Standing on the podium at the 2025 Winter Guard International World Championships, bronze medal dangling from his neck, tears running down his face, and confetti falling all around, La Voûte founder Brandon Fink looked at his young team (ages ranging from 18-27) and was filled with pride that he’d helped facilitate the next generation reaching a level he himself had only dreamed of.
Paige Harberts, Kellen Beaty, Shelby Murray, Christian Tebeau and Anthony Harmon-Fields
St. Louis-based La Voûte Performance Ensemble is a rising star in the world of performance arts and the marching arts community. Founded under the umbrella of the larger organization La Voûte, LVPE embodies both artistry and athleticism, offering a unique platform for performers to engage in the competitive winter guard circuit while also reaching into broader dance and arts-education spheres. Their mission: “Inspiring vitality through educational programming and providing an exemplary representation of the arts within the St. Louis Community.” They aim to be St. Louis ambassadors on the global stage.
Artistic Identity & Local Roots
An Oklahoma City native, Fink long assumed his dance career would take him to Chicago or New York, even after moving to St. Louis in 2016 for a role with Saint Louis Dance Theatre (then called Big Muddy Dance Company). But he was surprised by all that St. Louis had to offer, and soon became a civic champion. “Friends in other cities say things like, ‘I work four jobs, can’t pay my bills, and I dance maybe three hours a week.’ Meanwhile, I dance all the time.”
Fink founded his organization in 2019, after a similar one shuttered. The name “La Voûte” is drawn from French — the word meaning “arched” or “vaulted” — a nod to St. Louis’s French heritage and to the iconic architectural imagery of the region. The identity also references the city’s flag and landmarks like the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi River.
Through its performance work, LVPE merges the technical rigor of the marching-arts equipment (flags, rifles, sabers) with expressive dance, movement innovation, and theatrical storytelling. Their collaborative model, which includes professional dancers and local artists, emphasizes both professional standards and community connection.
Why La Voûte Performance Ensemble Stands Out
Several factors elevate LVPE within the field of winter guard ensembles, including:
Competitive success: Securing a bronze medal at WGI in Independent Open is a major achievement, signalling a top-tier program.
Professional approach: Auditions, cast age requirement (18+), rigorous rehearsal schedule (October–December), and a season of competition (Jan–Apr) align with professional-level expectations.
Educational outreach: Through its summer intensives and masterclass series, La Voûte invests in the next generation of guard and arts performers.
Local and global identity: Grounded in St. Louis cultural references yet competing nationally, the ensemble bridges community roots with broader reach.
Artistic fusion: The blend of equipment work, dance, choreography, storytelling, and production design marks their approach as more than purely technical — it’s performance art.
Looking Ahead
For the 2026 season, LVPE has a full slate of performance dates, including regionals and the WGI World Championships. Prospective members and supporters can look into auditions (typically in September) and summer intensives offered by the parent La Voûte organization. For anyone interested in the intersection of athletics, dance, and visual performance, LVPE offers a vivid example of where color guard techniques meet high-level production and competitive art.
As is sometimes the case, La Voûte was receiving global accolades before being fully appreciated locally, but that changed in a big way when Mayor Cara Spencer proclaimed November 8 to be La Voûte Performance Ensemble Day in St. Louis.
