Coronado: San Diego’s Newest Color Guard
By Mai Tran In the northwestern corner of San Diego, California, an 11-member guard rehearses on the blacktops of University City High School, braving wind and sun despite the “indoor” season. Instrumentals from the musical Bridges of Madison County play in the background, as director Greg Humphrey watches, scrutinizing choreography and technique. The inception of […]
A Balancing Act: Academics & The Marching Arts
By Caroline Meister College students are notorious for living in a constant state of exhaustion and stress. They run from classes, to work, and to extracurriculars with barely any time to breathe in between. As a result, they perfect a necessary balancing act between their various responsibilities. Let’s raise the stakes. Not only are you […]
Norwin HS World Guard Reaches New Heights
By Adam Adkins Earlier in the 2019 season, WGI writer Adam Adkins had the opportunity to chat with Norwin World Guard Director Heather Shrump about Norwin’s unique show—”Out of My Mind”—one which incorporated live vocals from American Idol contestant Aubrey Burchell. With the culmination of Color Guard World Championships in April, Adam caught back up […]
Recap of #WGI2019 World Championships
All roads lead here. Congratulations to all performers, directors, volunteers and staff for an amazing 2019 WGI World Championships! With over 350 competing guards and 250 Percussion/Winds groups, WGI’s 2019 World Championships saw a wide variety of spectacular performances. Take a look at the Finals recaps below to reminisce or get a peek at what […]
Hall of Fame: William Harty
By Michael Reed Of the many men and women involved in drum and bugle corps and winter guard over the years, relatively few are honored in the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame. Even fewer are in the WGI Hall of Fame. Of those, an even smaller elite group is enshrined in both Halls of […]
What is the WGI Fan Club?
Jump inside the newly renovated UD Arena to learn about WGI Fan Club: WGI’s ultimate fan package! Get the most comfortable seats in the house By becoming a member of the “WGI Fan Club,” your tax-deductible donation grants you larger club seating spaces and access to a new private lounge, hosting invitation-only receptions throughout World Championships […]
WGI Fan Club: Exclusive Benefits
Get the ultimate fan package with the WGI Fan Club. By becoming a member of the “WGI Fan Club,” your tax-deductible donation grants you larger club seating spaces and access to a new private lounge, hosting invitation-only receptions throughout World Championships World Semi Finals, A Finals, Open Finals and World Finals events. Gain access to the […]
WGI Hall of Fame: Daniel Wiles
By Michael Reed For over 30 years, Daniel Wiles has been a WGI mainstay as a performer, instructor and designer. Following successful stints at Lincoln-Way HS and Southport HS, he has led the Avon HS guard since 2000, winning titles in Scholastic World in 2009 and 2018 and Scholastic Open in 2001—in addition to medaling […]
Putting the “I” in WGI
By Caroline Meister 1978, Hoffman Estates, Illinois—Winter Guard International, known commonly by their acronym, WGI, holds its first ever color guard championships. The organization is practically unknown. 1993, Dayton, Ohio—Fifteen years later, amid growing momentum and recognition, WGI holds its first ever percussion championships. 2015, Dayton, Ohio—WGI, known now as America’s premiere destination for the […]
Lights, Camera, Color Guard!
By Jenny Lyons Streaks of white light, rain slicked pavement; a sleek car in deep red, gliding down the street. A beautiful woman in a smooth ponytail grips the steering wheel and stares down the road ahead with a smile and a confident gleam in her eyes. Ariana Grande’s “Bang Bang” plays buoyantly in the […]
Road to China: James Bowie HS
In May 2019, the James Bowie High School World Guard (Austin, Texas) will be the first and only United States group to perform in WGI Sport of the Arts’ inaugural WGI China Regional, held in Beijing. No stranger to travel, WGI China will be the group’s second international performance. “We could not be more excited about […]
Remembering Stanley Knaub: Part III
This is Part III of a three-part series. To read Part I, click here; to read Part II, click here. By Jenny Lyons Stanley Knaub’s legacy lives on not only through his technical contributions, but through the educators who continue to preach his wisdom. Many influential members of the color guard community, such as Karl […]
Remembering Stanley Knaub: Part II
This is Part II of a three-part series. To read Part I, click here. By Jenny Lyons Beyond his generosity within the drum corps activity, Stanley became integral in the creation of Winter Guard International. Not only was he among the six original founders—including Don Angelica, Shirlee Whitcomb, Bryan Johnston, Marie Czapinski and Linda Chambers—Stanley […]
Remembering Stanley Knaub: Part I
By Jenny Lyons “The sun used to stream through the old hatch windows in our gym and light the floor. Someone once told me it meant that Stanley was there.” It is rare that an educator’s influence so clearly and widely transcends generations as that of Stanley Knaub’s. One of the most prolific figures in […]
You Could Win!!
Become a Volunteer
Do you want a behind the scenes look at WGI World Championships? Sign up to be a volunteer! Volunteers are essential for providing the experience that members, staff, and fans expect from WGI. The success of each event is only possible with dedicated volunteers, like you! You will have the opportunity to request a job […]
WGI Adopts Comprehensive Code of Conduct and Reporting Policy
The topic of participant protection in the marching arts has seen a vigorous discourse in recent months. WGI Sport of the Arts is committed to creating a positive, safe, and professional environment for all. With a heightened awareness of our responsibility to the young people WGI serves, the board of directors has instituted new policies […]
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
By Jenny Lyons Every WGI performer knows that after ascending to the height of their performance career on Finals night, there is one more literal mountain to overcome. After the performers have soaked in the last bit of applause, rolled up the floor, collected their props, and swept up the last handful of glitter; they–already […]
Consistent Fan Favorites: Dartmouth High School
By Mai Tran The Fan Favorite award has become a beloved part of WGI finals, allowing both spectators and performers to cast votes for their favorite ensembles via text message. Procuring votes through social media and sharing group numbers are all part of the fun, involving viewers even if they can’t make the trip out […]
The Little Guard That Could
By Michael Boo Southeast Visual Ensemble is a relatively small Independent Class A color guard from a rural area just south of Jacksonville, Alabama, an area sporting few scholastic color guard programs. Some members typically drive over 100 miles one-way to get to weekend rehearsals. Through grit and determination, the guard has been able to […]
