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The Methodology of a Small Town Color Guard A Practical Approach
Cassandra Rohl, Cumberland C
Color guard isn’t just a word; it is an emo- tion. It is an emotion illustrated through dance, equipment and body meeting the sole purpose of the color guard – to rep- resent the music visually. But how do you do this with the student council president, Dairy Queen employee and volleyball scholarship-hopeful, all who have little or no dance experience? I say don’t hold back, experiment and go for it! With little training, no staff and little money I have managed to create a successful color guard program in small town Wisconsin and you can too.
Team Building
The goal of team building is to help each individual member understand that as a guard we create one picture. We are all needed and together we are working towards a common goal of success. That success does not come without hard work and cooperation. When one succeeds, we all succeed.
Before fundamentals and drilling comes teamwork. While it may sound cliché, teamwork does make the dream come alive. I truly believe that building a respectful community of color guard
expectations. They are specific and mea- surable. We revisit them often and discuss if they are reachable or not.
Method of Instruction
members within a bigger community of the marching band is key. I strive to encourage open lines of communication not only among peers, but also with staff. This does not always come naturally for our diverse group of girls, but they too understand that it is critical.
We develop a strong team through a num- ber of ways. For example, something as simple as a bowling day at the beginning of the year is a great way to break the ice between new and returning members. In addition, I always incorporate a more structured day of teambuilding with vari- ous planned activities. Senior members bring games or activities for us to do as a group and I lead a goal setting exercise. Individual members also set goals for themselves. Goals help us define our
Over the years I have learned to vary my instruction style based on the needs of my guard members. Just as with teaching, you change and grow with your students. At the start of each season, reflection on the past is critical. Individually and with the entire marching staff I find myself exam- ining past failures and brainstorming on ways to improve. Revisions in philosophy and technique stimulate growth within the guard and myself.
The start of the marching season begins with color guard tryouts in March during the transition between winter and spring sports. Our goal is to seek out members who have the ability to dance and handle equipment but almost more importantly the quality to learn quickly and cooperate with peers is vital. This weeklong process is open to all interested marching band students.
As part of the tryouts process I also ob- serve and encourage upperclassmen to take leadership roles. Specifically, seniors have the option to tryout for the captain(s) position. This member must be dedicated, motivated and responsible, as they will collaborate with staff, clean routines and set a positive example for all. This role is highly coveted.
Tryout week concludes with groups of four performing a given one minute rou- tine. After deliberation between the band director and myself, each student is noti- fied of the results by telephone. This per- sonal approach gives the correct amount of formality as students are contacted. The number of members is determined
Teamwork and fundamentals are the basis of a strong color guard. 56 April 2011
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