.: Exploring the Possibility
of an Indoor Guard
Directors confront
many questions when considering the expansion of an existing
program to include an indoor guard ensemble.
- What is an indoor winter guard?
- What kind of time is involved?
- How will the students benefit?
- What are the rules and guidelines?
- Where can I find the rules and
guidelines?
A winter guard program is not only educationally sound, it
can have a dramatic and positive influence on the total marching
band program if it is a part of a scholastic group.
In a school situation,
the winter guard is a co-curricular or extra-curricular activity
which offers participation to both boys and girls. Usually
its purpose is similar to that of a sports team:
- To strive for excellence
- To develop teamwork
- To learn sportsmanship
- To achieve the highest possible
ranking in your competitive circle
- To entertain
Unlike sports teams, the entertainment factor makes this program
unique. It can be likened to theatre with elements of drama
or a musical. This added dimension provides the students with
an exposure beyond that offered through the marching band
program. Thus, the indoor guard opportunity is a blend of
that produces “The Sport of the Arts.”
A valuable experience
for winter guard performers is an interaction with students
from other communities throughout the United States, Canada,
Europe, and Asia. The success of this activity is rich in
those areas and growing in Europe and Asia. This social and
competitive exchange with groups of their own age from different
backgrounds, lifestyles and educational experiences adds another
facet to their self-perception while creating lasting friendships!
Winter guard has the
latitude to perform at a local level with much the same scope
as an athletic team, or they may choose to expand and include
performances in other parts of the country affording an opportunity
for trips visiting historical and cultural sites. A combination
of both types of schedule is also possible.
Very few co-curricular
activities offer students an experience which challenges and
stimulates growth on so many levels:
- Multi-physical
- Mental
- Social
- Time Sequence
- Through Organization
- Team Work
- Group Cooperation
The activity demands physical involvement in rehearsal and
performance involving muscle tone, conditioned response to
music and other stimuli, simultaneous coordination of head,
arms, legs, body stature as well as poise and control while
experiencing physical and mental pressure.
The mental training
requires multi-levels of thought organization including portrayal
of moods harmonious with other performers, and understanding
of why they execute each move and advance awareness of what
the next move will be and why it is there. The cumulative
result of such physical and mental discipline is a student
with deeper feelings of understanding, a more disciplined
focus which finds its way into study habits in scholastic
efforts and a higher level of self-confidence.
A winter guard program
will expand the techniques of those who comprise the street
and field marching unit in just the same way that concert
band, stage band and winter percussion lines continue the
development of those skills with subsequent impact on the
excellence of the music program.
Socially, members
learn to function in a group situation setting common goals,
cooperating and striving for success as a team.
The many outlets for
performances available to a scholastic winter guard, besides
contests, include the regular school activity schedule of
rallies, basketball half-times or assemblies for special events
which will show the activity to the school community. Other
students will become more interested in the program; faculty
members are always impressed and the audiences (parents and
students alike) enjoy the show for its entertainment value.
Within the community there are always organizations looking
for varied forms of entertainment and where space is adequate,
the indoor guard show can win tremendous support for the band
program.
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