Color Guard is something that has been misinterpreted for years now. For those who do not know what color guard is- here is a little explanation.
Color Guard is part of Marching Band. For those who do not know what Marching Band is; it is when people from a band put on a uniform and go out during football games and perform a show. They memorize the songs and where to go on the field. They create different visual effect to 'wow' the audience. While the color guard basically tells a story. Color Guard has three pieces of equipment- flag, rifle, and saber. The saber and rifles are taped a certain way so that it does not damage your hands. The color guard members are dressed in a uniform that goes with the theme of the show that the band director decides with the color guard instructor. The end result is always a beautiful show that not only the members enjoy performing, but the audience enjoys watching. Normally, people learn about marching band while they are in high school, but there are a few cases where people can do marching band outside of high school, for example in college. Some colleges offer a marching band simply because they have a football team.
Color guard is part of marching band, even though the marching band will create shapes on the field and do movements called visuals, the color guard is really what tells the story. They add color, effect, drama, and emotion to the show. Even though you can tell how dramatic a show is by the type of music, the color guard adds to that. For example- say the band is playing a dark and mysterious show- the color guard will further that emotion in their movement, uniform, make up, and color of the flags. Just like a normal flag, each flag has a silk. Every year the color guard instructors can take the tape off of the flags and remove the silk to put on something that matches with the show even better. Say the band is doing a show that is dark and mysterious, near the end of the show someones dies. During the show, the guard may further the show by making someone the "star". They are the main focus, they are the ones they want the audience to keep their eye on. While the rest of the guard is spinning the "star" may be dancing around the band and being all sneaky and mysterious.
Then their rival may show up and battle them. The rest of the color guard may change out their flag for a different one(Normally during a marching band show color guard members have at least 4 flags. One for each song, then depending on the show may have two for more of a dramatic event). The color guard members who are not part of the main show may switch out their flags for a red one to show that something dramatic is about to happen.
Throughout the years members of the color guard have been known as flag twirlers, flag squad, dance team, and baton twirlers. With no clear answer color guard members have always really been dismissed as not needed for marching band. But what most people do not know is even when the marching band season ends, it never ends for color guard. Color guard then just moves from outside to inside. They are then known as winter guard. No band is needed for that. They are allowed to just pick any song that they choose, school appropriate of course, and create their own story. While most people only think of that for high school as well there are many winter guards out there that are for college students such as Emanon Open, Emanon World, and Point. They are for college students who are more advanced spinners.
