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