quegrawks

that's SUUUUUUCH a long title! For Shame, Fantasia!

So... you can't enjoy the shows because their titles are too long? I feel sorry for you then.

Susquehannock! I used to live in Railroad, right down the street from the HS :-) Small world! I recommend talking to Chalet Harris, director of Renaissance Drum and Bugle Corps. She also lives in the area and might be able to give you some names! :-)

I hope it wasn't who I think it is... That said, if you have contracts and emails, I'm willing to bet you have a leg to stand on and should definitely stand on it and use the other leg to kick some BUTT! :-D

Welcome to the Terror Dome

Another Colorguard Contest, but Without a Fancy Name

HA HA HA! How often do you hear ANYONE say that? ;-) I miss you guys! Good luck with Skyliners 2009! I'll be cheering for you from TX :-)

Broward County, Florida... Flanagan Stoneman Douglas Taravela Cooper City Alliance (originally a combination of two high school programs) often practiced at schools in Broward county, as well as in Miami-Dade...

Wait... you thought the 2008 show was a rehash of the 2007 show?

I'm guessing that your school doesn't have an indoor colorguard (also called winterguard) program? If it does, you might look into the winterguard. If it doesn't, then you might look into Independent Winterguards in your area. You can find some by looking at WGI.org website. I had to play in the marching band when I was still in HS, but I did winterguard and enjoyed it a lot. However, I think you should at least discuss the option with your band director and see if he's willing to make some concessions or work something out with you that allows you to do guard (maybe in parades or during a winter concert or something?)...if not, then you'll probably need to ask your parents for some guidance. Good luck!

Wow! My kids are a lot more confident with the airblades than with rifle. Probably partially due to the fact that they can drop them and they won't break. However, they really sting when you catch them. As for rotations in the air-- you need to toss them almost like sabre, with a little flick of the wrist to get more rotations out of them. It's odd. I don't think I'll be using them for indoor, though.

There are different types of clearances. Clearance to use the music as a performance piece/educational tool, and clearance to sell your performance. Since the DVDs are sold, they (WGI) did not receive permission to use the piece for that purpose, and so the music could not be used on the DVDs. In the case of Braddock...2006(?) where they used Denzel Washington's voice, they were allowed to use the music, but not the vocals, which is why there's a midi version of the music on the video. You really don't know what's going on completely without those vocals, though.

At least you have the option of $90 or $100 membership. Our local circuit is $400 no matter what-- even if you only do 1 show (three seems to be the average based on the location and dates of the shows in our circuit).

I wish I could have seen Hurcs guard live this year! It was close between them and Bushwackers, which had an amazing guard (from what I saw on video).

I would like to know more about this alleged "moving to Texas" by Michael James.

I thought part of the reason WGI got rid of the Regional A class was because they filled the performance spots but not the audience spots...?

Doesn't matter to me who Michael James works with, or who works with Michael James Michael James :tongue:

Excellent sneakers, and reasonably priced too!

The home study is a lot of reading and questions based on the reading-- usually the philosophy behind judging, information about the information found on the judging sheets/criteria, numbers management, and so on. Sometimes they'll have you watch a video/dvd and make comments about it, but generally not. Some circuits actually give you a test on the material before they'll let you sit in the stands with the judges (they did that with me in Florida-- I had a written test and a verbal test) to "trial" which means you sit and ask questions, make comments, write notes, etc. as you train to become a judge. Studying my home has become quite different since I started training to become a judge... lol It's actually quite helpful from an instructional perspective too-- you get to learn a LOT about how to better design a show

I've been judging for 3 years now-- usually in a circuit where my guards don't compete, or classes that my guards don't compete in, and NEVER at a contest where one of my guards is performing-- a couple of shows a year. It really gives me good insight into where the local circuit stacks up, as well as a stronger understanding of what a judge might be thinking when he/she watches my show. If you're interested in judging, contact your local guard circuit and find out who the judging coordinator is, then talk to that person about what you need to do. Generally, the first year you will take some home-studies, attend a few shows and watch guards, then maybe take some notes, then maybe write some numbers down, then make a tape, then make a tape/write numbers/take notes, and if you and the judging coordinator feel you're ready, then you might judge a competition. Many judges don't even actually "judge" their first year in local circuits. If they do, it will usually be shows with novice and regional a guards (depending on size of circuit). It's not something they'll just throw you into-- even if you do have a lot of experience. Try it out! We're all always learning more and trying to make ourselves more educated as instructors, judges, and fans of the activity!

Go one size larger. I have wide feet too, and this is what I need to do (my foot length is a size 9, but I have to buy a size 10 shoe because of foot width).

High School. Some of my friends were in the colorguard, and my sophomore year they invited me to go see this "Indoor Guard" thing. I was pretty bored until my high school took the floor-- WOW! They were throwing tosses and synchronized like no one else I had seen that night. One of my best friends was in the group, and I hadn't even known it existed! My HS team was state champs for 2 years in a row, and I didn't even know about the group! So I decided to try it out my junior year. I wasn't allowed to try out for marching band guard, because I played horn and they needed me to march that spot, but I auditioned for indoor guard and was offered an alternate spot. I just kind of learned some drill and helped during rehearsals. Then, after 2 competitions someone on rifle line quit, and my friend was moved from flag to rifle, and I was moved to flag. I was scared immensely! They bandaged my arm so that I couldn't spin for our first show. I had to learn an entire show worth of work in 3 weeks, and I did my best. We ended up winning KIDA states that year for the 3rd year in a row (Blue division), as well as kicking some butt in NJA (now TIA) and WGI competitions. I learned about independent guards, but there were none near me, and I kind of got out of the activity for a couple of years when my HS's indoor guard folded my senior year, then found myself thrown into the colorguard instructor assistant position after marching drum corps, and kept going with it. Ended up marching guard in corps and have stuck with it ever since.

HA HA HA!

Invitations to the Open House have been sent out all those who have registered on the ATX Winterguard website. $30 covers rental cost of the facility + pizza after rehearsal.