The color guard activity exists to foster positive experiences for all who participate, by promoting education, creativity, and freedom of expression through the unification of pageantry and the performing arts. Color Guard is competitive dance theater using props along with dance as a visual expression of music performed by the marching band. Color Guard is both an athletic competition and a form of art that mixes modern dance and ballet choreography while using props that traditionally include rifles, flags and sabres. The Sandy Creek High School Color Guard, directed by Ivy Gray, competes with the Marching Band from August through November using choreography and equipment to enhance the visual effect of the Marching Band show. The Color Guard is judged both as part of the overall visual appeal of the show as well as in its own category.
ARTISTIC AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Students benefit physically from the training and demands placed on them through movement, dance and prop manipulation. Students build endurance through expanded rehearsal and training programs. Students learn how to solve problems creatively and adapt to the need to be flexible in their pursuit of their performance objectives. Students learn music. The rhythmic and dynamic challenges placed on them turns them into visual musicians as they illustrate the sound of the show through body and equipment. Students broaden their aesthetic reality through diverse program and performance situations.
BENEFITS TO THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY The presence of a competitive guard in a school places the students in the public eye bringing positive awareness to the school and the community. They are a Public Relations asset. Marching Band programs are enhanced through the guard’s ability to create and illustrate the music for the gratification of the viewing audience. The commitment and dedication of the guard enhances the performance standards of the entire band. Most of all, the students find joy through performance, establish lifelong friendships with their peers, learn to network with others participating in guards throughout the state, and create memories that last a lifetime.