Does anyone have any colorguard tips?

Question

I tried out for my schools colorguard and made the alternative list. The alternates don't compete with the band or anything, but we still need to learn the routine. I'm new to colorguard, and I am horrible. The older girls on the squad make it look so easy! And they always practice with so much emotion and expression, and I feel like if I try to do that I'll just look like an idiot. Does anyone have any tips from past experiences on the guard on how to catch on fast or to show more facial emotions without looking stupid.

Answer 1

facial emotions???

think of the gard part of the show as a stage presentation and the whole field is your stage. The audience is in the stands & in order for the emotions to get across to them so far away-you must over do the facials expressions (which is called "projecting"). The veteran girls know this already & just do it because it is the right thing to do. It is part of what is expected from the whole team.

They make it look easy because it is easy---(once you've done the stuff for about a million times). Every veteran member has been where you are at some point, the struggled, worked hard, persevered, asked for help when they needed it and eventually got their c**p together enough to perform. keep practicing & getting better, who knows-somebody might get benched for bad grades-then the best alternate is the smartest choice to put in their place. So be that best alternate!

Answer 2

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE..

i was a newbie just like you last year..(trust me, i have the bumps and bruises to prove it..i got a broken wrist, a black eye, and a black toe..)

but now i'm throwing quads and 5's on rifle with ease. try dancing to classical music, only show lots of enotion when you do it..try to express what the music is saying through your face and movements..and set goals for yourself.. like if you want to spin flag better, set a number of drop spins or peggie spins that you want to reach in a day, and then go from there..gradually increase that number until the spinning starts to feel natural to you. then on rifle try perfecting your singles and right and left spins...keep your shoulders from moving, and try to make the rifle not pitched when you spin.  (a trick to doing this is to face a wall, and spin..then if you feel comfortable, get a little closer to the wall. this will teach you to stay in the plane that you are supposed to be in. or as i like to call it. "staying in the toaster.)because you know if you're a piece of metal in a toaster, if you acciedentally touch one of those hot rods, your dead..lol.

make sure that whenever you are doing rifle tosses,that you push down with your right hand..this will help you further when you start tossing triples and quads. also ..if you want to teach yourself rotation, try putting your right hand in the neck of the rifle while the other and is at the strap..(so basically it's a rifle toss, but you hand isn't at the butt, it's at the neck..then try tossing singles and doubles like that...)

if you ever have some spare time..try taking some ballet lessons..you'd be suprised how handy ballet is in colorguard. you will notice that your expressions and dancing improving a lot!

but most of all..don't see colorguard as something to "overcome". rather see it as someting to have fun with! enjoy every moment that you are spinning your flag/rifle/saber (if you have those). make it your life!

HAVE FUN, AND GOD BLESS.