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Winter guard and drum corps


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Okay, as many of you know, if youve checked our my other forums, my schools guard is just getting started up. I personally dont know what winter guard is and not many on the guard here do. What exactly is it and how could we possibly get involved?

Also, there are a bunch of us that want to get a drum corps set up in our school. Our marching band is already excellent, we have many 1st prize trophies from many different parades but we dont know much about drum corps. My teacher told us that if we want to get one started we have to do our own research and learn as much as we can before he steps in and says what we can do. So...here are some questions:

~What exactly do drum corps do?

~What parts of the band is involved?

~About how many people are involved in it?

~How can we get this up and started as soon as possible?

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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.

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Hi Lynx!

One of the great things about Winter Guard is that it's indoors! And because of the close venue, you can get really creative with costumes, make-up, props and facial expressions...and they'll actually be SEEN by the audience!

I like winter guard because I could choreograph really tough tosses and equipment work that just couldn't be executed on the marching field. Wanna toss a rifle from one corner of the gym floor to the other? Over a pyramid of rifle spinning members? Go for it! Just don't try it on the marching field...the holes in the field alone will kill you...not to mention the wind, rain and atmospheric conditions!

Masterles made some excellent suggestions. Watch as much video as you can. Network with other guard instructors who have done winter guard.

Good luck!

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I like winter guard because I could choreograph really tough tosses and equipment work that just couldn't be executed on the marching field. Wanna toss a rifle from one corner of the gym floor to the other? Over a pyramid of rifle spinning members? Go for it! Just don't try it on the marching field...the holes in the field alone will kill you...not to mention the wind, rain and atmospheric conditions!

Sally,

You are giving me major flashbacks here :huh::huh: b**bs I remember very clearly when we first tried this in practice, we looked like bowling pins falling over. I remember laughing so hard that I almost used the bathroom on myself :huh: One time in practice the guy throwing the rifle over the pyramid didn't get it high enough over, and the guy on top of the pyramid caught it. Everyone was so shocked and surprised that we just froze. Steve wanted to keep it, but we like it going over better. You are right, never try this outdoors. Any shift in wind direction and :ouch: you'll be very sorry.

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Wow, that sounds like it was quite an awesome thing. Well, since a corps seems to be practically impossible, what about this winter guard. I have seen some stuff with is but not much. How many people are usually involved with it? How can i get this properly set up in my high school? And, where can i find some updated rules for competitions? My band directors info is quite outdated!!! :P

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unfortuately, you can't...you need to a get a staff memeber, prefereably your high school band director involved.....with his/her help, you can accomplish TONS...with out, you will accomplish very little.

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actually i already know that. My band director is who has sent all of the guard to find information. He know A LOT about all of this but he said that he wont just feed us the information. if we want to show that we want this we will find everything ourselves, so that is why i am here and spending hours online trying to get information from here and MANY other websites.

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I have to say that it sounds like he's not very supportive then...

I also wonder, if you don't evn know what it is, WHY do you want to do it? I'm not trying to discourage you in any way, but I would think that a band director with willing students would be trying to grow his program and would help it to grow.....I'm sorry, but it soudns like your director may not really care one way or the other....which means you are not going to get very far....

Edited by Evil Reneguard Diva
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Actually, my band director is VERY supportive of all of us. I personally dont know of any other teacher that is as supportive as he is. He just doesnt want to "feed" us the information. He wants to know that we will pull our own weight and do our own work. Everybody has to work for what they want and that is just what we are all doing. So thank you very much but I do have a VERY supportive band director for this subject!!!

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