1984
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS
Dayton, Ohio
1984
The crossroads of 1984 were a bridge of beginnings and endings for many WGI finalists. The Skylarks were completing a long artistic process that landed them in the heralded top spot. This would be the last year for this highly original guard that made an undeniable contribution to the development of winter guard. While the Skylarks were offering a triumphant goodbye, the State Street Review was saying “hello” with a new competitive approach that would soon be setting the record for Championship wins. State Street made the move into the top 3 and this was the year you could see a new brand of body and equipment with innovative vocabulary and techniques. In the Independent A class, a young, artistic Odyssey was about to catapult into WGI history. Center Grove HS was beginning one of WGI’s most respected journeys but the Scholastic Class also held a guard that would soon redefine the word “effect”…Union HS. By Scott Chandler
Dayton, Ohio 1985 Skylarks (left), City Slickers (right)
Dayton, Ohio
1985 produced some wonderful, memorable color guards, and a tie for the gold medal, between State Street and Erté. Wanda Conway recalled Erté being booed at the first show, and how devastated she felt. How hard it was to stay committed to the program idea and convince the members that it was the right choice. Hoping that trying something different was going to be the right choice for the kids. I recalled struggling with the same doubts and fears, always hoping we had made the right choices. The members didn’t seem to mind the tie as much as the staff did. They had been friendly with the members of State Street and some of them went to compete with them the following year. Ties have happened many more times since 1985. State Street tied again the very next year. A tie does not negate the joy and wonder all the color guards of that year brought to the arena. Neither does it negate the creativity, the innovation, or the excellence we all witnessed. The applause was real, the medals are treasured, and the memories will last forever. By Debbie Torchia
Dayton, Ohio City Slickers (left), Blessed Sacrament (right)
18
Independent World
Skylarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 .40
Scholastic World
Center Grove HS… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 .30
Independent A
Blue Horizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …87 .40
1985 Independent World
Erté Productions & State St . Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 .05
Scholastic World
Union HS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 .75
Independent A
St Anthony’s Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 .40
Scholastic World A
Westerville South HS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 .75