Color guards can be found in almost all of the American colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools as well as the drum corps. They typically also sport a variety of different equipment which includes flags, rifles, and sabres. They pair these with dance to the music of the marching band show. Color guards typically perform during football games at halftime. During marching band competitions, the guard themselves adds to the overall score of the band and is judged in its own category usually called auxiliary.
Color guards have since evolved into a separate activity known as the Winter Guard, which is an indoor sport which as the name suggests is performed during the winter or spring. During this, the guard performs unaccompanied by the band, to a piece of pre-recorded music. The Winter Guard would then compete in circuits such as the Winter Guard International (WGI).
Importance & Symbolism Behind A Color Guard Presentation
To understand the color guard you have to understand the meaning behind the equipment they use. The rifle or sabre guards provide a ceremonial guard for each of the flags, this is a representation that they are safe and protected. The flags themselves and the colors have their own meanings. The white flag represents innocence and purity, the red flag represents hardiness and valor, and the blue flag represents vigilance and perseverance as well as justice and everything our country has overcome. Within every color guard performance, there is love and support for our Corps, Community, and Nation shown. Being apart of the color guard is such an honor. It is a representation of support for the country, the men and women serving the country as well as the nation itself. If you have more questions about the history of the color guard then please refer to the infographic below.
