Medals May Fade… Friendships Remain
By David Hill To help usher in Winter Guard International’s 40th Anniversary, let’s tell the stories of some of the activity’s first “Super Guards,” each a World Champion: Quasar, Skylarks, Erte, State Street Review, Odyssey, San Jose Raiders, and Emerald Marquis. Who better to remind us all of the impact these units made than the […]
Hall of Fame 2017: Michael Shapiro
By Jenny Lyons What are the elements of a winter guard show that make us, as an audience, remember? We gravitate towards the shows that shock and awe, the ones that show us something we have never seen before, the ones that push the limits of what we thought possible within the arena. We hang […]
WGI 40: Disruptive Design
By David Hill To help usher in Winter Guard International’s 40th Anniversary, let’s tell the stories of some of the activity’s first “Super Guards,” each a World Champion: Quasar, Skylarks, Erte, State Street Review, Odyssey, San Jose Raiders, and Emerald Marquis. Who better to remind us all of the impact these units made than the […]
Ground Breaking. Legendary. Trend Setter.
By David Hill To help usher in Winter Guard International’s 40th Anniversary, let’s tell the stories of some of the activity’s first “Super Guards,” each a World Champion: Quasar, Skylarks, Erte, State Street Review, Odyssey, San Jose Raiders, and Emerald Marquis. Who better to remind us all of the impact these units made than the […]
WGI Mourns the Passing of Shirlee Whitcomb
On May 14, 1977 six people met in San Francisco to create an entity that would unify and transform the color guard activity by creating Winter Guard International, today’s leader in the indoor marching arts. WGI is profoundly sad to announce that one of those founders, Shirlee Whitcomb, passed away yesterday, January 4, 2017, at […]
Feeder Programs – Making Color Guard Great
By Hannah Corson World class color guards don’t become great overnight. Many factors go into making these groups the powerhouses that they are including hours of practice, good work ethic, and passion for the activity. For some, these things start in high school, but for others, the work starts as early as the first grade. […]
WGI 40: Love It, Do It, Believe It
By David Hill To help usher in Winter Guard International’s 40th Anniversary, let’s tell the stories of some of the activity’s first “Super Guards,” each a World Champion: Quasar, Skylarks, Erte, State Street Review, Odyssey, San Jose Raiders, and Emerald Marquis. Who better to remind us all of the impact these units made than the […]
Controversial Shows: Fantasia’s "A Good German"
By Dan Schack Since I became aware of the indoor drumline and color guard activities, I’ve wondered what deems a show “controversial.” At some point throughout my experience marching drum corps and indoor drumline, I realized that the pageantry world is a generally accepting and open-minded place. Some of the most creative, out of the […]
Backstage Pass: Pre-Performance Rituals
By Michael Reed Have you ever wondered what your favorite color guard does before a show to calm the nerves and get focused? Have you ever been within earshot of a warmup area and heard an excited troupe do an enthusiastic chant? Do you know if your favorite group has their own special, unique traditions? […]
Supportive Parents – WGI’s Biggest Fans
by Hannah Corson Those who participate in WGI spend countless hours practicing, traveling, and performing each season. Year after year, these young musicians work diligently to perfect every count of their show. Although it is the performers’ passion, effort, and commitment to the activity that leads to excellence, for some, it is the support of […]
