helping people reach their full potential.
Over the past 20-plus years, I’ve worked with programs of all sizes, from brand-new groups finding their footing to nationally competitive ensembles. Through Evoke, we’ve expanded that reach by creating educational resources, virtual learning opportunities, instructor training programs, and design services that help make high-quality education more accessible regardless of geography or budget.
I specialize in performer development, instructor education, choreography, program development, and creating systems that help organizations grow sustainably. One of the things I’m probably best known for is my ability to break down complex concepts into practical, teachable steps. Whether I’m working with a first-year performer learning basic body technique or mentoring an experienced instructor on program structure and leadership, my goal is always to make learning approachable, actionable, and meaningful.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a competitive result or championship title—it’s the impact our work has had on people. Seeing students develop confidence, watching young instructors grow into leaders, and helping programs create healthier, more sustainable cultures is incredibly rewarding. Some of my former students are now educators themselves, and seeing them carry forward what they’ve learned is one of the most fulfilling parts of my career.
I believe what sets Evoke apart is our commitment to education first. While many organizations focus primarily on performance outcomes, we focus on building people. We strive to create resources and experiences that help performers, instructors, and programs develop the skills they need not only to be successful on the floor or field, but to become stronger leaders, communicators, and educators. We also embrace collaboration over competition. The marching arts community is full of talented people, and one of Evoke’s core values is bringing those voices together to share knowledge, support one another, and elevate the activity as a whole.
At the end of the day, I don’t see Evoke as simply a business. I see it as a community of educators and performers who believe that learning should be accessible, growth should be intentional, and every person deserves the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of achieving.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think luck has certainly played a role in my journey, but probably not in the way people often think about it. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors, colleagues, students, and collaborators throughout my career who believed in me, challenged me, and opened doors I may not have found on my own. I’ve also been lucky to be part of an activity and community that I’m deeply passionate about.
At the same time, I’ve learned that what many people call “luck” is often the result of consistently showing up, building relationships, and being prepared when opportunities arise. Some of the biggest opportunities in my career came from connections I had spent years developing or from saying yes to experiences that pushed me outside my comfort zone.
On the other side, some of the most difficult moments in my career ended up becoming unexpected blessings. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, for example, forced me to rethink how education could be delivered and ultimately led to the creation of Evoke Performance Collective. What initially felt like a setback became an opportunity to build something that reached far beyond the programs I could work with in person.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that success is rarely a straight line. There are moments of good fortune, moments of bad luck, and plenty of circumstances you can’t control. What matters most is how you respond to them. I’ve tried to approach challenges with curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to keep learning, and many of the opportunities I’m most grateful for today came from situations that didn’t look very promising at the time.
Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate to do work that I love and to have built a career around helping others grow. Whether that’s luck, timing, hard work, or a combination of all three, I’m grateful for the journey and the people who have been part of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.evokepc.com
- Instagram: @evoke_pc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvokePerformanceCollective/
- Youtube: @evokeperformancecollective7197
- Other: (Tik Tok) @evokepc
