What is Colorguard

The Northwestern High School Performance Ensemble
Color Guard > What is the Color Guard

Explaining what the Color Guard is in a few sentences is a daunting challenge. As one Color Guard leader was once quoted as saying, "Colorguard...to those who understand no explanation needed....To those who don't no explanation possible". It is an exciting activity that takes place year round . . . . .

The following summarizes what Color Guard is and what it means to those that are part of the Northwestern Performance Ensemble.

What is Color Guard

Color guard is spending 15 to 20 hours a week marching up and down a 50 by 70 foot area spinning a 3 1/2 pound rifle or a 5 1/2 foot flag. It's your free time to strive for perfection and hearing; "That's wrong! Pay attention! Try harder!" over and over. It is riding countless hours on cold bumpy buses and eating in more fast food restaurants than you care to remember. Sometimes you march with blisters on your feet, splints on your fingers, when you're sick or when every muscle in your body aches. It means being willing to try again even though you have just suffered a defeat, tears are streaming down your face and your heart is breaking.

Then another Saturday night come! Judges, instructors, other guards, and 500 or 600 spectators are waiting for your performance. For five or six minutes, every ounce of your strength and concentration are dedicated to making our family, friends, school, and town proud of your competitive unit. The demanding, endless hours of practice have been a prelude to this moment. There is the hope in your heart, "Please, let this one be ours!"

But color guard is much more than work and intense competition. It is closeness between young people that cannot be described. It is doing your best and knowing that you have your very own group of "fans" who you will always encourage and support you, Whether you win or lose.

Colorguard is Science:

It is exact, specific and it demands precise execution. A designer's drill is a chart; a graph which indicates x and y coordinates for constantly changing geometric shapes and forms in both time and space. Our equipment and props are always pushing the laws of physics with force and speed, action and reaction. All of this with an incredible control of time.

Colorguard is Mathematical:

It is rhythmically and metrically based on the subdivision of time into fractions which must be done instantaneously. We have angles and degrees, both acute and obtuse, sequences, ranges, and hypotenuse.

Colorguard is a language:

It is a visual picture alive with message and meaning. We use interpretive phases, sentences, and words many times with music which creates a most complete and universal language, to be recorded for others to see, feel, and understand. It is a language which is recited and shared many times both near and far.

Colorguard is History:

Colorguard can be influenced by the environment and times of it's creation, or it can reflect the past as well as the future. It can send us to a far away country or bring us closer to home. We are rich in our heritage and have forefathers as well.

Colorguard is a Physical:

It requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, feet and legs; in addition to extraordinary control of the back stomach and torso; all of which are called to respond instantly to the sound the ear hears and the sight of the eye see. Colorguard surrounds around endurance, ability, strength, and balance.

Colorguard is a Sport:

A game which we play with others in which we share and we shine. Competing with ourselves to perform better each time. It allows us to learn more on our inside on confidence and fear, self-esteem and self-image; as we get better on the outside with performances, people, expressing our feelings, and sharing our dreams. It is a chance to realize our attitude is what makes us or breaks us, not anyone or anything else. It is a kind of mind set with an increase awareness which challenges us to realize the potential in our selves.

Colorguard is Performing Arts:

It is a show which can be entertaining and enlightening! With directing, acting, producing, managing, and touring. Colors, fashion, flair, excitement, piazz, sophistication, and subtlety. Always realizing the traid of performance; audience, performer, designer.

Colorguard is educational

It allows a human being to learn how to take all of these things; some dry and technically boring, some difficulty and challenging; and use them to create EMOTION! The one thing that our world needs.

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