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Steps to a Great Color Guard

Lori Valenzuela | June 2009


The key to a great color guard is dedication to fundamentals. All color guard moves and work stem from correct techniques, and I love to focus on the basics. Every rehearsal of the Northern Illinois University color guard begins with a basics block.
    We go over the same skills every time starting with how to stand properly. There is no single, right way to stand as long as everybody is doing the same thing. My guard stands in third position with the left foot in front, which turns the hips slightly to the right. This is a flattering position and having the left foot in front makes it easier for step-offs.
    When they  are at attention the bottom tip of the flag is about two inches away from the right big toe. The right hand should be at a comfortable break at the elbow, firmly holding the flag just below the tape (the bottom of the flag taped to the pole). The left arm should be at a 90-degree angle holding the pole as if there were an imaginary line directly out from the right shoulder. The left elbow is flat to the ground with the forearm flat against the front sideline.
    Teaching young students the proper way to stand is always difficult. They would rather slump at the shoulders and keep their heads down as if walking to class. To teach them to stand up properly I tell them to imagine there is a string attached to them just below the front two notches of their collarbones and someone up in the press box is pulling the string. By imagining  that, their rib cages lift up off their hips, and the students immediately look a foot taller. Of course the head has to move with the chest, so I tell them to look at the press box with their chins, not with their eyes.
    The command “right shoulder” moves the pole into a preparatory position that can result in most moves. The left hand grabs the bottom of the pole and it firmly rests on the belly button. The pole must stay straight up, about two inches from the nose. From the right shoulder, students can do an angle exercise, figure eights, spins, double fast, and single tosses.
    Our angle exercise consists of top angles at a 45-degree angle, a parallel angle, and a lower 45-degree angle, otherwise known as a slam. We perform each of the three angles to the front, right, back and left side of the body, first every four counts, then two, and finally every count. By starting out slowly we can establish where the angles are supposed to be. Practicing these around our bodies establishes different planes that can be used.
    Figure eights are done in the same pattern as the angle exercise by breaking them down from four counts to one. Instead of doing straight and direct path like the angles, figure eights cover a circular motion encompassing the front, back, parallel, and slams of the angles in a flowing movement. We do these flat to the front and to the front right and left 45 degree angle.
    Spins are done in a series of eight counts, hold for four on the stop and up for four before starting over again. Otherwise known as a drop spin, the left hand lets go of the pole (from a right shoulder) and turns the wrist with the back of the hand twisting clockwise to the right with the palm open to the left, while staying at the waist.
    The right hand turns the pole a half-revolution counter clockwise and drops the pole into the left hand. The left hand grabs  the pole right below the right hand and turns the flag upright counter clockwise. The pole is now in the left hand and once the flag is up again the right hand grabs just below the left. This continues for as many counts as desired. On the last count the pole will stop with a re-grab or a separation of the hands on the pole to ensure it stops strong with the flag on top. We then hold for four counts here, pull the pole up to a right shoulder for four counts, and start the spins again.
    Double fast is exactly that – double the amount of regular spin. The same principle applies as a drop spin but instead of a down/up count with the flag it is a down/parallel/up/parallel pattern. This means that first the flag is down, then parallel to the left, then  up, and then parallel to the right.  The first step is the same with the flag dropping into the left hand, but from there the flag is turned more than a drop spin; the right hand grabs next to the left with palms up. It drops again with the flag up this time instead of down and then again parallel with the palms up and the flag on the right. Just as with the drop spins we stop at count eight, hold for four, right shoulder for four, and start again.
    I always break a single toss down into individual moves first. Feet are in a small second position for stability and the flag is at a shoulder/hip angle with the flag down, the right hand under at least one fist length down into the flag and the left hand on top at the same height as the left shoulder. I tell the guard to push with all of their might down with the left hand and hit the floor with that tip as hard as they can.
    Many think that a toss is done with only the right hand sending it up into the air. It won’t have a good revolution unless the left hand pushes at the same time. I then ask them to push with the left and pull up simultaneously with the right hand holding the flag equal to the side of the head.
    Without letting go of the flag this part of the exercise can feel very uncomfortable as the right hand takes the brunt of the push. For this reason I don’t do this part of the break-down for too long. Once students get a good rhythm with these two steps, only then do I tell them to let go of the pole. More times than not members of the guard who have never before done tosses tend to forget everything they were taught about using the hands together and just throw the flags.
    The guard will panic a bit when flags go all over the place. The instructor will have to make sure that the first two steps are learned before ever letting go of the pole. The push of the left hand determines the amount of revolution in the air and the right hand’s height at the point of release determines how high the toss will go. Perfecting tossing takes time and practice, but if the technique is wrong from the start the tosses will never be correct.
    As an instructor I have noticed that not many members know where to watch to clean spins. It works best to put the guard in one, straight line at a two-step interval. As the members look down the line they need to watch the poles as they come up just off the right shoulder of the person in front of them. Many think they should watch the flag itself, but sometimes the flags are not exactly the same size and get caught at times. When the flag is coming up in a drop spin, it’s much easier to see the pole than the flag flying behind it. I am also able to see if they are turning their wrists on the ups of the flag if the flag starts to roll up and disappear. The flag should be out at all times.
    All of the basics are done to counts and the show is based on counts, not the music. A director once asked me why I didn’t write the guard work to the music. I explained that if the guard goes to the music they will be late in their work because they are listening for certain things in the music. If they go to the counts given to them, they will never be late and their work will match the music. Every count of the Northern Illinois color guard pregame and halftime shows has a certain place. This also shows how you can clean the work.
    Musicians will break down a section of the music slowly and then bring it up to tempo. The same is true with guard work. We break moves down count by count and then increase speed. There isn’t a lot of difference between the role of a clarinet and someone in the guard. We both march on a football field, making our contributions to the whole production. The key to success is a focus on the basics.