masterles

Well Jojo, what you are asking to see is just a dance show. Take the floor and plop it in a theater in which it fits and then you also have lighting, flyspace, wings, etc... Imagine what type of dance number that would be. Of course, it would be just that: dance. Take out the weapons of the Northern Lights show and the show would be less than it is now since everything was designed as part of a whole.

I think about the only new innovation guards could bring to the activity would be something new to spin. But that'll never happen likely. I'd say colorguard has hit the wall in its evolution to date. There is always room for creative equipment work and design, but there is really nothing new to do with guards unless some total new element or approach is taken. If every piece of equipment were turned into a pseudo percussion instrument, such as with tiny bells, that would challenge the design of the equipment work to actually add to the music book. I have thought about ways to use magnetics with guard equipment. Some funky stuff could surely come of that. Until they invent levitation devices or rocketbelts, I think guard has explored 99.9% of what can be done with a guard. All we can do now is re-invent the wheel with some added flare.

In the color guard caption alone, each corps gained 2+ points. I believe that is where the big jump overall come from for the corps on finals.

This popped in my head the other night. I've been discussing with my coinstructor for college marching band about revamping our salute. It got me thinking about how the colorguard salute has evolved from military bands to present day. Off the top of my head, a military colorguard salutes by dipping all flags except the National Flag at an angle forward, while rifles would be at port arms and move to present arms. Now, I'm curious how the colorguard salute evolved from that type of colorguard salute. If anyone can fill me in from say, 1950s to present that would be great. I am also curious if guards conduct a marching salute, and if so, what do guards do? What is proper to do and not do in a colorguard salute, marching or retreat? Back to why I thought of this thread is that my college guard during the National Anthem dips the flag and salutes with the left hand. To me, that is saluting two ways at once, with the left hand salute improper. So, I wanna know what others do.

Careful prowling_lynx, start leaking information like that and the Old Schoolers will nab you and force you into the This Is How We Did It Cult. I've heard rumors of one called Sally the Stern that leads them, among others. ^0^ Burn, baby, burn!

As far as winterguard, check out Winterguard International Also check out the local circuit North Star Colorguard Circuit Get hold of the local NSC staff and they might be able to send you a video of a competition or two. As far as starting a Drum Corps, you have found a great resource to help you, but you will find the feasibilty of having a Drum Corps in a High School unlikely to happen. Your first three questions can be answered in the CORPS-FYI heading: What Is Corps Band vs. Corps All I can say is read the forums thoroughly, check out pertinent articles, and correspond with people who are experts in the field you have questions about.

To clarify one point, do most guards spin the same size for rifle and saber?

Hello. If in MN, one could try contacting the North Star Colorguard Circuit. Although its not winter, they certainly could direct your request through the right channels. I'd help, but I'm up in Fargo, ND. North Star Colorguard Circuit Good luck.

I have been wondering what is the optimal size to use for weapons. Is their one size that is used most? Is it easier to learn and use the same size for rifle and sabre? Is vocabulary limited by any certain size? Also, which brand or seller has the best weapons out there?

The words are synonymous so it really shouldn't matter. I don't care personally. I have noticed that "flags are spun" and "batons are twirled." This suggests that the mindset is that guard spins the equipment and batonists twirl. Maybe "spinning" is two-handed maneuvers and "twirling" is one-handed maneuvers. Twirl Dictionary.com Spin Dictionary.com

Do people prefer fiberglass or aluminum poles more?

Thanks. Now I know what you're talking about. Although, I know I've never done those before. Seems an awful lot of work compared to drop spins. Hurray for nowadays! :P

Maybe its because I'm such a youngin, but what exactly is a push spin? Just wondering if I know it by another name. Thanks.

I've only done high school and college marching band. Started a winterguard though, and looking to march senior corps in the coming years.

I voted number three. I feel that equipment work is most important. Why else join a colorguard? Colorguard is an opportunity/activity for a person to spin equipment. Dance performance is offered elsewhere. However, incorporating dance with equipment work is all good as long as equipment work is being done. As for props, floors don't bother me much since they can help focus attention on the guard work if done properly. Props which can be spun or utilized with a lot of variety I am ok with. Backdrops and other props detract far too much from many of the shows I have seen. Used sparingly, props could enhance the show, like a fountain piece as a central marker.

I've been trying to get that answer as well. It seems to be 6-6 1/2 foot poles are the main ones.

I know I definitely write for the music. Music has so much to offer if you really listen and attempt to understand it. I'm already at work on two shows, visualizing formations and effects that the music sparks in me. My unit has money for equipment, but we are 3.5 hours away from the local circuit, so we are limited in what we can bring. Therefore, no props or floor since we have no trailer and no funds for a bus. These limitations are great motivators for me to be original in my designs, since I can't depend on props and a floor to help with the show. It also helps that I never participated in winterguard before, so I am not locked into any style of show design. So far, I have no members displaying a great capacity for writing drill and choreography. Hopefully that will change by allowing them a chance to write parts of the show, or offer creative input. A question about music selection. I am all for having member input into what they wear and what they perform too. However, I am much more creative with instrumental pieces versus songs. I want my members to enjoy what they perform too, but my fear is that they'll want to perform to pop music which doesn't spark much in me. I got by this last season by using a mix from Moulin Rouge. Since it takes time to develop a design for a show concept, how amendable should an instructor be with the show design if the members dislike or are disinterested in the selection? I suppose I should ask when instructors conceive their show designs. When does a show concept begin to take form for instructors?

Just a question. Where can I find DVDs of older shows? I keep seeing everyone talk about this or that DVD. But all I have been able to find are DVDs of the past 3 years or so. I am starting to build my DCI/WGI collection, and I'd prefer to be purchasing DVDs. Guide me to the light!

Wow! This thread gets me all giddy. I just wanted to thank you all for the great input, or at least what I consider great input. I began instructing this past winterguard season, and will instruct for my collegiate marching colorguard as well. However, I have never marched corps or competed in winterguard. And I can't say that my one year of high school or past few years at college have taught me much. So, when I recently began instructing, I felt like I was at the bottom of the barrel of instructors. I reasoned that without any corps or winterguard experience, I had little to offer my newly formed winterguard of six. Just about the time I started up the winterguard, I discovered the Planets. Hallelujah! I was saved. Or so I thought. After a few months of posts, I felt my time was being wasted though, since my questions concerning colorguard were still unanswered. At the same time, I choreographed a show which I was proud of, but more importantly, my guard enjoyed performing for their winterguard show. Now, I had signed my guard to perform twice in the North Star Circuit. Granted, my guard was Regional A Class, but I worried they would look wholly under par even for their level. I visited the Irondale Winterguard Show to check out what the circuit had to offer. Now, I may have a big ego, but from what I saw, my guard had equal or more vocabulary with flags than the Class A units I compared them too, maybe even some of the Open Class too. Also, dance was a focus for many of the units, and I found myself yawning through them. It boosted my esteem that my guard had not one lick of dance work only, but a show that incorporated three different styles of dance WITH equipment work. Once I saw what others were doing, I realized that little ole me, with really no good background in colorguard, maybe had what it takes to be a quality instructor. Eventually, this forum started getting some of you great peoples. :P And after many posts, I didn't feel I was off the mark in my instruction. For me, this post has been a great building block for my future as an instructor. All you past and current instructors are my default mentors, so thanks. This Planet rocks! Now, I have a question following my last post in this thread. Is collaborative learning welcomed in the corps and winterguard activities? To specify, I am curious if units welcome other instructors or students to observe/participate in their practices. Personally, I feel I would benefit most as a newbie instructor if I could shadow a corps/winterguard. As a solution to teach upcoming instructors effective methods and leadership skills, I wondered what the possibilities are for creating a mentor program for instructors. I think clinics are great for students and instructors alike, however, I feel as a newbie instructor I would benefit far more if I could see the process first hand throughout a season. Is there any such program around? If not, is the concept feasible in today's activities?

Just a thought. Knowing that dance is such a major portion of colorguard these days versus equipment work, I love to see a survey all the instructors out there. There is no doubt of a correlation between instructors and the current decline of equipment work to dance work. Considering that many instructors are graduates from high school, their knowledge base is limited to their understanding of the years they competed. The guards are inherently limited by instructor knowledge. Its a snowball effect, as the colorguard shows demand less and less equipment, the instructors will know less and less to teach their colorguards as well as future colorguard instructors. Since the scoring sheets for guard don't seem to be changing any time soon, it seems to me if equipment work will once again be the focus of colorguard there needs to be a significant effort to educate instructors. I am not sure how to go about doing that, but it seems a start. I know clinics are out there, but many are too expensive or too far away to be of any use. I haven't seen an instructional video, but from what I've heard, they are only helpful to beginners. I guess I would like to see other solutions for colorguard besides the fact that judges and scoring sheets need to change. I think it is important to know where instructors are coming from experience-wise, and an analysis of instructor experience may yield results in understanding the current trends in colorguard. I would really like to see a comparison between corps vs. non-corps instructors, as well as an age comparison, and see if there is any correlation to be found.

I would love for my guard to tuck their hands and arms. But...they ARE afraid at this point of catching certain tosses. They are Regional Class A. When reading the adjudication manual, I focus on technique, which means as long as they do it together and the same way, they have succeeded. Please remember there are gradations in difficulty in all things. My group is at the bottom of the pyramid working their way up. And we'll get there, just takes time.

I think winterguard has a place for props and sets. It is theatrics, dance, and colorguard all in one. If it was reduced to just colorguard, it'd be similar to drum corps. Winterguard is a different style vs. drum corps, so I am all for the extras, not that they should take the place for GE.

I'd love to see shockwave, but it doesn't look like its coming to Minnesota at all, which is very surprising to me. Guess I'll just have to buy the videos of both Blast and Shockwave now. Anyone know if the videos are worth buying?

knocked down by Simon...

I'm writing drill for winterguard right now, and I'm realizing that it takes forever to write down dance movement with equipment drill. I want it to be clear and concise, but can one brief in describing guard drill? Oh well, just wondering how others take care of putting "it" to paper.