What is Color Guard?

The best place to start in a blog about color guard, especially for those who are unfamiliar with it, is with a very simple question: What is color guard?

Well, it would seem simple.

I can say, however, that it is not “fat girls holding flags on the football field”, a description I have heard before by those who don’t really know.

It is also not the same – and not to be confused with – the color guard in the armed forces (however I was also a part of my high school’s AFJROTC color guard, so at times it got confusing). Color guard did, however, begin with the traditional armed forces color guard and later evolved into what I am blogging about today.

While looking for a definition of color guard to confirm and add to the definition of color guard I already know, I found a color guard website that summed up my thoughts exactly:

“To those who understand, no explanation is needed. To those who do not understand, no explanation is possible”

I don’t think I could put it any better myself. To those who are involved in color guard, what it is is pretty self-explanatory. To those who are not involved, defining color guard can involve a very lengthy explanation.

When people ask me about it, and what it is that I used to be involved in, I usually say “flag spinning”, and people pretty much get the point. But the truth is, it is so much more than that. However, I’m sure people don’t want to sit back while I explain for an hour or more what color guard is.

Well, here is my chance.

For this entry, I’m going to explain the basics – what color guard generally is, where you can find it, what can be done with it, etc. Then, with each subsequent entry I will (try to) focus on one aspect at a time.

So, back to the main question: What is color guard?

In a nutshell, color guard is incorporating color, equipment, drill, and dance (and sometimes even more) to create an ultimate visual experience. Members DO spin flags, but they also toss them (sometimes to another person), dance with them, and more.

Members also dance and spin rifles, sabres, and any other equipment the instructors can think of (I once performed with a trash bag, a paint roller, and a string of leaves) based on the theme of the show.

Color guard routines are designed by the instructor (and sometimes the members themselves) to go along with the music and theme of the show. They are designed to add a visual element to the music of the show. The music appeals to the ears, and the performance by the color guard appeals to the eyes.

Color guards can be found performing with high school or college marching bands, drum and bugle corps, or on their own in indoor color guard. Each is similar in many ways, but they are all very different, too (more on that later).

Color guard is about bringing color and life to the bands’ performances (for marching band or drum corps) or for creating a unique, eye-appealing, stimulating performance of color guard members only (for indoor color guard).

Members of color guard know that it takes a lot of practice, effort, and determination to do what they do. Members of all color guards understand and respect each other because of the devotion it takes to be in color guard. Even for the best performers, completing a show takes A LOT of practice and a lot of time. Color guard members are almost a part of their own community.

Another great website I found, Color Guard Corner, gives a great, detailed explanation of what color guard is, or more so what it involves. It is entirely to detailed to include here, but I’ll give you a small preview…

Color guard is science, mathematical, language, history, physical, a sport, performing arts, and educational. They develop each of those with many details, I suggest you check it out here.

With each post, I hope to explain a little more about what color guard is. I hope this is a good start.


SOURCES:
Tripod Webpages. (Date Unknown). Color guard corner. Retrieved from http://colorguardcorner.tripod.com/colorguard/index.html
Emily. (2008). Color guard central: Flags, equipment, and tutorials. Retrieved from http://www.colorguardcentral.com/index.html

Introduction

Right before I began my freshman year of high school, my cousin (and friend) asked to me come to a practice for our high school's marching band and color guard. She had been a part of the color guard the previous year was told to recruit new members, so she wanted me to check it out.

I had never heard of color guard - or even knew what it was - so I was very reluctant to go. I started coming up with excuses: I'm tired, I have to clean my room, I have a cold sore, etc etc (if only it had been during the school year, I could have claimed I had homework). Clearly, I was not a fan of the unfamiliar.

So we made a deal.

I would go to the first practice, and if I liked it, I would stay and join. If I didn't like it, I never had to go back again. This sounded fair to me, so I gave it a shot.

It ended of being one of the best chances I have ever taken.

I ended up performing in the color guard for all 4 years in high school, and then went on to perform with a drum and bugle corps for 2 years after that. Color guard became my passion through my late teen years, and as it turns out, I was actually quite good (but I'm not one to brag).

While I am still greatly interested in color guard, I currently am not actively involved the activity, as it has taken a backseat to school and work. I am currently a student at Rowan University studying Elementary Education and Writing Arts, with hopes of graduating in Spring 2011.

For my Writing, Research, and Technology course, we are required to write a blog on the topic of our choice. I saw this as an opportunity to keep my interest in color guard alive and active. Plus, I'm sure there is plenty I don't know about the sport, so this will give me an opportunity to teach and learn simultaneously.

My hope is to feature content about the history of color guard, uses of color guard now and in its early days, and shed some light on a sport that mant people don't know much about - or have misconceptions of. In addition, I hope to include some incredible performances that I feel are worth sharing with the world.

Color guard is a very intriguing sport. If it's not something you want to do yourself, it's still very amazing to watch. Maybe some will have no interest in this whatsoever, but maybe - just maybe - this will make you want to spin that flag.