Over Spring Break, our very own Arcadia Color Guard performed at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. They proudly came home with 7th place for their show “Making Our Scars Gold.” In this competition, they competed with teams from all across the country. 

“I was proud of our family and what we had accomplished this season, being 7th in the nation was a big deal, especially since the Guard had not placed in finals for some time,” said junior Giselle Meeks. “It’s an incredible moment where I am surrounded by people who have gone through this whole season with me and who I am honored to call family. As well as watching other World Class performances, getting to see shows live is a different experience then watching behind a screen on YouTube. Some performances literally gave me shivers. It was an unmatched feeling to be in the crowd cheering and supporting those on the floor.” 

For those who don’t know, Color Guard is a performance art that combines dance with props like flags, rifles, and sabers. In the fall, the Arcadia Color Guard performs with the band in parades and field shows. This year, their field show was called Spotlight. You can usually catch them during halftime at home football games, or their weekend competitions. During these fall competitions, the Color Guard’s score is added to the overall score of the band, and is judged separately. In the fall season, the Color Guard and band compete within the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association field show circuit. 

“Besides performing, I really enjoyed watching independent (professional) Color Guard groups perform,” said senior Sebina Rothschild. “Watching independent [Color Guard] is always mind blowing as the tricks and choreography are so complex. When watching independent [Color Guard], the energy in the arena is insane! The crowd is so supportive of every group that competes.” 

The winter season is called “Winter Guard,” and the World Guard competes by itself against other teams. This season is indoors, and instead of live music, the Color Guard performs to pre-recorded music. This year, instead of both a Scholastic World Guard and a Scholastic “A Guard,” the whole Arcadia Color Guard is on the World Guard team. Our Arcadia Scholastic World Guard works incredibly hard, with practices on some weeknights from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and weekends. 

“Over these past months, our team has learned resilience, confidence, and trust,” said senior Ella Nancarrow. “We’ve all pushed through this arduous journey, discovered talents we never thought we were capable of, and trusted one another, all leading to an amazing season.” 

Their show, Making Our Scars Gold, is based on a particular tradition in Japanese ceramics. In this practice, when a ceramic piece breaks, it is repaired with gold or silver. The practice, and this beautiful show represent the beauty in our flaws.

“It’s kind of honoring our past Arcadia legacy because we’ve had a rough couple past years and we are just trying to rebuild our program.” said Colorguard Co-Captain Arianna Tear.

Make sure to congratulate the Color Guard members for their achievements, regardless of the ranking, their hard work and dedication to Color Guard is worth much more than imaginable!

Photo courtesy of Sebina Rothschild