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Color guard is a term used to describe both military personnel assigned to a flag ceremony and a flag corps assigned to a marching band.
Color guard in the military
In the military, the color guard usually consists of two sergeants and two experienced privates selected by the battle group commander. The senior sergeant carries the National flag and commands the color guard. He/she gives the necessary commands for manuvering the color guard. It is mandatory for all members of a color guard to wear some sort of headwear, i.e. garrison cap, beret, or officer's cap.
A position on the color guard is one of honor due to the fact that they are the individuals who present and carry the symbols of their unit or company, as well as their branch of the military and national flag. A standard color guard consists of four individuals: two armsbearers and two flagbearers.
The color guard is formed at close interval, does not execute to the rear march, nor does it execute to the about face. The color guard is formed with the armsbearers to the left of the lowest categorized flag's bearer and to the right of the national flag's bearer. A color guard may consist of no fewer than three individuals, two of which being armsbearers, and one flagbearer who must carry the National flag.
Color guards perform standard and relatively short manuvers during ceremonies. During these short ceremonies, the color guard may or may not execute a colors reverse march (a manuver unique to the color guard, preformed in place of the inexecutable about face) and almost always presents arms. However, during competitions more elaborate procedures may take place such as uncasing the colors, a series of colors reverses as well as left and right wheel marches, eyes right, and casing of the colors.
Color guard in a marching band
In a marching band, the color guard is a non-musical section that provides the visual aspect of the performance. It can be part of a school's band or dance organization. The marching band and color guard performance generally takes place on a football field while the color guard interprets the music that the marching band is playing. A color guard can also perform without a marching band. This activity is most often done during the winter and spring seasons, when marching band is most often out of season. This is referred to as "winter guard" or "indoor color guard." A winter guard performance takes place in a gymnasium, and the color guard interprets music that is recorded. Color guards use flags, rifles, sabres, and other various forms of these instruments, including dance, to interpret the music.
History
Originally, a military color guard often travelled with a band, which would play a patriotic song. This use continued into the civilian marching bands; and, today, a marching band color guard will normally carry flags, flag poles, banners, mock rifles, or mock sabres, much as a military color guard does. Color guards may include separate groups such as a rifle team, or a flag corps. Color guards often dress and use different pieces of equipment to fit the theme of the musical selection, and switch out equipment for different parts, movements or selections. Band color guards also spin, flourish, and toss their equipment in an extremely stylized manner, adding movement to the routines. Other props, of a nature relevant to the theme of the musical program, are also used. Marching band color guards can grow very large, sometimes rivalling the number of musicians in the band. Color guard in marching bands is also referred to as the sport of the arts, evolving from its more rigid military origin. Color guards also accompany drum corps which train in early spring and tour during the summer months.Competitions
Some color guards also participate in competitions that exclude the musical performers. Taking place after "marching season" ends, winterguard takes over. Most of these guards are found in North America. Held indoors, typically in gymnasiums, winterguard competitions are a growing part of the pageantry activity which also includes marching bands and drum corps. Color guards involved in these indoor competitions may be a part of a high school or college marching band or may be stand-alone club activities in these educational institutions. Some guards are "independent" and are self-sponsored or attached to a non-profit organization such as a veterans post, a church, or a municipal recreation department. Such guards can draw members from a wide range of ages and areas. Guards may range in size from less than a dozen to over two dozen members.In the past, color guard membership was limited to those under 22 years of age (except for the small number of adult guards) but Winter Guard International (WGI), a governing body for much of the competitive guard activity, raised the age limit for the highest class of independent guard. By the 1970s, most guard competitions were influenced by military marching and were performed to live drum cadences or were silent, relying on the footfalls of the members or the vocal cadences called out by the guard captain. That style evolved into the modern guard and WGI was formed in the late '70s set the stage for more standardized national competitive rules and judging.
Guards perform a show, now typically set to edited recorded music, that incorporates the classic guard equipment of flags, rifles, and sabres. The movement is highly stylized and largely influenced by dance. Members are drilling in the combination of equipment and movement until they have a polished presentation. Choreographers and designers often help meld the music, equipment work, and movement and some units use expressive make-up and facial accents to convey their show theme. Elaborate props -- which must be able to be assembled and disassembled rapidly to fulfill rigid competition time requirements -- and colored plastic tarps or painted canvas floors are frequently used to transform the gym floor into a temporary stage. Props, flats, and floors, along with the musical score and equipment routines, are used to take the audience to another place or time. Shows ranging from Niagara Falls to the Pirates of the Caribbean can be found, though a new copyright rule has been imposed stating that if music is copyrighted, a group must have permission from the holders of the copyright in order to use that music.
Units are judged on the effect of the design of the show and the aptitude of the members in movement and equipment work. Expectations and timing are different for the varying classes of unit with longer shows and more stringent requirements as the units ascend to the highest class, "World Class."
Competitions are generally held from January through early April with local circuits accounting for most of the competitions nationwide. WGI sponsors widely attended Regional Championships leading to the national championship typically held in early-April.
The WGI guard movement also spawned indoor percussion contests which are often quite similar to the guard contests in movement and design.
External links
Military | Ceremonies | カラーガード
"Color guard"