Color guard focuses on parades with more complicated moves
Coordinating running, dancing, and throwing rifles at the same time— the fall color guard team has been focusing on parades this year instead of field shows.
"Parades take a lot of stamina because the show repeats after you’re done," captain senior Sara Shawki said. "And then you walk for [who knows] how long."
Although the lack of field shows allow more time to focus on perfecting their moves, some members are nostalgic about the field shows, which are similar to dance routines on a field.
"Actually I think that field shows are more fun because we get to act [the song out]," senior Rachael Yao said. "Also, we get to switch weapons [in a field show]. In a parade, we have to stick to one weapon."
For the first time, band teacher John Fey hired choreographers to coach the Color Guard team an advanced parade routine during band camp. The new routine incorporated more complicated tosses and a new rifle line.
"It’s a lot more intense [this year]," sophomore Nona Penner said. "The new choreographers pushed us to be more daring with tosses."
Their hard work was seen on Oct. 17, when the team placed seventh out of 55 schools in the 39th Annual Santa Cruz Band Review along with the school marching band in their third competition of the year. Of the eight teams that performed in the AA division, the the Color Guard team placed second.
"This year [the team] has been amazing," Yao said. "The new people have improved in a ridiculously short amount of time."
Those who chose to continue after the fall guard season ends will begin their Winter Guard season with the hopes of attaining the level of the Winter Guard International competitions.
