BaritoneB1


Whats the story behind your guards name?
- Well, "Mystery" represents what this guard is all about. They are unknown to most people and are very unpredictable, leaving their competitors with a mystery.
How competitive is the audition process?
- We try to get the best guard people we can to participate in our ensemble. We have one of the best rifle and flag lines in Division II. Our equipment score is among the best in the division.
Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?
- Well, this is just the first season. We may create some traditions as these next couple of seasons come around.
How much time do you put in to your guard?
- Most of my time goes to both my guard and my drumline. They are my priority in Season 1, simply because they are the most successful.
How did you come up with your show concept?
- Our show, The Mysteries of the Sea, is based off of Scooby-Doo episodes involving sea monsters and ghosts. Lockness Monster, Captain Cutler, and Redbeard's Ghost were the 3 monsters/ghosts that I chose to be reprsented in our show.
Do you like how this season is turning out so far?
- Very much so! I am surprised with our position, especially because they were unable to rehearse for 3 days straight.
What are your goals for the end of this season?
- We want to win. We are in contention for the top spot with two other guards, GM Guard and Infinity Winterguard.
Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?
- We are definately competing next season. I actually would like to remain in Division II for Season 2.
Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?
- Expect great things from us. We are not yet going to disclose our show yet, but it should be entertaining!

Cire

Whats the story behind your guards name?
Our guard is an all female guard. The V is the perfect representation of the members of our guard.

How competitive is the audition process?
Our audition process is very competitive and very unique. Auditions actually begin around the age of 4-5. We hand pick 5 girls every year from the surrounding areas (and countries) with each girl being one of the ages from 6-10. We mold each girl into the best performer they can be by doing several hours of practices a day along with mandatory classroom time which covers guard fundamentals, history, and other relevant guard information they should know. We also with covering their full payments for other approved groups (marching band/college, drum corps, etc) to even further along their talent abilities. With several year-round private individual and group performances and critiques, or girls become guard machines. Once the girls reach 14 they will be assessed and then placed into our private marching band The Marching Marchers, and once they turn 17, they will be moved up into our drum corps The Blue Deviled Eggs. Starting at 14 each girl will have the chance to audition to become a member of the V winter guard.

Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?
Our guard members are proud to have the distinction of being the only guard to practice every day for 4 years straight, after which they will receive 1 day off for every year they are within our program. Their tradition is that noone in our history has ever taken their days off.

How much time do you put in to your guard?
The staff at V puts in at least 3 hours a day for practicing, and up to 15 during the off season. During the time that the staff does not work face to face with the guard or members individually, the members will practice themselves, teaching and learning from each other and practicing what they have been taught.

How did you come up with your show concept?
Our show this year is called Pink. Since the guard is an all female guard, we decided to do a satire show of all things lesbian. The group came under a lot of scrutiny from local gay rights groups, but the courts felt that since 95% of the V members were also gay, there was nothing wrong with it.

Do you like how this season is turning out so far?
We are currently in second place overall. This is unacceptable by the girls and the staff.

What are your goals for the end of this season?
Our goal is to be in the top 2. Always.

Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?
Our goal is to be in the top 2. Always.

Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?
This year is a rebuilding year for V. Watch out for us next year when we present our show "Sabres, Swords, and Poles... The death of a judge."

Silversun268

-What’s the story behind your guard’s name?

The name of the guard, Perception, comes from what the audience and judges must do in order to enjoy the show: perceive our concept, understand it, and enjoy it. Hence the name Perception

-How competitive is the audition process?

I would say that it is pretty competitive. In England, there are more young performers than many people realize. The problem is that there are not as many groups to serve these performers as in the United States and that means that there are a lot of people that show up to our auditions. Even though we realize this, we can only allow a certain number of performers onto the guard during a season. We are working on developing some local-only groups to allow more people to enjoy spinning even when they can’t make it onto the top guard.

-Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?

Well, as with most groups, there are many. One of the best ones, in my opinion: each member, over the course of the season finds an inspirational quote and uses it to improve their performance in practice. At the end of practice one of the members tells everyone else their quote and how it has helped them get better.

-How much time do you put in to your guard?

Well, as the saying goes: you only get out of something what you put into it. So, we practice a lot.

-How did you come up with your show concept?

It has been something that we have wanted to do for a long time. The show represents how everyone should live in the present moment. Too often people get caught up in reliving the past or looking to the future. We are happy that the audience and the judges have understood our show and have responded well to it.

-Do you like how this season is turning out so far?

In short, yes. We are very excited that we have been able to be so successful this season after not being able to return to competition for several seasons.

-What are your goals for the end of this season?

We hope to be able to continue to excite and entertain the audience and judges right through to the end of the season. Winning would be a wonderful experience for the performers, but that is not what we are really about. There is some very good competition this season and we will be trying our hardest to match up to that.

-Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?

As of this moment, Perception is planning on returning to competition next season. Our goal will be to remain competitive and entertaining.

-Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?

All we can say right now is that you can look forward to more of the things that you have come to expect from this organization: hard-work, innovation, and entertainment.

LayersWinterguard

Whats the story behind your guards name?
With our guard, the name, Layers, came from the idea that every great show that has ever been performed is in multiple layers. Whether it's the layers of story telling and technique or focus points. No good show just stays on one level it is in Layers, and that is what we try to achieve here.

How competitive is the audition process?
Well much more competitive than it has been in years past, Layers did start out with the old FMA as a sort of starter group but with this being our 4th season now and move up to a new division, we have up the ante a little in terms of auditions.

Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?
Well in terms of performances we usually have a "signature move" I suppose you could say. It is an across the floor rifle toss that usually ends up in every show at one point or another. Another tradition we have is on the rookie season of a member, they receive a plain chain necklace. Every year a season is completed, they receive a charm for the show, for our inaugural season, "The Beast Within", they all received a paw charm, for "Bliss" a heart, for "Oh the Places You'll Go!" a shoe. I'm not quite sure what type of charm I could find to represent this show about the undead, but we'll see.

How much time do you put in to your guard?
I usually try to invests in working my guard at least twice a day, with it's discrepancies of course.

How did you come up with your show concept?
Well after having so much fun with our "The Beast Within" show, which included "Going Under" by Evanescence, I really wanted to do another show featuring their music. Well I found the amazing "Haunted" by them and thus began show creation. Obviously with a song like "Haunted" I wasn't gonna be able to do a happy froo froo show about bunnies and rainbows, but I also had been wanting a while a zombie show. I mean my favorite horror movies are zombie movies lol.

Do you like how this season is turning out so far?
Yes actually, we have slid a little in rankings as the season goes on but we've kept hold of staying in the top 12.

What are your goals for the end of this season?
Our goal is to eventually land in the top 10. But or ultimate goal has already been achieved, which is a successful and fun season.

Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?
Yes we do plan on competing again, and I already have a new show for the upcoming season ;-)

Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?
Well all I can say is, it will be another role playing show, and an aggressive, "high flying" performance.

TeamQuavers

What’s the story behind your guard’s name?
Citrus Guard is from Covina, CA. The logo for this city is pretty much just an orange. http://sgorelick.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/covina.jpg?w=450&h=321 (Click to see the image) Because of this, our unit’s name is “Citrus Guard.”

How competitive is the audition process?
For the first season, only twenty people signed up so they were all admitted. However, we expect at least 50,000 people to audition next season because we have more influence than before. This will make it obscenely more competitive as there is room only for twenty-five members. Every auditionee will have a .05% chance of making the ensemble. We usually have to start the audition process 4 years before the season starts just to get through everyone.

Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?
No traditions have been established yet, but what we did this season was pray before each competition. We always pray that God will keep us and our competitors safe and to let us take winning and losing with grace. Some other things we did this season that might become tradition are: eating at least one orange every day of the season, playing a game of Connect Four with each other after every show, and reading beautiful poetry on street corners during free time.

How much time do you put in to your guard?
They rehearse every day from 7 in the morning to 9 in the evening, so that’s 14 hours a day. All I really have to do is click the “rehearsal” button along with some rehearsal actions and I’m done in about ten seconds. They sometimes accuse me of not being there at rehearsal because I’m often too busy dictating their actions in the glow of my computer screen. It’s very pleasant this way.

How did you come up with your show concept?
I believe one of the most important things to have in this lifetime is the Lord’s mercy. I found a song to communicate this and it was “Lord Have Mercy” by Michael W. Smith. It’s; simple and inspired.

Do you like how this season is turning out so far?
I like where we’re ending up this season. In fact, this is my only unit that will be making finals (and I know NOTHING about guard).

What are your goals for the end of this season?
To make finals, and to see to it that all of the members learned something from this experience. However, the biggest goal is to just have fun. You can tell who the winning units are just by looking at their attitudes.

Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?
Citrus Guard will be competing next season and our goal will once again be to just have fun and make friends with each other. Well, and to make finals again. I mean, it’s always nice to make it to the absolute end.

Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?
Our next show will be entitled “From Old to New” and we’ll be performing to “Clair de Lune” by Clause Debussy. The concept of the show is pretty much like “Before vs. After” I plan to release more details closer to the season.

jrdnhunting

Whats the story behind your guards name?
A Silkette is someone who is blessed by the god of the Silks, Silktor (Silk-tore).

How competitive is the audition process?
All are welcome. Our only criteria in the selection process is passion. Skills can be learned, moves can be practiced..... But passion is something you are born with.

Does your guard have a certain tradition they follow season to season?
Every flag is hand-made by the member it is to be used by. We believe that this instills pride in the individual and in the group, and consequently leads to the growth of trust between the members and is the key to success.

How much time do you put in to your guard?
As the director of 4 top groups, it is obviously hard for me to be an integral part of each one. That being said, I am probably responsible for keeping the 5-Hour energy company in business. I get between 2 and 3 hours of solid sleep every night, and am constantly on the move. This is art, and my groups are painting a picture. I am here simply to make sure that the pallet is full of colors.

How did you come up with your show concept?
For the first season and our introduction into the FMA world, we decided to show the world what it was like to be a Silkette. We had no idea that the show would be such a success. But that just goes to show you how well these ladies work together. We are all on big happy family.

Do you like how this season is turning out so far?
It literally could not be better. We have won every competition we have been to do far, and plan to take home the gold!!!

What are your goals for the end of this season?
Winning Div. 3 Color Guard.

Do you plan on competing next season? If so, what are your goals for that season?
Yes; We will be moving up at least one division in season two, and hope for the same success our inaugural season has brought us.

Is there any additional information you'd like to disclose about next season?
Our show next season will be about the birth of the god of the Silks, Silktor. This is a very harsh turn from this season's show concept. It will be a brutal story; one of sadness and hate.