Marching Band Color Guard vs. Winter Guard Color guard is the visual and the non musical part of a marching band show. Color guard consists of spinning either a three and one half pound rifle or a five and one half foot flag outside, striving for perfection and consistency. The season starts in the summer and is continued through the fall (football season). The enduring practices and heat makes it difficult for some people to give it their all, but at the same time it also helps you to push yourself.
If someone does not wish to commit or be the best that they can, they will not survive in marching band color guard. During marching competition the color guard performs the show that they performed during the season and the guard gets judged based on their performance with the band. Also before and after the marching band puts on their show the guard sits in the stands with the band and dances with the band as they play different songs.
Winter guard is similar to color guard, except the season stars in the winter and continued though out the spring. The performances are indoors on gym floors and instead of spinning to traditional marching band music, the guard spins to recordings of different music and genres. The gym floor is normally covered by a theme originated tarp (called a floor or mat) that generally reflects the show. The guard sometimes performs barefoot or they wear jazz shoes. Winter guards compete with only with other guards in their class.
Classes are based on skill level. The similarities color guard and winter guard share are meeting new people that go through the same exact things and conditions as one another. Both activities include the spinning and twirling of flags, sabers, rifles and other props. The techniques that are used for spinning in color guard are most defiantly used for the winter guard season. Color guard and winter guard includes dancing, so when objects are not being spun the guard member is dancing.
