WGI Thoughts

One of the best things about participating in the marching arts is the opportunity we get to meet wonderful and talented people! At many shows, you would swear that you are at a family reunion instead of a competition where performers are battling it out to be crowned champions. This year's WGI Color Guard Championships were no exception, and getting to bring our exhibition booth to the "tent" was an incredible experience. We met people from all over the country, and even had a chance to speak with those that came from Canada, The Netherlands, and even as far as Japan.

One of the best things about the face to face interaction is seeing and hearing the passion people have for the performing and marching arts. It was also great to see so many families supporting their children's endeavors. Many of the performers (and quite often fans) were visibly exhausted from the often grueling schedule of early wake-up calls and multiple performances at 3 different arenas throughout the week, but all seemed to handle it with a sense of grace and professionalism that is a trademark of what they do. So many times we only a get a chance to interact with many of you over the phone or through an e-mail, so it was a refreshing change to have that personal element of an actual in-person conversation.

The performances at WGI were some of the best ever, and there seemed to be an endless display of artistry, talent, and athleticism. The range and variety of aesthetics on the floor were incredible. At the end of the week, our crew walked away with the continued respect and admiration for all the hard work and energy that performers, volunteers, staff, and families put into making sure events like these exist and thrive. The feedback and input we received from so many of you out there will help our staff as we begin to start the process all over again to develop our lineup of quality products geared at making sure your group has all the tools necessary to look, sound, and perform your best. We look forward to meeting more of you at future events! If you were not able to sign up for the latest Catalog, which ships out soon, make sure to request one here.

In the Know

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, you do better.”
-Maya Angelou

College graduations are just around the corner, and that means the job hunt has most likely commenced for many future music and performing arts educators around the country. Some of the lucky ones may have experience teaching a band camp or two, but it is important to remember that heading up your first band program is something that can be overwhelming at times. There are a plethora of resources out there, and a simple Google search will pull up at least a dozen links. There seems to be more and more media floating about than ever before, and we know it all can seem too much. Here are a few sites that might be of interest to our customers:

MARCHING.COM is a one-stop source of marching events, links, resources, news and photos. Find details of major parade and field competitions, links to marching bands on the net, and a directory of services and supplies for your marching band, color guard or drum line.

Halftime Magazine® is a bimonthly lifestyle magazine aimed at the marching arts. Halftime Magazine® connects high school and college musician-athletes through shared experiences about competitions, school spirit and band traditions.

Winter Guard International is the world's premier organization producing indoor color guard and percussion ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. The staff at WGI has written and produced some great articles and videos that cover a wide range of topics important to developing instructors. Color Guard people might want to look here, while Percussion people might want to check out this link.

ColorGuardEducators.com was started in January 2007 as a resource and community for color guard educators: designers, coaches, choreographers, directors, judges, parents, and student leaders who are dedicated to providing the best possible experiences for their performers.

Micro Marching League (MML) lets marching fans design their own shows and share them online. Our supportive community is a great place to try new ideas, collaborate, and generally share your passion for the marching arts.

Band Shoppe also carries a full selection of educational DVD videos, and later this spring/summer we will be adding several more titles to the collection.

Do you have any favorite resources?  Share them below in the comments section!