This year the King Philip Varsity Indoor Color Guard
took on the challenge of a rebuilding year with their characteristic King
Philip determination. Two guards were formed, to allow the new students in
middle school guard a chance to learn the basics of color guard drill,
with the goal to get all members ready for the fall marching band season.
With a full year of winter guard and marching band experience, the new
members will be in prime condition to move up to the varsity guard next
winter.
Meanwhile, the varsity color guard, half of which were made up of
middle school students, vastly improved over the course of the season, and
provided a shining example of the spirit of teamwork.
Under the creative direction of Leonard Machado, the superb
instruction of Richard Kim, and masterful drill designed by Ed Devlin, the
thirteen members of varsity guard performed exquisitely to music from the
movie The Mission. The classical beginning and singing of the piece
“Nella Fantasia” and tribal drums of the latter portion of the show
were represented with flags matching the earthy tones of the uniforms. The
show began with flags in shades of orange, and changed to blue flags, as
well as weapons, at the finish. The floor was detailed to perfection by
Richard Kim, and painted by the guard members as well as parents and
alumni guard members, in shades of cream, yellow, and brown, to create a
warm marbleized design. The parents constructed and Mr. Kim painted nine
columns to depict ancient column ruins. With the beautiful floor, props,
flags, and uniforms, the color guard was poised to take on the
competition. By the end of the
season, the color guard had taken first place in the New England
Scholastic Band Association’s finals for the National Open Class, third
place at Eastern Mass finals in the open class, and fourth place at the
WGI regional at
Salem
,
Massachusetts
in the Scholastic Open Class.
2006
King
Philip Middle School Color Guard
In November, the King Philip Music Department held an
information night for middle school students and parents interested in
joining middle school guard. An exciting video of past routines and
performances was shown, followed by a rehearsal, and review of the
performance schedule. The girls, under the direction of Shalyn Simmer and
assistant Tara Rukstalis, began rehearsals. This year’s performance
featured the song Seasons of Love, from the show Rent.
The girls learned so much in those first months.
They quickly learned that color guard squad is the “sport” of
the arts. Members dance to a variety of musical forms, such as show tunes,
classical, contemporary music, or jazz. At the same time, movements with
flags or silks, sabers, and wooden rifles, are added to the choreography,
to help further interpret the music.
The girls learn some new terminology
as well, as they "toss" or "spin" the equipment and
more importantly "catch it!" Guard members quickly learned that
they must know their routine well, or they will walk into another team
member! One of the most
important things the girls learned, however, was how to be committed to
the team. This can be a challenge, with three hour practices three times a
week, plus the commitment to competition weekends; “outside life” was
placed on hold for the season. The girls typically began their weekend
with a practice session then rode busses to the host schools for the
competition. A quick bag lunch preceded more practice at the site, and
then finally came the competition. We
visited different schools all over
Massachusetts
, from
Salem
to
Dartmouth
and
South Hadley
. The parents also learned what the music program was all about. It is not
a drop off program, but one to get involved with. They truly support the
students in many ways. Many hands are needed to "sew the silk"
for flags, repair costumes, and even paint the canvas floor. Parents also
construct and decorate props, and learn how to load an equipment truck and
set up the show floor quickly and efficiently. Of course there’s always
time to cheer all the squads, as you know how much work it took just to
get there!
At the first
competition the girls were nervous, yet this quickly passed as they
cheered each other on with words of encouragement to toss higher or
“push” a move. By the end of the month the girls had not only improved
their ability to spin, toss and catch, but had also gained a great deal of
self-confidence, and made many new friends.
The team took first place at each competition, scoring higher and
higher each time, right through the New England Scholastic Band
Association's finals in
Dartmouth
, against all other junior varsity squads. As the girls will tell you, it
was a wonderful experience to be a part of such a wonderful team and
organization. If you haven't
been to a guard show, you should come see for yourself; it’s so much
more than spinning flags! Parents also met new
friends and revived or discovered many skills that we might not
otherwise get an opportunity to use. Involvement is up to each individual
parent, but you really don't know what you are missing.
The dedication of staff and students alike is tremendous, and their
efforts to go a step beyond where they thought possible really pay off.
Here is to a great new season; we look forward to seeing you there!
