FIU Gold’s show left no one in doubt of their skill. In “Sunday Service,” the floor became a church, complete with stained glass windows and pews. The show quickly picked up pace, as the performers fanned themselves and introduced a bright, scorching red flag. A rifle ensemble and flag statement were phenomenally executed, a further demonstration of their technical abilities. The show closed with chaos as flags were thrown about the floor, the scene becoming a mere echo of the once peaceful setup.  

Pegasus Winterguard A presented “That Day Might Be Today,” full of excellent breathwork and masterful performances across all lines. Set to Winston Churchill’s “Boy”, the group gave an emotional and technically advanced performance. The show opened and closed with the soloist separated from the group, demonstrating the dichotomy of their individualism. The audience was surely in agreement that Pegasus Winterguard A’s performance was one of the best in its class. 

The front porch of a home was the primary prop in Anesidora’s “Breath Again.” A duet, adorned in bright blue, acted as our lead couple in the program, demonstrating significant movement and rifle skills. The ensemble lighted the floor up with masterful equipment work and stunning the audience with unified moments. A love-filled, emotional show was well received with great applause as the couple met and entered the home, the porch light turning off behind them to signify the end of the program.  

Glory Independent presented “Twelfth Step,” in which the floor is circled with white chairs. The performers gravitate to the chairs, moving and utilizing them for tricks and statement moments. Set to “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles, something always pulls the performers back to each other, making this a notably personal show. Emotional performances kept the audience entrenched in the show until the very last second. The performance closed as it started, with the chairs positioned to circle the floor once again.

A skillful movement ensemble introduced Etude A’s “A Wonderful World” to the audience. Adorned in shades of orange, blue, and green, the performers took a natural approach to the adaptation of Louis Armstrong’s song by the same name. the stunning flag statement shined as it concluded the show and left the audience in awe.  

Gold Winterguard presented “Geometric”, in which the tarp and uniforms, adorned with colorful hexagons, introduce the motif of shape. Strong weapon performances led to an intense and dramatic final flag statement. with beautifully accented silks and masterful work, it was the perfect close to an unforgettable show. 

Emerald’s “In The Weeds” demonstrates elegant equipment work and movement throughout their 2022 program. A gripping flag statement erupted in sparkling confetti and entranced the audience. As the show ended, the final soloist tossed more confetti above the group, reminiscent of the dandelion pictured on the tarp, and reminding the audience that being in the weeds isn’t always a bad thing.

Divenire Winter Guard’s “A New World” told the story of immigrants in their voyage to the United States. Performers stood along the edge of a ship, using rope and crates as their elemental props. Set to “On the Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship,” the ensemble was cohesive and masterful in their work, leaving no doubts of their pure talent. The show ends in a reading of the poem “The New Colossus”, the poem which adorns the Statue of Liberty, as a soloist lifts a torch.

Onyx presented their minimalistic program “Time Goes By.” in monochromatic uniforms, all attention is drawn to the skill of the performers. The team’s strong flag work and rifle soloist are the focal points of the show, keeping the audience captivated. Closing the show with back-to-back tosses was a stunning gamble that certainly paid off, as the performers nailed their tosses in each performance.

Hello, you. Collage’s “Anonymous” tells the story of an anonymous stalker, writing to their victim. Collage’s performance is full of emotion; love and anger fill the show, as seen in their equipment and movement. Chaos takes over the floor as the soloist tears through reams of paper, resentful of the unrequited love. Skillful equipment execution enhanced the captivating show, and the drama of the performance tied the thematic elements together. 

Icon Winter Guard performed with only 10 small squares acting as their tarp pieces for their 2022 program “In the Trees.” With the easily recognizable “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots as their soundtrack, The group’s complementary maroon and green uniforms tied together the dichotomy highlighted by the title of the show. The execution of the work was excellent, and the closing flag statement highlighted the skill demonstrated throughout in “In the Trees.”

In mathematics, The Golden Ratio is considered a divine proportion often found in nature that denotes what the human brain considers perfect. Les Eclipses’ “The Golden Ratio” was certainly divine, with sharp movement as a defining element of the performance. The show actively utilized mathematical motifs, using elements such as ripples to reestablish the technical image. There is no mistaking the skill masterfully demonstrated by Les Eclipses’ performers, adorned in a bright gold. 

Carolina Visual Productions introduced “Life’s Reel“, a performance based on movies and film. The tarp and backdrops painted the performance floor with film reels, though the performers equipment skills were the true stars. Set to a Bon Iver compilation including “Wash” and “Exile,” the performers gave a reflective performance. The guard shined in the climax of the show through a breathtaking flag statement which highlighted the theme of their show.

Black Diamond Independent’s “Negative Space” was an elegant show that highlighted the group’s excellent rifle line and flag ensembles. Shining silver flags caught the eye of the audience and highlighted the stunning equipment execution. A little went a long way in this minimalistic show, as only two small tarp pieces lined the floor, being pulled back to continue the motif of negative space. A soloist completed his work in the negative space as the music stopped, leaving him in silence as he snapped his final toss and left the audience in awe of their phenomenal performance.

State of Art gave an exotic presentation with “Chameleon.” Set to a unique soundtrack, the performers were in their element with interpretive movement and equipment work. Adorned in green uniforms and spinning with colorful flags, the group was stunningly cohesive.