WGI Winter 2015 FOCUS

winter 2015

f ocus

the official news of wgi sport of the arts

Unstoppable A scholarship winner’s courageous journey

take the bite out of

Stage Fright

Flying High Arcadia’s rise to perennial finalist

Rewind

Looking back at the shows that foreshadowed the Winds Division

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inside

f ocus

the official news of wgi sport of the arts

winter 2015 Volume 28, Issue 1

Winter Guard International Ron Nankervis Executive Director Bart Woodley Director of Operations Aaron Jenkins Marketing & Communications Manager Published By: In Tune Partners, LLC Irwin Kornfeld CEO Will Edwards President Emile menasché Editor-in-Chief Jackie Jordan Creative Director Michael R. Vella Production Manager Barbara Boughton Business Manager Contributing Writers: Debbie Galante Block, Michael Boo, Kate Koenig, Danny Miles, Jase Peeples, Michael Reed Photography: Adam Alonzo, Lifetouch Special Events Photography, Dan Scafidi, Linda Unser, Sid Unser WGI FOCUS is an educational publication of WGI Sport of the Arts.

It is digitally published three times per year, Fall, Winter, and Spring. The Spring issue is also printed and has a circulation of 16,000 copies.

To subscribe, visit wgi.org/focus For advertising information or to submit an article for consideration, please contact Aaron Jenkins; phone: 937-247-5919 x310 email: aaron@wgi.org WINTER GUARD INTERNATIONAL 2405 Crosspointe Drive Dayton, OH 45342 937-247-5919 office@wgi.org www.wgi.org

www.wgi.org

7 ensemble

WGI’s 2015 schedule... Scholarship application details... Postcard from PASIC ...

The Commandant’s Own comes to Dayton ...

The WGI Hall of Fame’s class of 2015 ... plus gear for guard, percussion, and winds, tickets, social media, and more.

Features 22 Ahead of the Curve

22

Project Arts brass section prepares for the launch of wgi’s new winds division

14 CLOSE-UP

After 14 straight trips to the Scholastic World Finals, Arcadia HS director Mindy Cobb discusses the group’s signature style.

18 Profile

WGI Winds is embarking on its inaugural season, but 2015 won’t be the first season to feature non-percussion instruments.

Rhythm X director Tim Fairbanks reflects on the 2015 launch of his organization’s new Winds ensemble and the excitement of the unknown.

For the third time in its history, WGI will launch a new division. What can the Winds of 2015 learn from the debuts of color guard in 1978 and percussion in 1993?

Top WGI ensemble leaders explain how they help members fight stage fright and turn nervous energy into fuel.

29 First Steps

34 clinic

36 SCHOLARSHIP

For years, people told Megan Ganley that her restrictive disability would prevent her from doing anything athletic.

They were wrong.

38 WHAT’S YOUR WGiQ? Can you identify every 2014 champion on sight?

36

Scholarship winner Megan Ganley shows that strength comes from within.

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e n s emb l e

news from the floor and more

USF Winterguard

the 2015 WGI finals

rowland HS

Percussion

April 9-11 Percussion World Championships

Winds

April 11-12 Winds World Championships

color guard April 16-18 Color Guard World Championships

New Faces, New Places in 2015

Tickets

new Black Tarp

west coast winds

No one knows who will create the most unforgettable WGI moments in 2015, but one thing is certain: This season will be historic, and is already full of notable changes.

The action starts on February 7, when guards compete at a new venue in Corning, NY, replacing the event previously held in Rochester. Of course, many fans will be looking forward to Valentines Day, when WGI’s new Winds Division makes its debut in Indianapolis, IN. February ends with WGI returning to Las Vegas with the first color guard regional to be held in the city since 2007. Other new venues include the March 14 color guard event in Norfolk, VA (replacing Richmond); the brand new St. Louis Percussion Regional (March 7), and the

Western Color Guard Championship on March 21-22 in Fresno, which brings WGI to California State University’s Save Mart Center for the first time ever and marks the activity’s return to the city after more than a decade.

As the color guard season concludes in Dayton, OH, fans will notice one more change—a bold new look for the arena floor itself. Following a practice started with the Percussion Division in 2014, the Color Guard World Championships will utilize a black tarp as a base to help create a more stage-like atmosphere at the University of Dayton Arena and all other World Championships venues. Find the complete schedule along with event and ticket information at WGI.org.

Scholarship APPLICATIONS OPEN Each year, the WGI Scholarship Program recognizes students who combine excellence in academics and the pageantry arts. To be eligible, applicants must be attending high school or a college/university, and must

www.wgi.org

be competing in the year’s championships in an active marching unit. Applications should include two letters of recommendation along with the student’s academic transcripts. Only one nominee from each unit

may apply. Winners will be chosen by a nine-member panel representing WGI judges, instructors, directors, staff, and others.

Learn more and download an application at wgi.org/Scholarship.

There’s still time to get choice seats for the WGI World Championships—but you’d better act fast: “The first week of March is typically when tickets start flying out the door,” says WGI Ticketing Manager Kathy Fairbanks, “so I’d recommend taking a look at where you want to sit in our ‘choose your own seats’ online system before then.

Most fans seem to like the lower seats as well. If that’s where you want to sit, hurry up and get those seats now!” wgi.org/Tickets

Justin Blanchard, Conestoga Valley HS, 2014 winner

2 0 15 Applica tion mus t be s submit t ed NO L ATE R TH FEBRUAR AN Y 3.

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Guard Focus

Cpl. Larry Babilya

Up Anchor

The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps

“The Commandant’s Own” to perform at finals Forward, march! The WGI 2015 season will proudly salute a partnership between WGI Sport of the Arts and the United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps when “The Commandant’s Own” percussion section opens the WGI Percussion World Class Finals this April in Dayton, Ohio.

With a reputation for excellence, the complete Drum & Bugle Corps includes more than 85 musicians—all of whom are active duty Marines. The group was formed in 1934 as an extension of the United States Marine Band, and served in ceremonial support for President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. The marching unit grew out of an 18th and 19th century tradition of field musicians accompanying the Marines into battle and signaling the infantry to charge or fall back. Today, while they no longer lead troops into battle, “The Commandant’s Own” still serves an important role, representing the U.S. all over the world while performing at some 400 events at home and abroad each year.

Over the years, many members of the group have come from the ranks of WGI. According to Staff Sergeant Joshua Miles, current members with WGI connections include Gunnery Sgt. Alexa Sales, Staff Sgt. Michael Coleman, Staff Sgt. Trevor Solberg, Sgt. Jay Jaworowski, Sgt. Michael Jensen, Sgt. William Donnelly, Cpl. Tony Hoffmeir, Cpl. Guy Barnes, Lance Cpl. Justin Arenas, and Lance Cpl. Chad Arcenia.

Learn more at drumcorps.marines.mil.

Connect at #WGI2015

With the introduction of our new Snapchat account —WGIsnaps— there are more ways than ever to keep up with all the colorful action throughout the season. You can join the social circle with a single hashtag—#WGI2015— which works for Instagram and Twitter. And don’t forget about our Facebook page at facebook.com/ WGIfans. See you online and on the floor!

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“Secret” WGI Downloads The lateast installment of WGI’s Indoor Percussion TOP SECRETS series is now available for download. Module 5: “Individual and Sectional Troubleshooting” explains how to build a great ensemble from the ground up, with chapters devoted to snare, tenor, bass, and keyboard, along with advice on perfecting the rhythm section as a whole, and much more. See a sample clip at wgi.org/featured -story/12232014-Top-Secrets-Module-5-is-Available-Now.html.

Do you hate it when flags flop apart in the heat of the action?

Check out the new Flag Pole Weight Anchors from Directors Showcase International.

The patent-pending anchors are designed to securely lock standard 7/16" thread carriage bolts (available separately in four sizes and weights) inside the flagpole.

Once secured, the bolts won’t fly out during vigorous spins or clank when members catch the flag. dshowcase. com/flag-pole-weight-anchors

Percussion Focus Magic Touch

Celebrating 25 years of building Championship Series Marching Percussion, Pearl Drums recently introduced a new OneTouch snare strainer for the popular FFX Snare Drum.

Trimming the drum’s weight by more than 2 lbs., the OneTouch, in conjunction with Pearl’s CX Airframe carriers, allows for swifter movement and less fatigue that with earlier models. Drummers can simply unlatch the snare strainer to make bottom head changes, and re-latch when they’re ready to play. pearldrums.com

Winds Focus

The Silent Treatment

Available for French horn, trombone, flugelhorn, and trumpet, Yamaha’s SILENT Brass system lets brass players practice and warm up almost anywhere (and at any time of day).

The system combines a lightweight attenuating pickup/mute with Yamaha’s Brass Resonance Modeling digital technology that’ is designed to deliver realistic brass sound with studio-quality effects. The horn can be heard through headphones and sound reinforcement systems. There’s also a connection for external audio devices, so players can practice along to backing tracks.

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www.wgi.org

e n s emb l e Spotlight By Michael Boo

Meet WGI’s 2015 Hall of Fame inductees spent more weekends inside a gymnasium than outside of one,” adding that Charlie is compelled to “pay it forward” so others can have the same guard experiences he’s enjoyed.

■ Michael Gaines, long-time Pride of Cincinnati design staff member, recounts that Charlie was the first person he asked to be on his team, due to “his passion, his JC Connor served as WGI’s love, and his dedication.” He Southern Regional Director for remembers Charlie was 16 years, starting in 1983. He “always putting the well-being went on to serve WGI as of others first.”

Secretary, Vice President, and ■ Ed Devlin, Director of President. He was co-founder Blessed Sacrament, admires and longtime Chief Judge of the Charlie for doing whatever it Gulfcoast Color Guard Circuit and took to make Pride successful, is credited with helping create a from leading the group’s bingo separate WGI Scholastic division.

JC connor operation to folding up and Perhaps most important, he had a moving tarps. Ed recalls knack for bringing people together. JC Charlie stepping in to passed away in 2013 and is sorely missed. help move Blessed Sac’s ■ Joe Hooten, longtime band director at floor. “That is a Tate HS, witnessed JC elevating the level definitive sign of of competition in Florida’s panhandle. respect for our activity He notes that when JC was Regional and other units.”

Director: “The South experienced unprecedented growth in numbers and Paul Lampkin has quality, especially among Scholastic been judging the winter units.” guard activity since 1977 ■ Noreen Roberts, formerly WGI’s PresiCharlie Gumbert and WGI since 1980, serving dent and West Coast Regional Director, and as Chief Judge and a member of current Board Member-at-Large, rememthe WGI Task Force for many years. bers how JC made a point of encouragHis expertise is garnered from ing instructors and managements judging multitudes of pageantfrom each region to “seek out the ry events across the country. differences we had geographical■ Long-time color guard ly, and work to make those designer James A. Murphy differences a learning tool.” notes the ways in which ■ Fred Feeney, at-large member Paul’s work directly influof the WGI Board of Directors, enced the direction of winter further attests to JC’s ability to guard, adding that “Paul build bridges among various served as Chief Judge during groups. “In in the early days, WGI years of our most rapid growth, was made up of a loose knit collecPaul Lampkin encouraging us to remember our tion of units from different regions history while encouraging our growth.” who simply did not trust each other. His ■ Dolores M. Zappala, Artistic Director of Blessed skills as a mediator held WGI together and kept it Sacrament Winter Guard, writes that Paul is an on track during those tumultuous times.” inspiration and mentor to new instructors and judges: “He continues to educate himself so that Charlie Gumbert is Director of the famed Pride of Cincinnati Color Guard and previously served as he can stay on top of his game and appreciate the artistry presented.”

WGI’s Vice President of Color Guard. His first ■ Curtis Costanza, WGI Color Guard Chief Judge, involvement in the activity was as a support notes that no one has judged more WGI Champistaffer for Pride in 1984, after which he marched onships than Paul, adding that he serves as a role three years with the guard. model. “He has earned the respect of every judge ■ Ryan Alm, Chairman of the Pride Youth Developin the ranks of WGI.” ment Foundation, recounts, “Charlie has probably WGI is proud to introduce newest members of the Winter Guard Hall of Fame: Paul Lampkin, Charlie Gumbert, and the late JC Connor. Looking forward to their induction at the Color Guard World Championships in April, here are just of few sentiments from some of their colleagues.

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This year’s Color Guard honorees will be inducted at a ceremony on April 15th, at the 2015 WGI Color Guard World Championships to be held in Dayton, Ohio.

FAME FOUNDATION

Founded in 1992, the WGI The Hall of Fame is the highest honor presented to individuals who have had a major impact the activity’s history and members through their contributions as leaders, designers, educators, judges, and more. Inductees alternate annually between color guard (odd numbered years) and percussion (even numbered years). Read more at wgi.org/ contents/ Hall-of-Fame. html.

www.wgi.org

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They Walk the (Drum) Line

Last fall, Nashville royalty witnessed the power of WGI percussion as Music City Mystique and Father Ryan HS alumni, along with current MTSU Band of Blue members, backed Little Big Town and Ariana Grande at the Country Music Association Awards. “This was an McM Productions performance led by McM alum and current Father Ryan band director Dustin Schletzer,” says McM Executive Director Josh Nelson. “It was a real treat to be around such talented people and see so many country music superstars—we were honored to be a part of it.” Adds Father Ryan’s John Harvill: “It was a thrill to perform on national television with so many great drummers.” See the Guardsmen performance at wgi.org/news/11062014-Drumline-Rocks-the-CMAs.html.

Rick Diamond/Get t y Images

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WGI Wear

Show your love for the indoor marching arts with highquality WGI tee shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets, and pants for men, women, and kids. You’ll find old favorites and new designs (including the items pictured here) in a growing list of styles for percussion, color guard, and—coming soon— winds. Find your fit at wgi.org/store/ apparel.

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close-up

Time After Time Arcadia High School strives for a 15th straight year as a World Class Finalist

By Debbie Galante Block

“Arcadia definitely has a style of its own and we love to hear people say ‘I wonder what they will do this year’.”

16 wgi focus

For the last 14 seasons, fans at WGI’s Scholas-

tic World Class Finals have known two things: Arcadia HS color guard will take the floor; and they’ll do something unexpected. “Arcadia definitely has a style of its own,” says director Mindy Cobb. “And we love to hear people say ‘I wonder what they will do this year’.”

When Cobb started working with the California high school 18 years ago, the guard competed in Scholastic A. The program grew quickly, and after a year in Scholastic Open, Arcadia was promoted to Scholastic World in 2001. With support from the community and parents, the program has continued to grow and modernize ever since. “It’s motivating to know people are excited and recognize the hard work that goes into it,” Cobb says.

While the shows are unique, the group brings certain qualities to the floor year after year. “I think one thing that may stand out to people is the length of phrase that is obvious throughout our program,” Cobb says. “We try to offer a show that is seamless from beginning

to end through the design and the writing.

Maybe it can best be related to a book or movie you simply become enthralled in—one that you don’t want to stop watching or reading.”

As the script plays out, there are plenty of big moments. “You can always guarantee a fantastic flag feature that often times goes right into another flag feature,” Cobb says. ”All members spinning a flag in unison can create effect and audience appreciation by the cleanliness and the level of difficulty in the writing.”

Before fans get to see such effortless flow, the members must master demanding choreography, equipment work, and staging.

“The staff tries to challenge the kids with a more advanced level of vocabulary and difficulty, not only standing still but also on the move,” Cobb says. “I think the strength of the vocabulary and the way the guard explores space make us stand out.”

Her goal, she says, is to always make the equipment and movement choreography unexpected and or clever. The guard may, for example, manipulate the flags with their feet or legs instead of their hands. Or they may hold their weight in one hand and one foot while still manipulating their equipment. “I like movement and equipment writing to explore all of the physical space around them and have them use their bodies in a unique way to manipulate the equipment,” she explains.

“Some of the moments I think are most challenging and physically demanding are when the performers are moving in and out of the ground. Along with all that, they maintain a high quality of movement as well!”

Impressive technique is one thing, but Arcadia shows also move the audience because the staff invites the members into the creative process, which helps them connect with the material on an emotional level. “We encourage them to share their personal experiences as they relate to the portrayal of a character or emotion in the show,” Cobb says. “This allows the performers to be an exciting part of the program, helps them take ownership and better understand what they are presenting on the floor.” www.wgi.org

We began as an ensemble. We finished as a family.

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How has music changed your life? We’d love to know.

Visit GetBanded.com and share your story.

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profile

Rhythm and Winds Rhythm X’s Tim Fairbanks looks ahead to 2015

By Michael Boo

As director and visual designer for Rhythm X, Tim Fairbanks knows what it takes to run a successful indoor marching percussion group.

This year, Fairbanks—who shares his expertise in WGI’s recently released Indoor Percussion Top Secrets instructional DVD—will add to his already full plate with the launch of X Winds.

We caught up with him as preseason preparation was underway.

Tim Fairbanks

Director and Visual Designer, Rhythm X

“We’re not sure where the Winds activity will go—but we know it’s going to be amazing.”

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color guard to the show—though that might be a great choice for other groups. ➧ Do you approach show design and writing for each division the same way, in terms of general effect, pacing, etc.? Yes, the two are almost identical in that regard.

➧ How will Rhythm X connect the two activities for 2015? Both are sharing administration, design staff, trucks, and facilities, as well as many of our amazing sponsors. All members of X Winds are treated as members of Rhythm X and will participate in all Rhythm X traditions. Since WGI Winds has no age limit, X Winds includes some Rhythm X alums.

➧ What are you looking forward to the most about the new division? The fun thing is, with no precedents, we’re not sure where the Winds activity will go. We know it’s going to be amazing. It’s been fun to put together a show purely based on what we think could be awesome. We’ve named our show “Uncharted Territory,” about striking out into unfamiliar waters and charting our path as we progress through the season.

➧ How will preparing for WGI’s Winds Division differ from Indoor Percussion? WGI Winds has no limitations on instruments, and, unlike percussion—where there are years of performances to watch—there are few shows to reference if one is starting a Winds group.

➧ What music are you using? Music is primarily from Peter Graham’s “Harrison’s Dream,” inspired by the story of English clockmaker John Harrison, who invented the Marine Chronometer to accurately measure longitude at sea. Not only is it a wonderful piece of music, it

➧ Experienced percussion groups know what works and what doesn’t in that division. But with Winds so new, how do you think organizations will approach the season? There will likely be different approaches to Winds instrumentation. Some small schools may combine their programs, with a horn line, drums, pit, and color guard all participating. Others might feature all brass or all woodwinds, or even big band jazz instrumentation. ➧ What about your group? We’re going with a small rhythm section of drum set, guitar, synthesizer, and auxiliary percussion in the back, with no marching percussion. There are approximately 20 brass and 12 woodwinds. We want the wind players to be the primary focus and won’t be adding any battery instrument or

Tim Fairbanks gives instruction in a segment of WGI’s percussion top secrets dvd.

will highlight the strengths of X Winds while expressing the “Uncharted Territory” concept. ➧ What was the goal of the Top Secrets series? The DVD is a great resource for new designers to learn the details that add up to a great show. ➧ Finally, what’s your top secret for winds?

The only “top secret” is there are no secrets.

Everyone is figuring it out and I can’t wait to see what all the Winds groups will bring to WGI! www.wgi.org

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For a list of the choices made by Carolina Crown, simply look below. For an interactive version of this page that will help explain the why, visit www.4wrd.it/ccwgi.

By Michael Reed

o d f a t e h h e A

Curve People are buzzing

about the newly created WGI Winds Division. But while 2015 will be the first year in which brass, woodwinds, strings, electronic and other nonpercussion instruments will be judged in their own right, their use in WGI competition isn’t entirely unprecedented, thanks to some pioneering color guard shows of years past.

In 1992, Miamisburg HS’s guard included a piano player. Eleven years later, Braddock Independent brought a brass ensemble to the arena. Flute (Kennesaw Mountain HS, 2005; Blessed Sacrament, 2014), bassoon (Croatan, PIANO Trumbull 2006), violin (Taravella HS, 2007) and keyboards HS 2011 (Trumbull HS, 2011) have also appeared in guard shows over the years.

Well-integrated instrumentation helped Kennesaw Mountain become the first color guard to win a title while including a live instrumental performance. After a second-place finish at the 2004 Bands of America Grand Nationals, the guard built on its momentum with one of the “I went to a concert where a small ensemble played classical most serene productions ever to grace the floor. Director pieces. It was a moving experience, being in this small Adam Sage, who had previously incorporated percussion concert hall. When I heard the trumpet play ‘Air in G,’ I knew into guard shows while leading the Company Winter Guard this could be something beautiful and that the Kennesaw in the late 1990s, based Kennesaw’s 2005 show “Air” on J.S. girls could pull it off. I loved how the sophistication and Bach’s “Air on the G String.” elegance of the piece could bring out their abilities.”

“The idea came when I was in Prague in 2004,” Sage says.

Instead of trumpet, however, Sage turned to Nick DiCillo, 22 wgi focus

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How color guards pointed the way for WGI’s new Winds Division

Bassoon

Croatan 2006

who was a flute soloist in the school’s marching band and wind symphony. “His ability to not only play but communicate while producing such a beautiful sound really made the program very special,” Sage says. Rather than having DiCillo stand on the side and play, Sage wrote him into the show.

“We had to make sure the equipment would allow him to move about the floor and be an active part of the program.”

The goal, Sage says, was to integrate the music with the visuals. “We chose the sunset colors on the floor as an inspiration of the sky,” he explains. “This was an aesthetic that we felt could connect beautifully to ‘Air.’ The colors for the flags started with a soft palette at sunrise, progressed through warm tones in the sky, and culminated with shades of yellow to not only bring out the midday sun, but also connect to the brightness of the piece at that point in the soundtrack. Nick began the show setting the mood and environment. We layered dance movement [in] the beginning to both Nick and sound effects of air and wind. He also played over the [recorded] soundtrack midway through the program, adding another layer. He could accent parts of the soundtrack while embellishing www.wgi.org

Flute

Blessed Sacrament 2014

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violin

Taravella HS 2006

Flute

Kennesaw Mountain HS 2005

Rhodes says the group had decided to involve pianist Jessica Plude even before finalizing its show design. “Our soloist is a gifted musician. She took a stark soundtrack and actually wrote the piano parts that she played to accompany it. We recorded her playing the piece in the event she was unable to attend rehearsals, but she played live at each performance.”

Having a grand piano-sized obstacle did present some staging challenges, however. “We designed the floor and programmed the show with the pianist as the centerpiece,” Rhodes says.

“Show designer John Lemire did a fantastic job utilizing the space on the floor to move the performers around the piano and bring it into focus during sensitive places in the music. We did have power cables to contend with, but we did our best to conceal them.

Truthfully, setting up all the electronics before each performance was probably the most nerve-wracking part of the show for me. I can sympathize with our percussion ensemble friends who set up multiple electronic devices and amplified instruments on a regular basis!”

The floor for that program was designed to look like a large ribbon, echoing the ribbons worn by people supporting important causes.

“Several of our staff members Brass and students faced some pretty Braddock Independent tough losses over the course of a 2003 couple of years leading up to the 2011 season, and others were dealing with friends and family members who were battling various serious illnesses,” Rhodes says. “We were inspired to celebrate and to pay tribute to them.”

The show’s combination of music and imagery made a deep emotional connection, moving both performers and many in the audience to tears. “This show was the first opportunity many of our members had to really experience how color guard performance can be about more than just putting on a show for a crowd,” Rhodes says.

“They were paying tribute to some of the most special people in their lives ... The tears were coming from a pretty raw place.”

Ultimately, the playing of DiCillo, Plude, and other pioneering instrumentalists didn’t show up directly on the scoresheet. But they all added something special to their groups’ performances.

“Nick’s ability to not only play but communicate while producing such a beautiful sound really made the program very special.”

moments in the choreography.”

A flute can be mobile, but grand piano is a different story.

In their 2011 production “Hope,” Trumbull HS used what looked to be a full-sized grand—an illusion created by some ingenious prop design. “We placed an electronic keyboard in the shell of a baby grand piano, so we were able to amplify the sound through speakers that were placed around the piano on the floor,” says director Ray Rhodes. “We set levels with the sound engineer at each show that would match the levels we set for the pianist. She was also able to adjust volume from the floor when needed.”

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www.wgi.org

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By Jase Peeples

First Steps his February will mark the start of

2015

As the new WGI Winds division marches into the arena for the first time, we look back at how color guard and percussion got on their feet.

an exciting new era for the Sport of the Arts when Winter Guard International kicks off its inaugural competitive season for WGI Winds, culminating in the first Winds World Championships April 11 – 12 in Dayton, Ohio. WGI Winds director Wayne Markworth says the new division will give winds players the chance to “participate and experience WGI in the same way guard and percussion members have been doing for years.”

Like WGI’s Color Guard and Percussion divisions (launched in 1978 and 1993 respectively), the Winds division was created to give more young performers a chance to do what they do best. “Recent surveys showed that 20 percent of WGI Guard and Percussion participants are primarily wind players,” Markworth explains. “That speaks to the desire of wind players to be part of the WGI experience, and I think WGI Winds will give those students that chance [while also allowing them] to spend more time

www.wgi.org

Winds

playing their wind instruments and receive training in that area.”

Although this new frontier offers a host of innovative possibilities, organizers know there will be obstacles to overcome as well. One of the biggest is simply fighting a very common human emotion: resistance to change. “This concept is new,” says Bart Woodley, WGI’s Director of Operations and Sponsor Relations.

“Anything new will meet resistance regardless of the educational benefits it may provide. But once more people begin experiencing what this new activity can help provide their music programs, the more people will see the benefits.”

The challenge is one WGI Percussion pioneer and Hall of Fame inductee Ward Durrett remembers well. “Developing the percussion division of WGI was not unanimously embraced at the outset,” he says. “But when that first percussion world championships ended in 1993, there was a real spirit of optimism in the air and a general feeling that

wgi focus 29

growth was going to be a given.”

When it launched, WGI Percussion had the relatively modest goal of giving standalone percussion groups a chance to compete and explore their art under a centrally organized system of rules.

Today, Durrett says, it’s “a major event in the percussion industry… with support from manufacturers and retailers.”

Fueled by the creative competition of WGI, the whole concept of a drum line performance began to evolve. “There was an emphasis on music for the first couple of years,” Durrett recalls, noting that programs primarily consisted of stationary performers during those early days. “But when the visual side of the activity was plugged into the judging structure, the doors were flung open.”

That creative explosion brought with it an additional challenge for the division, as judges struggled to assess programs that were breaking new ground. It’s an obstacle Durrett predicts WGI Winds may wrestle with as well during the division’s first few seasons.

“From the beginning, the appraisal process was playing catch-up to what the designers and students were accomplishing in the percussion division,” Durrett says. “So much was being achieved creatively and the envelope was constantly being pushed ahead of the criteria. It was an adventure to keep up back then. But I think that’s also a large reason for the division’s success, because both sides of the activity grew in parallel.”

WGI Percussion also benefited from the groundwork that had been laid by more than a decade of growth in the winter guard division, taking cues from the activity’s organizational structure to form a unique identity of its own. However, when the founders of WGI set out to create a space where indoor color guard could shine in 1977, they truly began a journey into the unknown.

“For the longest time, DCI would hold [an indoor] color guard competition in tandem with their Percussion championships,” recalls WGI Education Director and co-founder Shirlee Whitcomb.

“So we began looking for a way to have groups come together and compete outside of DCI during the winter months.

That’s when [WGI co-founder] Stanley Knaub secured funding from a youth organization that enabled a group of us to have a meeting in San Francisco, where we introduced the name Winter Guard International and began to form

color Guard

1978

the organization.”

A year later WGI held its first World Championships in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. But no one could predict the bright future that lay ahead for the activity.

“That first year, we were so innocent and we didn’t have lofty goals. We were just looking for a way to have groups come together and compete outside of DCI. Honestly, we were just happy to see all the different groups in one place,” says Whitcomb. “We called the organization Winter Guard International, but when we did that we hoped we could include Canada as well. We had no clue that one day we’d be in places like Japan, Europe, and so many others around the world. It blows my mind to think of how much WGI has grown since that first meeting in San Francisco.”

She adds, “We didn’t set out to make that happen. It just happened, and I think the reason it happened was because what we did was done with integrity, and with education in mind.”

The new addition to the WGI family will not only provide musicians with an opportunity to perform in front of enthusiastic supporters in an intimate indoor venue. It will also give designers and groups the freedom to create programs the likes of which have never been seen before.

“The most exciting aspect of WGI Winds is that there are very few restrictions,” Markworth says. “For example, there is no set instrumentation so the variety of performing groups will be very interesting for the viewers and listeners. There could be a small drum corps, followed by a 40-member saxophone band, followed by a small marching band. The options are endless.”

Whitcomb says she’s more excited than ever for the future of indoor pageantry and hopes Winter Guard International will continue to evolve by offering innovative divisions like WGI Percussion and WGI Winds in the future. “I hope that we can one day accommodate every aspect of pageantry that needs to be accommodated,” she says. “If there’s a need for it, I hope we’ll be in a position to provide it.”

“That first year, we were so innocent and we didn’t have lofty goals.”

1993

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clinic

Stage Fright to Stage Might Transforming that nervous energy before a show into power you can use.

By Jase Peeples

Heart racing. Palms

sweating. Legs shaking.

Butterflies swarming in your stomach. These are only a few symptoms of stage fright, which, at its extremes, can overwhelm and even paralyze a performer.

Yet, according to WGI Hall of Fame member Scott Chandler, such feelings don’t always have a negative effect on performers.

“Nerves and anxiety are simply another kind of energy,” he says. “If you learn to control that, it can work in your favor. It is exciting, potent, useful power.”

For Chandler, the process of turning performers’ fright into might begins before they step in front of an audience. “I still practice what [WGI co-founder] Stanley Knaub always taught, with breathing and vocalizations before entering the performance stage,” he says. “Not only does it unify the entire group, but it helps you with oxygen and puts you in control of the rhythm of your breathing.” Such exercises may sound spiritual, but science helps explain why they work. Stretching your arms above your head and breathing deeply tricks your brain into triggering a relaxation response.

This is especially useful when stage fright is hitting hardest, typically right before a performance begins. Yet for some, controlling nervous energy throughout an entire show can be a bigger challenge. That’s why Braddock Independent World choreographer Michael Rosales instructs performers to “connect with one another” at specific points in a show, and rehearse those connections every

time. “I have them make eye contact with their peers during moments in the choreography,” he says. “In a show, that helps them stay connected and realize they’re surrounded by the same people they rehearse with regularly. In that way, a performance is no different than practice.”

Rosales also tries to emulate the pressures of a performance at rehearsal.

This makes the feeling of stage fright more familiar and thus easier to overcome.

“Having friends and family present for run-throughs is a great way to slowly put them in that competition zone,” he says. “It allows the nerves to heighten a bit and gets the blood flowing a little differently.”

Zydeco color guard executive director Byron Valentine adds that it’s also important to be as consistent as possible. “If you have a ‘pull it in and chat’ moment before a performance, do that in rehearsal. Consistency will be comforting to the performers and can help keep a student’s mind on the goal at hand.”

Valentine also advises instructors to remind students regularly that the audience isn’t something to fear. Helping them see the arena as a place filled with supporters is especially important in shaping the attitudes of young performers. “Remember, everyone sitting in the stands wants nothing more than to see you succeed.”

Whether they admit it or not, most performers feel some nerves. Addressing the issue and reducing their stress with the techniques outlined above helps them use their nervous energy as fuel for a great performance.

“Nerves and anxiety are simply another kind of energy that, if you learn to control it, can work in your favor.”

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scholarship

Overcoming Obstacles When you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

By Megan Ganley Thomas Jefferson HS

“We’ve always taught kids that the ultimate goal is to win, but it’s not the most important one. Their competition is themselves and as they improve and get better, that’s what winning is.”

—George Zingali I have a restrictive disability known as Erb’s Palsy, a muscle condition where your arm becomes tightened, weak, and bent due to a malfunction at birth. Since I was as young as I can remember, my doctors have told me that I’d never be an athlete, I’d never dance, I’d never be strong. For a long time, these messages really sunk in because for the most part, they were true: I have never had grace or power because no matter how hard I try, my arm is still stuck with me. By the end of my first year of high school, I had begun to give up on athletics, thinking that maybe they were not a possibility for me—until a friend introduced me to our school’s color guard.

I will admit, at first I was pretty nervous. I convinced myself going in that they would not want me because I was never going to be great; it just wasn’t possible. However, during the basics block of my very first rehearsal, something clicked. For the first time in my life, people did not see me as an obstacle; they saw me as potential … I had never been considered to have potential before, and over time, I began to see it too. WGI has shaped me in this way.

“Because of WGI, for the first time in my entire life I was an athlete, I was a dancer, I was strong.”

When you dance across the floor, no one can see that you are weak. When you have a flag cradled in your arms, no one can see that your elbow is bent.

When you finish your performance, no one can see the pain you have put yourself through to get this far. Thanks to WGI, for the first time in my entire life I was an athlete. I was a dancer. I was strong.

This concept really changed my life. From that moment on, I have not taken my arm as a disability, but as a challenge to improve. When I came to practice, I knew that if I was going to get better, I was going to have to push myself.

With the Dayton competition looming in the distance, I forced my arm to get better along with the rest of me. And eventually it did.

All in all, I learned something very important from WGI: everyone has an obstacle they must face, but nothing can hold you back if you really try. Four years after that awkward little freshman went to her first guard meeting, she is still trying to push herself to improve, whether academically, socially, or the WGI Scholarship program athletically. All the things I was told I could Since its inception, the WGI Scholarship Program has provided more than $500,000 to not do when I was younger have now deserving young people. The money for these scholarships comes from the 50/50 raffle become a list of accomplishments. Color at World Championships and generous contributions from donors.

D If you are interested in donating to the WGI Scholarship Fund, please send your guard and WGI have shown me this, and I donation to: WGI Scholarship Donation, 2405 Crosspointe Drive, Dayton, OH 45342 can’t thank them enough for doing so.

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Lake Travis High School Austin, TX 2014 TCGC Bronze Medalist

ATX Winterguard Austin, TX 2014 WGI Independent A Finalist

GOOD LUCK COMPETITORS!

Good luck to you and your team this competition season! A special shout out to the more than 250 teams competing on a custom floor tarp produced by Winter Guard Tarps. We take pride in each and every one of your achievements!

Hey WGT Teams, send us photos of your performance! jason@winterguardtarps.com

what’s your WGIQ? Pictured below are 14 winning ensembles from the 2014 season.

Your mission: Identify each group and the class in which they compete. Good Luck!

You’ll find the solution at wgi.org/wgiq.

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1) __________________________ 2) __________________________ 3) __________________________ 4) __________________________ 5) __________________________ 6) __________________________ 7) __________________________

8) __________________________ 9) __________________________ 10) __________________________ 11) __________________________ 12) __________________________ 13) __________________________ 14) ________________________

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