WGI Fall 2010 FOCUS

fall 2010

focus the official news of wgi sport of the arts

Making the

College Connection Indoor Marching GOES GLOBAL

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF A

Cymbal Player WGI_p1_Cover.indd 1

All Eyes on California’s new drum line makes a big impression

CHINO HIGH RIVALRY & HARMONY: WHEN SIBLINGS COMPETE

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focus

wgi

Directions

the official news of wgi sport of the arts

FALL 2010 Volume 24, Issue 3

Winter Guard International

Music City Mystique The Cast

2011 Event Schedule COLOR GUARD February 5

D

February 12

D February 19 - 20

D February 26 - 27

D March 5 - 6

D March 12

D March 19 - 20

D March 26-27

D April 7-9 April 14-16

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PERCUSSION

Ferndale, MI Richmond, VA Pittsburgh, PA Rancho Cucamonga, CA Salem, MA St. Louis, MO

Ceres, CA Troy, MI

Houston, TX Indianapolis, IN* Liverpool, NY

Indianapolis, IN* Riverside, CA

Atlanta, GA Ceres, CA Orlando, FL*

Dayton, OH Minneapolis, MN Orlando, FL

Austin, TX Dayton, OH* South Brunswick, NJ*

Europe Richmond, VA Spartanburg, SC Trumbull, CT

Pensacola, FL Phoenix, AZ Raleigh, NC

Boca Raton, FL Phoenix, AZ Union City, CA

Eastern Color Guard Championship* Kingston, RI Southwestern Color Guard Championship* Dallas, TX

Mid-South Percussion Championship* Chattanooga, TN

Published By: In Tune Partners, LLC Irwin Kornfeld CEO Will Edwards President Angelo Biasi Publisher Mac Randall Editor-in-Chief Jackie Jordan Creative Director Robin Garber Production Director Barbara Boughton Business Manager Contributing Writers: Debbie Galante Block, Alex Mendoza, Catherine Applefeld Olson, Michael Reed Photography: Jolesch Photography, Julia Higbe, Dan Scafidi, Linda Unser, and Sid Unser WGI FOCUS is an educational publication of WGI Sport of the Arts. Its purpose is to broaden communication within the family of color guards and percussion ensembles. FOCUS is published three times per year.

Denver, CO

Denver, CO Thibodaux, LA Union City, CA Mid-South Color Guard Championship* Nashville, TN Southeastern Color Guard Championship* Tampa, FL Western Color Guard Championship* San Diego, CA*

Ron Nankervis Chief Executive Officer Bart Woodley Marketing Manager Aaron Jenkins Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Western Percussion Championship* San Bernardino, CA Pensacola, FL Voorhees, NJ

WGI FOCUS is a free publication with a circulation of 14,000 copies. All members of the WGI family may submit articles for consideration. WGI reserves the right to edit all submitted material.

If your address has changed, please notify the WGI office. Failure to do this could result in the loss of your WGI FOCUS subscription. We don’t want to lose touch with you!

For advertising information please contact Aaron Jenkins; phone: 937-247-5919; email: aaron@wgi.org

* denotes two-day regional

WGI COLOR GUARD CHAMPIONSHIPS WGI PERCUSSION CHAMPIONSHIPS

WINTER GUARD INTERNATIONAL 2405 Crosspointe Drive Dayton, OH 45342 937-247-5919 office@wgi.org www.wgi.org

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focus

wgi

the official news of wgi sport of the arts

Volume 24 Issue 3 Fall 2010

20

Quebec’s Les Eclipses fancies its chances in Dayton.

INSIDE 9 ENSEMBLE

Spinfest!! gets its motor running ... WGI sponsors an indoor marching clinic at PASIC ... Northview High School is refreshed by Pepsi ... So long to WGI On Demand ... New seasons available on the Fan Network ... and much more!

14 CLOSE-UP

Chino High School’s percussion ensemble turned heads with its debut appearance at the World Championships. Now it’s looking to reach the next level.

16 SPOTLIGHT

9

WGI’s new Elite Events promise to change the shape of the 2011 season.

20 CALLING ALL NATIONS

From Britain to Japan, indoor marching has become a global phenomenon, and every year more international performers are making the trip to Dayton.

25 A FAMILY AFFAIR

Brothers and sisters often work together in a color guard or percussion ensemble. But what about when they compete against each other?

28 CLINIC

25

As the start of a new season approaches, it’s important to be prepared, both physically and mentally. Here are some reasons to start with the basics.

30 SCHOLARSHIP

Can you be a cymbal player and a fashion designer at the same time? The answer is yes, and Minnesota Brass Indoor’s Ariel Bock has proven it.

34 WHAT’S YOUR WGIQ?

Find the differences between two photos from the 2010 Finals.

Cover photos, clockwise from top left: Pacificaires, Chino HS, Lindsay and Heidi Brooks, Ariel Bock.

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Ensemble NEWS FROM THE FLOOR AND MORE

SPINFEST!!

HITS THE ROAD WGI’s successful Spinfest!! color guard education program is going national this fall. Spinfest!! on Tour will make four stops across the country, partnering with the Michigan Color Guard Circuit (November 7), the South Florida Winter Guard Association (December 5), the Southern Association for Performance Arts (December 11), and the New England Scholastic Bands Association (December 18).

Like its predecessors, Spinfest!! on Tour will combine state-ofthe-art classes in dance, equipment, and design by acclaimed winter guard clinicians with a definitive presentation of adjudication philosophy—the same information given WGI judges in their training for the 2011 season. All sessions are geared especially toward the A and Open classes but are appropriate for any instructor or judge.

The next Spinfest!! proper will take place September 10-11, 2011, at the Special Events Center in Dallas, Texas. Go to wgi.org for more details.

SP THEORT O A RT F S

WGI BY THE NUMBERS How much do you know about WGI? Here are a few interesting figures that may give you a better sense of the size and scope of our activity. ➧ 693 different color guards attended a WGI Regional in 2010 ➧ 361 different drumlines attended Regional events in 2010 ➧ An estimated 82,000 people attended a WGI Regional Finals event in 2010 ➧ The average guard had 18 members in 2010 ➧ The average drumline had 29 members in 2010 www.wgi.org

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Highlights from the first (bottom right) and second Spinfest!!

PERCUSSION EXPERT ROTHE LEADS MARCHING PRESENTATION AT PASIC This year’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC)—the largest percussion event in the world— takes place November 10-13 in Indianapolis, Ind., and WGI is getting involved in a big way. For the first time, the organization is sponsoring a hybrid clinic/panel discussion about how to get started in today’s fastestgrowing percussion activity: indoor marching. Caleb Rothe, WGI’s VP of Percussion, will moderate an expert panel featuring Director of Percussion Mark Thurston, Percussion Judge Administrator Andy Sanders, and Board of Directors member Mike Jackson. Rothe says, “We hope this will be a first step towards bringing the percussion communities of PAS and WGI more closely together.”

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Ensemble

GUARD FOCUS

NORTHVIEW AND SEMINOLE GET REFRESHED The Northview Knights Band and Guard of Northview High School in Brazil, Ind., know what it’s like to have hard work pay off—literally. This past summer, they were awarded a $25,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project, an initiative that’s employing a novel online voting system to grant more than $20 million in funding for ideas both large and small.

In June, Northview’s proposal to “keep the kids on stage” won the most votes from visitors to the Pepsi Refresh Project’s website (refresheverything.com). The grant that the band and guard received from that win will allow them to put on 50 community performances this year, as well as purchase music for Northview’s 2011 indoor percussion show.

Northview isn’t the only group getting refreshed in this way. The Seminole High School Warhawk Band and Color Guard in Seminole, Fla., also received a Pepsi Refresh Project grant in September, which will help it reach its goal of performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York this November. Seminole was one of seven groups selected out of 150 applicants for the Macy’s honor.

3D Wall Makes Flag Shopping Fun

Whether you’re searching for the perfect fl ag this season or just want to see something really cool, you need to check out Algy’s 3D Wall of Flags. Select “Flags” on the Algy website’s home page and you’ll be directed to a display of over 200 fl ag photos, organized in three rows. As you scroll along the bottom of the screen, the “wall” curves away; the curve’s depth depends on how fast you’re scrolling. Clicking on any fl ag triggers a zoom function for up-close viewing, and clicking the link below the fl ag gives you further details. Find it at algyteam.com.

PERCUSSION FOCUS New Octapad Boosts Creativity

The Roland Octapad SPD-30 electronic percussion pad takes the cutting-edge sounds and rugged design that made the original Octapad a musicians’ favorite and adds many new features. Along with an updated batch of world percussion sounds and 30 types of multieffects, there’s a Phrase Loop function that allows users to record and overdub up to three parts at a time. A large backlit LCD and pad indicator lights make for easy operation in low-light conditions.

For more details, go to rolandus.com.

ON-DEMAND VIDEO ADAPTS TO CHANGING TIMES The ways people choose to watch video are changing rapidly, and WGI is moving with the times by phasing out the WGI On Demand build-your-own-DVD website. “Many WGI fans are now opting to purchase individual performances via digital download or streaming video subscriptions to the WGI Fan Network,” WGI Video Specialist Amy Racic explains. This doesn’t mean DVDs are going away; in fact, WGI will soon be announcing the DVD release of select past Open and A classes that were previously only available on VHS. Make sure to visit wgi.org regularly for more video news.

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PHOTOS TOP LEFT: DCI/SID UNSER (2)

Northview HS and Seminole HS (inset)

www.wgi.org

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DC72, designed by Chris Retschulte – Mansfield Legacy HS

We have a stick for every occasion. except losing.

Jeff Ausdemore, Colleyville Heritage High School

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Scott Johnson, The Blue Devils

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Ensemble Fantasia and (inset) Dartmouth HS in the 2008 World Championships

FAN NETWORK PLAYLIST EXPANDS The WGI Fan Network is returning this year with more videos than ever. This fall, for the first time, footage from the 2008 World Championships— featuring Independent World color guard champion Fantasia and Scholastic World percussion champion Dartmouth HS, among many others—will be available both for streaming and download purchase. If you’re looking for Open and A Class video from the 2005, 2006, 2007, or 2008 seasons, there’s no need to wait; all of that footage has recently been posted on the Fan Network site as well and is available for download purchase right now.

You can buy a subscription to the WGI Fan Network at any time, but no matter when you bought it, you need to renew for the year on January 15. Subscriptions for a year’s worth of access to both classic WGI performance videos and the latest webcasts start at $39. The 2011 season promises to be an extremely exciting one, and the WGI Fan Network will be the place to watch it all!

Thank You to Our Partners and Sponsors Presenting Sponsors

Corporate Partners

World Championship Sponsors

Official Media Partner

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remo.com

Pulse Percussion College

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Chino Hills High School

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Close-Up

Opening

Eyes at Chino High School

Upstart Percussion Ensemble Looks to Build on Memorable Dayton Debut

By Catherine Applefeld Olson

T

wo years ago, onlookers could have been forgiven for not realizing Chino High School had such an impressive indoor percussion ensemble.

After all, Chino, Calif., is a hotbed for percussion excellence, and neighboring Chino Hills and Arcadia High Schools had been consistent headline grabbers.

But after Chino High dazzled in Dayton during its first appearance at the WGI World Championships last season, few will overlook them again.

The group notched an impressive sixth place in the Percussion Scholastic World category with “And the Eyes of the World Are Watching Now.” A South African-themed performance about the end of apartheid, it incorporated primal movements, perfectionist pacing, and a tribute to late activist Steve Biko via the use of the Peter Gabriel tune bearing his name.

Chino’s percussion director and new WGI Hall of Famer Mike Jackson says the subject matter had always intrigued him, but he does not plan to “pigeonhole myself into having to stay with a global message. I try to do something unique and give the Chino kids a vehicle that will exploit their talents. I don’t want them to be cookie-cutter.”

Before their auspicious Dayton debut, the 30-plus Chino percussionists had been playing indoors for only a few years. The school has a longstanding band tradition, but its focus had always been outdoors.

“When I first started there was no desire to do indoors,” says Jackson, who’s been at Chino for five years. “Then after a couple years the kids decided they wanted to go for it. We did Concert Class for two years before going to WGI and then decided to venture into the marching realm.”

The segue to WGI-level competition has been aided by a strong indoor program at Chino’s feeder junior high, which “gives the kids a head start, and gets some of the basics out of the way,” Jackson says.

According to Chino music director Doug Bowden, the Dayton experience has had a snowball effect in the school’s band department: “When the kids started getting their first taste of competition, they wanted to keep the competitive thing rolling.” And with their appetites suf-

We are all committed to staying in World Class. We have the infrastructure to maintain that.

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ficiently whetted, the Chino ensemble will likely return to the World Championships in 2012, with the intent of starting an every-other-year tradition.

“It’s all about your attitude,” Jackson says. “You don’t have to be put in another class just because you have a young group. We are all committed to staying in World Class. We can push ourselves to build on last year’s success. We have the infrastructure to maintain that.”

And how has it been to plunge into the Chino-area percussion talent pool? “There is some keeping up with the Joneses, but it’s healthy,” Jackson says. “The kids and instructors get along, and everyone keeps the competitive thing in perspective.” www.wgi.org

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Spotlight

Eklipse from Clarksville, Tenn., will have a new regional event in its back yard.

A New Way to

Enter the Elite

WGI Creates Regional Championships With a Difference

by Mac Randall

T

ake a look at the latest WGI season schedule (see page 4), and you’ll quickly notice that this year’s calendar features several highlighted events. That’s because WGI has unveiled a new series of regional championships for the 2011 season: the Elite Events, which will offer expanded performance opportunities both to color guards and percussion ensembles, as well as additional services for participating groups.

Each Elite Event will be a two-day contest taking place during the last two weeks of the WGI competitive calendar: March 19-20 and 26-27.

the Elite Events will have “a similar feel” to the World Championships in Dayton: “They are in arena facilities, have double judging panels in finals, and in some cases will have a semi-final round for the SA class, depending on the number of entries.” For those groups that already know they’re heading to Dayton, the Elite Events offer a distinct advantage as well. Champions in each color guard class will be seeded in the last performance time of their assigned round at the World Championships.

Ron Nankervis, Executive Director of WGI, says that he is “most pleased that, while the color guard division had the Power Regionals for a number of years, for the first time WGI will offer a similar type of contest for percussion ensembles.”

Mark Thurston, WGI Director of Percussion, is equally enthusiastic. “For ensembles who will be traveling to Dayton for the World Championships,” he says, “this will be a great opportunity for a ‘practice run,’ as we will be in an arena that will be acoustically similar to what you would expect in Dayton.

We also plan to use adjudicators who will be assigned to the World Championship event.”

In addition to the judging panel, a current color guard or percussion designer will be present at each Elite Event to provide overview commentary on each ensemble’s total program. This less formal approach to evaluation has met with a great deal of enthusiasm during initial trials, and it promises to add an extra dimension to the adjudication of Elite Events. For more details, go to wgi.org.

panded x e r e f f o l il w ts The Elite Even , both to s e i t i n u t r o p e op s. e l b m e s n performanc e n io ercuss p d n a s d r a u g color The fi ve inaugural Elite Events for color guards are the Eastern Color Guard Championship in Kingston, R.I.; the Southwestern Color Guard Championship in Dallas, Tex.; the Mid-South Color Guard Championship in Nashville, Tenn.; the Southeastern Color Guard Championship in Tampa, Fla.; and the Western Color Guard Championship in San Diego, Calif. There will also be two Elite Events for percussion ensembles: the Mid-South Percussion Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn., and the Western Percussion Championship in San Bernardino, Calif.

WGI Color Guard Director Dale Powers explains that 16 WGI FOCUS

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www.wgi.org

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Download

Your Favorite wgi Indoor color guard & percussion Performances

NEW A & Open Class Downloads from 2005, 2006, 2007, & 2008 World Championships!

Select 2010 Percussion Audio Downloads Now Available!

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wgi.org/downloads wgi.org/ downloads WGI Fan Network subscribers enjoy an exclusive dollar-off discount per download. The convenience of downloads lets you travel with your favorite shows!

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BY DEBBIE GALANTE BLOCK

g n i l l Ca All Nations

iencing r e p x e e r a s p nge— grou le l l a a h n c io t e a h t n r d e n t nt—a More in the exciteme GI Championships the W in g in t e p m o c of

In 2010, the WGI World Championships’ global presence

was larger than ever. A record number of international groups entered the competition, and for the first time ever, an ensemble from outside the United States took home a gold medal, as British Columbia’s Pacificaires won the Independent A color guard class. This is no minor feat—especially since just deciding whether or not to compete internationally can be daunting. Why do groups choose to make the trek to Dayton, and what challenges must they meet to get there?

Several international group leaders took time to discuss these questions with WGI Focus.

Why They Compete

Les Eclipses, an independent color guard from Longueuil in Quebec, Canada, participates in at least two regional competitions every year and has competed in the WGI Championships every year for the past 15 years. These events are very important to the group because in Quebec, according to director Annie Pelletier, there are no other competitors in this category. “It’s also a challenge for our members to perform in front of a new crowd and show them our talent and our style, which can be a little different, as per our French culture.”

Paul Morgan of Northern Academy, a color guard based in Sheffield, England, considers the WGI Championships “the pinnacle in the world! We want to see how far we can go giving the kids more of an experience. We plan to come again

and again and again. We are trying to bring back a trophy and won’t stop until we do. We are quite driven.”

The members of Radizele, Belgium’s DrumSpirit—the first European drumline to compete at the WGI Percussion Championships—were inspired by the opportunity they’d gotten to see several top U.S. ensembles up close and personal. Director Didier Rosez explains that WGI groups have been going over to Europe for a small annual tour for the past four years. DrumSpirit supported the visiting groups, providing accommodation and entertaining them. During the visit of one group, Matrix, the DrumSpirit staff started joking about doing the reverse and going to the States. Everybody was so excited about the suggestion that they started looking at the possibilities.

“After some investigation and talking with people over here, we decided to go for it,” Rosez says. “The indoor percussion community in Europe is very small, and after some years of local competition, DrumSpirit felt ready to push the limit and try to raise the level a bit higher.”

Clearing the Hurdles

The biggest obstacle for international groups competing in the U.S. is the sheer expense of getting here. “It’s around $5,000 to $6,000 per regional and more than $10,000 for WGI,” says Les Eclipses’ Pelletier. “We have our own equipment, so we need a bus to get to shows. Members get used to their equipment, so it’s important that they have the same

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Northern Academy

“We are trying to bring back a trophy and won’t stop until we do.”

—Paul Morgan, Northern Academy

Pride of the Netherlands

Les Eclipse Pacificaires

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DrumSpirit

Aimachi

equipment when they perform. Also, we have our own fl ags and floor that match our show, so it’s really impossible to rent equipment.”

Other groups are trying to eliminate or lessen the need to cart gear. Robby Overvliet, director of The Pride of the Netherlands, based in Huizen, Netherlands, says that his color guard is making changes in this area: “We used to bring all of our equipment, but the airlines are getting tough on extra pieces of luggage. The first year, we brought our floor. We actually cut it in several pieces, so each of the performers carried a piece as part of their luggage. We brought our floor last year too, but we didn’t bring it back because it was too much of a hassle. Last year was the first time we borrowed fl ag poles.”

Michael Gaines, designer for Nagoya, Japan’s Aimachi, mentions a few possible ways of alleviating costs. “Aimachi has been going to WGI every year, but they alternate: one year percussion, one year color guard. The kids have the experience every couple of years, but at least they don’t have to raise money every year. The percussion group borrows equipment from corps over here, and they bring what they can. The color guard, on the other hand, doesn’t need as much equipment, and I try to design the shows so that they don’t have a lot.”

Alan Dyck of the Pacificaires points out that there are other hurdles international groups may not realize. For example, “we travel south across the Canadian border, and sometimes there are two- or three-hour waits there. Ever since September 11, everybody has to have a passport. That’s a challenge, especially if [members’] families are divorced.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get both parents to sign off. These are things you don’t think of.”

Because WGI adjudication is in English only, it may also be necessary to bring translators.

Getting Ready

Once foreign ensembles have cleared the hurdles and arrived in Dayton, they still need to rehearse. But where? “Sometimes we get lucky and it’s during spring break and there’s more availability in schools,” Aimachi’s Gaines says, “but if not, we make connections at recreation centers, churches, ballrooms in hotels.”

The Pride of the Netherlands’ Overvliet states that the most important thing an international group can do is make contact with people in the U.S. who can help. “The first time in the States was a learning experience,” he recalls. “We had help from the Pride of Cincinnati in finding rehearsal facilities. We also went to their rehearsals, and just watching them rehearse was a large benefit that helped our performers understand how to rehearse at a higher level.”

When Northern Academy got to Dayton for the World Championships this year, they rehearsed every day for eight to 10 hours a day, according to Paul Morgan. “We won’t do that next time. We’ll be more prepared before we come over.

Be prepared weeks before you go and you won’t have to worry about as much rehearsal time and space.”

It took DrumSpirit two seasons to prepare for the WGI competition, with the occasional assistance of Rhythm X’s David Isaacs. “We gradually worked on getting the product as we wanted it to be,” says Rosez. “Doing something for the first time is always hard, but everybody was focused on that one moment: to be able to perform in the Finals. If we do this again—and a lot of members are already asking us when— everything will be more clear and we can even focus more on the competition.”

The End Result

One point everyone interviewed for this article agreed on is that the international experience was a positive one. “Eventually we got through to Finals and even placed third in preliminaries, with a score that nobody had even been dreaming of!” Rosez says. “Performing in the Finals was a dream come true, and the score didn’t really matter. Everybody enjoyed themselves! The whole adventure was such a stimulation for the group, both musically and socially, that I would recommend every group take the adventure.”

Overvliet is just as enthusiastic. “While this has been a separate project for us, now it is a permanent part of the organization,” he says.

“We want to come over every other year be–Didier Rosez, cause it is so important for the organization and DrumSpirit the response is so positive.”

“Performing in the Finals was a dream come true, and the score didn’t really matter.”

22 WGI FOCUS

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What

happens when indoor marching siblings compete against each other

By M ic hae l R e ed

R I A F F A Y L I M A AF Andrea Rutter (left) and Emily Rutter found that guard competition actually brought them closer together.

cross the nation, competitive marching activities Lindsay and Heidi Brooks got their have become a way for families to strengthen color guard start at Abington High their bonds. At almost any marching band School in New Jersey. Lindsay, the older contest, indoor drumline show, or winter guard of the two, continued her guard career after competition, odds are that you’ll see brothers and graduation with Phantom Regiment and spun indoors with sisters performing together, with proud parents in the Black Watch, Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, background doing other important tasks: driving an equipand CrownGUARD. Younger sister Heidi graduated in 2009, ment truck, say, or constructing props. then competed with Black Watch this past season.

Things often change after graduation. The siblings who Brian and Blake Dutton hail from the Lone Star State. marched side by side in high school start their own separate Brian played trumpet for two seasons in the Bluecoats, and life journeys. As they continue to hone their skills within the learned how to spin from one of their guard instructors. He independent ranks of WGI, sometimes brothers and sisters moved over to the guard for his final two seasons of Drum will choose to join different ensembles. This means that one Corps International eligibility. During the winter months, he sibling may very well end up competing against another. continued developing his skills with Ars Nova and Three sets of siblings experienced this very “We were both Code Black, and he participated in the debut situation at the 2010 WGI World Color Guard doing something season of Cypress Independent in 2010. Younger Championships. WGI Focus spoke to all three: the Brooks sisters, Heidi (Black Watch) and that we love and brother Blake aged out of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps this past summer as a four-year vet, Lindsay (Crown Guard); the Rutter sisters, Emily we got to share and 2011 will mark his fifth season with Ars Nova.

(Pride of Cincinnati) and Andrea (Onyx); and the the experience.”

The Rutter sisters, Andrea and Emily, are Dutton brothers, Blake (Ars Nova) and Brian —Andrea Rutter college students in central Indiana. Going into (Cypress Independent). www.wgi.org

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The only negative for a couple of the siblings was not getting the chance to see their brother or sister perform.

Even when they are at the same regional and get to see each other before or after the show, one guard may be performing while the other is warming up. Despite the flurry of activity during the WGI season, all six performers said they do find time to call their sibling and talk about their shows, as well as non-guard matters. Occasionally, they even throw in some good-natured guard banter. All of these talented performers offer similar advice, which is perhaps best summed up

by Heidi Brooks: “Don’t let the competition get between you. Color guard is about unity. Always support your siblings!”

Of course, the love these three sets of siblings have for performing was fostered by supportive parents. Susan Brooks, mother of Heidi and Lindsay, is a former color guard member herself, and her son marched in United Percussion. Stephanie Dutton spent six marching seasons sewing fl ags, and Steve and JoAnn Rutter ran the gamut from driving prop trucks to chaperoning.

When children decide to compete against each other, parental loyalty can be tested, but these performers’ parents have plenty of wisdom and guidance to offer.

Susan Brooks notes that not every guard is going to be right for every person: “Encourage parents to let their kids decide where they fit in.” The Rutters remind parents to keep providing support, “even if it’s simply a smile with an ‘I love you’ when your child has had a bad day.” And Stephanie Dutton gives this simple advice: “Jump on and get ready for the ride. It’s well worth it.”

“Don’t let the competition get between you.

Color guard is about unity.

Always support your siblings!”

—Heidi Brooks

n’t idi Brooks do ks (left) and He guard t bu , Lindsay Broo ys da e r much thes ite. see each othe to br iefly reun em a chance events give th

last season, neither had planned to compete, and neither had guard experience outside of their alma mater New Palestine High School earlier in the decade. With the support of friends, Emily auditioned for Pride of Cincinnati and earned a spot in the cast. Andrea drew inspiration from her sister’s accomplishment and tried out for Onyx. A few months later, both would proudly wear World Championship medals around their necks.

All six performers had positive outlooks about competing against their siblings’ groups. The Brooks sisters and Dutton brothers now reside hundreds of miles apart in different cities; their guard experience gave them a rare opportunity to see each other. Blake and Brian were able to get together during the WGI Texas regionals, and Lindsay and Heidi got a chance to meet up at World Championships, a reunion that likely would not have happened without WGI since one lives in Atlanta and the other in Philadelphia.

The Rutters feel that, in the end, working on opposing teams brought them closer together. They were excited to see each other perform and grow throughout the season. In Andrea’s words, “It gave a great sense of companionship because we were both doing something that we love and we got to share the experience.” For both the Duttons and Rutters, their pool of friends increased, as both their guards and their siblings’ guards accepted them as “one of the family.” As Brian Dutton puts it, “I learned you have two guard families for the season. I had my Cypress Independent family and they adopted Blake into our family in Houston, and vice versa for myself and Ars Nova in Dallas.”

Emily Rutter notes, “I was accepted as a friend to the Onyx family and my sister was accepted as a friend to the Pride family. There was never any odd tension at shows.”

vered e Dutton disco (left) and Blak s like wa ds ar Brian Dutton gu nt g to two dif fere r a season. that belongin two families fo by d te op ad g bein

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Your Journey to Success begins the moment you step on the floor.

Embrace the journey, including any stops along the way, by trusting McCormick’s to be your navigator.

McCormick’s has an experienced staff led by industry guard designers who will steer you in the right direction, no matter your level.

We’ve stood beside hundreds of guards as they worked their way from beginner to medalist and you can expect the same.

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MCCORMICK’S. READY TO LEAD THE WAY.

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800.323.5201 Performance photo by Jolesch Photography www.jolesch.com

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McCormick’s Guard

9/28/10 10:54:53 AM

Clinic

Getting

Back to the Basics

Start the New Season Off Right by Working on Fundamentals

Performers must put in many hours of training to be ready for a color guard show.

By Aaron Jenkins and Alex Mendoza

I

ndoor marching performers relish the arrival of a new season. A challenging yet rewarding experience lies ahead, as well as the chance to gain a new set of friends, memories, and lessons. But before new skills can be learned, even the most advanced groups have to start with the basics. Instructors must first establish a technique that each performer will incorporate for the entire season.

Spinning, movement, and percussion fundamentals are not always the most exciting part of any rehearsal, but often they’re the most important. Breaking down small specific movements—drop spins, thumb flips, and blade tosses, for instance, or 8’s on a hand, flam taps, and paradiddles— will essentially train you to execute each task in an identical manner. In activities that thrive on cleanliness and precision, rehearsing technique is the best way to ensure that choreography will be performed uniformly. Repetition creates consistency; consistency creates results.

If you’re a beginner to these activities, you’re probably the most eager to absorb the details given to you, but also the most likely to just “play around” in the backyard and develop incorrect habits. Teaming up with a seasoned veteran is a great way to build proper technique from the start. Creating some healthy competition between team members isn’t a bad idea either. Spin medleys and drum battles can motivate you to practice and achieve a higher level of spinning and playing. Don’t forget to watch your competitors or videos of past performances and compare

them to current videos of yourself.

Most often, you’ll have some previous experience before you join a new group. If so, it’s absolutely necessary to transform yourself, adapting any past technique you have to the current methods that your group is using. While you may want to resist change, emphasis must be placed on the importance of looking like the rest of the group. In order to reach this goal, you’ll need to concentrate each time you repeat a technical exercise so that you don’t simply fall back on what’s comfortable.

In addition to the musical and equipment aspects of percussion and color guard, building movement technique is crucial to the activities. Athleticism has become expected, and whether you’re a talented vet or a newcomer, sticking to a rigorous conditioning program is a must. Physical training is pretty much required to be a top color guard or percussion ensemble member.

The true secret to the training process is building confidence in yourself; of course the mind and the body work together in this effort. It may sound hokey and New Age-ish to say this, but it’s true: Fear can establish a mental block, and that sets you up for failure. Stay positive! It’ll help you down the line during drill days. Metronome clicks blare at an intimidating 200 BPM, and whether you’re sprinting across the floor juggling a rifle or executing a complicated series of percussive rhythms coupled with tricky drill pathways, you’ll be thankful that you’re adequately prepared— all because of your technique!

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EVY LEACH/PREMONITION

The true secret to the training process is building confidence in yourself. Stay positive!

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10/5/10 9:29:59 AM

Scholarship

Two Lives

Are Better than One For a Young Percussionist, Cymbals Don’t Clash With Fashion

By Ariel Bock

Minnesota Brass Indoor St. Paul, Minnesota

T

here are literally hundreds of excuses a person road less traveled. I went on to finish my age-out year as the could come up with to not be a part of this great proud captain of my ensemble and be awarded the WGI activity that is so important in our lives. One of Scholarship. I also went on to finish my senior year of design them might be that you have another obligation school as an elected co-chair for the department’s studentrequiring a large time commitment. The fact of the matter run organization—and I produced a collection that went is you can do both. I am a cymbal player and a fashion de- above and beyond what I thought I could achieve, receiving signer. Both complete who I am. These are my passions, more positive feedback than I ever could have imagined. If and I strive to be the best in both you’re doing what you love, you can worlds. Although most people would always make it work. never guess it, fashion design and It was my education in the marchdrum line are very similar. Both reing activity that helped me persevere quire strong commitment and years of as I strived to make my two lives practice. In both fields you must live work together. I was taught how to up to high expectations. You can’t bluff be self-motivated, to be disciplined, Since its inception, the WGI your way through constructing a garto take criticism, to think outside of Scholarship Program has provided ment and you can’t bluff your way the box, to pay attention to detail, to over $400,000 to young people through a season. do things right the first time, to work who participate in color guard and I was in my junior year of design as a team, and most of all to get betpercussion activities. The money school and my second season of MBI ter in between reps. for these scholarships comes from Indoor, working hard to make both Where will this drumline thing take the 50/50 raffle at the World parts of my life the best they could be, me? Besides allowing me to travel, Championships, $1 of the purchase when three different people apgiving me a second family and many price of each World Championship proached me, all with the same mespriceless memories, it has made me program, and individual donations. sage: You need to choose your real into a confident person who can acIf you are interested in donating to passion. “Where will this drumline cept challenge and overcome. As I apthe WGI Scholarship Fund, you can thing take you in life? What does it proach the next phase of life and more do so online or send your donation have to offer you?” they would say. “real world” situations, I feel ready. to WGI Scholarship Donation, 2405 Never had the idea of choosing crossed What can this drumline thing offer Crosspointe Drive, Dayton, OH my mind. I took their words to heart me? Only a world of possibilities.

45342. For more information about and for a moment started to believe the WGI Scholarship Program, visit them. But only for a moment.

Ariel Bock is one of 15 young Well, I didn’t choose. I did both. I folperformers who received WGI wgi.org/about/scholarship.php. lowed the words I live by and took the Scholarships in 2010.

THE WGI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

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www.wgi.org

9/30/10 4:07:52 PM

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9/27/10 12:20:33 PM

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What’s Your

WGIQ?

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At first glance, these two photographs of Northglenn HS at the 2010 Percussion Scholastic World Finals look identical—but they’re not. There are eight differences between the top shot and the bottom shot. Can you tell what they are? To find out your WGIQ score, go to wgi.org/wgiq.

www.wgi.org

9/30/10 4:09:24 PM

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Save the Date!

2011 SEPTEMBER 10 -11 Dallas, Texas ~ Special Events Center

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10/5/10 9:37:40 AM