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Orlando Color Guard Regional Review
Mar 11, 2008
By Irving Matchen
Here we are in Florida for our third regional -- with regionals already held in Pensacola and Ft. Lauderdale earlier this season; we are in Central Florida at Cypress Creek High School in the great city of Orlando. Warm weather and an audience well educated in the color guard activity sat through a full day of explosives shows. There were just too many amazing flag features to single out any particular unit and I want to mention that they were all amazing!
Scholastic A once again showed their level of skill and performance with thirteen phenomenal finalists. Capturing the gold medal with strong performances in both prelims and finals was Colonial HS (87.20) 1st. Performing to a familiar musical selection Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, the audience watched in silence as this unit performed effortlessly. Right from the opening solo rifle toss with solid catch, all you could hear throughout their performance was the sound of the weapons being caught as well as the sound of their shoes scuffling across the tarp coupled with applause of appreciation from the audience. A nicely designed program performed well. The silver medalist of the day and a crowd favorite, Cypress Creek HS (84.30) 2nd performed well for their home crowd. Performing a show titled, “Still Awake”, dawned in grey uniforms and performing to a beautiful musical selection, this wonderfully designed show received several applauses from start to finish. Lyman HS (83.30) 3rd the bronze medalist used these creative ten foot steel poles as props. They reposition them; lay them down and work around them with their equipment. University HS (83.00) 4th certainly had nothing to be disappointed about. A fast moving show with high difficulty in equipment will keep them the medal hunt all season. Spanish River HS (82.80) 5th had one of the most intriguing shows. A program titled, “On Air”. Using balloons on strings to give the affect of them floating in the sky. As the show built up to the closing flag feature each flag had a balloon in the fabric on the flag and once released it gave the illusion of lots of balloons floating in the sky. Very clever and great effect. Clayton HS (80.70) 6th used a huge medal dream catcher prop in the left corner of the tarp. Rifle section did this phenomenal running/leaping rifle toss with solid catch. Cypress Bay HS (80.30) 7th used an opening ripple toss done by the sabers. The purple and black costumes contrasted well with the ending flag feature done with yellow flags. Central Carroll HS (78.80) 8th another interesting show titled, “Don’t Fence Me In”. Using white fences for props moved effectively throughout the show as they danced, moved and spun this pleasing show. Seminole HS (78.60) 9th creatively used its prop well as it used a classical piece to entertain the audience. As for the remaining finalist: Lake Howell HS (74.90) 10th Sandalwood HS (75.00) 11th Chattahoochee HS (75.20) 12th and Menendez HS (74.00) 13th all performed with enthusiasm and the audience showed their appreciation with hearty applause.
The Independent A class was ready to keep the audience entertained. Taking the gold medal and first year competitor in the A division, Fahrenheit A (81.40) performed a show titled, “On a rainy day”. A show nicely built from the opening silent count flag feature leading into a solo saber toss in left upper corner. Showing control throughout on equipment this show lead up to an amazing silent count closing flag feature as the sound of nothing but a rainstorm used as background music. River City Independent (77.90) performing a show titled, “Untold”. This show is staged beautifully and the equipment book will keep them close to the top contenders. 27th Parallel WG (71.40) bronze medal performance was one to remember. Each member announcing the name of their grandmother as quilts were displayed on the tarp. Very pretty show ending with each performer wrapped in their individual quilts.
The Scholastic Open division continues to be one of the most competitive divisions. Starting with the gold medal winner Freedom HS (85.10) another crowd favorite, this unit mesmerized the audience on how they used their headbands as eventual blindfolds. The show began with one member already blindfolded, as the show progressed, one by one the members pull down their headbands that become blindfolds. Filled with wonderful equipment work and tons of movement this all lead into a heart pounding flag feature that pulled the audience into a frenzied ovation. Freedom HS is familiar with the medal circle and it looks like they are heading towards another potentially rewarding trip to Dayton. Silver medalist winner Santaluces HS (81.50) used a fast paced show titled, “If These Old Walls Could Speak”. These performers manage to combine elegance and grace into a show filled with tons of movement and strong equipment work. Tarpon Spring HS (80.40) and our bronze medalist, used beautiful movement with equipment work to edge out 4th place finisher Cooper City HS (79.30) had a truly a beautiful flag feature with gorgeous colors. A very interesting moment to watch was the tosses alternated from rifle to saber in beginning portion of program. The closing flag feature drew great applause from the audience. Countryside HS (77.50) performing a program titled, “His Apology” is showing much development in their production that lead us to a closing flag feature with visually pleasing blue flags. Taravella HS (73.30) competing in the open division after coming away as the gold meal winner from last year’s championship in the A division. In very beautiful lavender flowing dresses with rope wrapped around the exposed leg and arm, Taravella pushes their talent in their new division with some daring equipment work along with a visual show Dayton will enjoy.
Independent Open class gold winner was USF Winter Guard (81.80) and our only performing IO guard at the regional. Performing to a wonderful piece by Philip Glass, this show titled, “A Thousand Airplanes on the Road” was certainly full of eye-catching moments. The opening flag statement prepares you for a production that’s fitting to the theme. Wearing air force looking jumpers with headgear and goggles USF commenced to fly through their production with creative body movement and an equipment book with the same intensity. One highlight was when the guard pulled a parachute from one of the backpack of the performers for a great effect, this leading into another great flag exchange. Look for USF to turn some heads in Dayton.
The buzz was in the air now awaiting the performances of the world guards. Beginning with the Scholastic World the audience was eager to welcome Flanagan HS (87.80) a crowd favorite and gold medal winner. Just missing out on a medal at last year’s championships and this year continuing their dominance in the SW division, Flanagan comes out with aggressive high tosses, fast movement and a visually pleasing show. These talented members are well trained on all pieces of equipment and a designed show titled, “Secrets”, brings out that talent even more. Both rifle and saber sections are very strong with some individually talented performers. Flanagan had one of the best closing flag features of the day that had the audience on its feet before it ended. This show will be well received in Dayton. Entering the gym with their performance attitude and silver medalist finishers was Stoneman Douglas HS (80.070). These young ladies perform at one level only! Strong equipment book with tons of movement this show develops into closing flag feature that will have you jumping out of your seats. All units seem to have a performer you can’t keep your eyes off of and Stoneman has theirs too -- I call her saber-girl, a pure performer, and she nailed her quad turn-around again. The show design continues to progress and it will be ready by the time they arrive in Dayton. The bronze medalist went to Seminole HS (77.30). Not to be out done, Seminole HS used effective equipment work and show design telling a story of a train ride together. With the sound of a train in the sound track it is amazing to see how these ladies travel through their production using pink luggage as props. As the train ride comes to an end they finish nicely by settling on benches.
Anticipation is high with only the performances of the Independent World guards left. Receiving a thunderous applause upon entering the gymnasium, NEI (Northeast Independent) 90.20 our gold medal winners set up for their show titled, “Quietus”. The past few years NEI has improved their placement at Dayton championship and expect them to push that even further this year. NEI has developed unique body positioning of their own coupled with extreme difficulty in equipment work. With a comfortable win in Orlando: the Power Regional in only a couple weeks in Tampa should tell us all more just how well NEI will do in Dayton. The Knights (82.90) , uniformed in black suites with bright red ties, use a musical selection we can connect to emotionally. They are strong in movement with a top notch equipment book displayed often by rifle and saber sections – as the show progresses the performers begin to come out their suit jackets revealing messages on their back. A definite crowd-pleasing show. Braddock Independent (81.70) performing a show titled, “Just being us’ is a show that has Braddock of old all over it. Funky musical rhythm with hip-hop dancing moves, the audience screams its approval. Braddock show cases some big individual tricks on weapon. A show based upon life in a car garage; the tarp is bordered in car tires and the performers are dressed in mechanic style uniforms with grease markings on their faces. I stopped counting the rotation on some of their tosses and the enjoyable colors used on their silks provided a terrific effect on their closing flag feature. Fahrenheit (77.40)our 4th place finisher adorned in various off white sexy lingerie type costumes. Performing a show titled, “La Chanson Des Viewus Amants” pronounced to perfection by the announcer. The musical selection demands that this unit use ultimate control in all areas of their performance; from equipment to movement to emotional connection. This show design is exposed on all levels and the members perform it to perfection.
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