Flags, flourishes and floor dances: 120 winter guards to compete in McKenzie Arena this weekend

The pageantry of 120 winter guard units performing choreographed routines that incorporate rifle tosses and twirling flags will fill McKenzie Arena on Saturday and Sunday, March 30-31, when the Southern Association of Performance Arts Championships are held.

A winter guard is an indoor color guard that performs to recorded music instead of with a marching band. Competitors range in age from middle-school students to collegians, according to Ahmed AlShabibi, event organizer.

"We expect 6,000 in total attendance," he says of this SAPA championship. That number includes competitors in the 120 units performing, their family and friends.

AlShabibi says this is the seventh year the championship has been held at UTC. This circuit includes winter guard units from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.

Depending on their division classification, each winter guard has 7 to 10 minutes on the arena floor. During that time, the teens must roll out their floor tarp, set up, present their show, gather up tarps and props and exit the floor. A panel of judges scores each guard on equipment, movement, design and general effect. If rules are not strictly adhered to, time penalties are deducted from their scores.

SAPA offers a variety of competitive levels ranging from cadet units to world-class units and follows all Winter Guard International rules and policies, in addition to SAPA's own policies and procedures.

Winter guard is termed the "Sport of the Arts" because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. Participants commit to a tireless rehearsal schedule in order to sync their routines down to the second. Through teamwork they build camaraderie and trust in their peers.

"We view what we do as a sport with regard to what students are asked to do physically and mentally," says Brian Giddens, SAPA president. "We look at what those things teach kids: dedication, teamwork, drive toward a goal. Those are the inherent things that lie within working with a team. That strive for perfection teaches life lessons."

Giddens says the biggest trend he is seeing in winter guard performances is an increased skill level in performances and advances that he credits to technology.

"There are more things competitors are willing to do (in their routines.) What was a trick 10 years ago is a basic skill now. That natural growth happens, but that goes along with technology access - kids watch YouTube videos and want to do (the moves they see).

"From a design aspect, because of technology and what we have access to now, we are seeing bigger productions: bigger printing services (such as designs for tarps or flags) and professional design services. It used to be only programs with money could afford those custom-designed things, but now more people have access to them through technology."

For example, he points to digitally created flag designs and floor tarps.

"It used to be that flags had to be pieced together to create a design, and we used to paint floor tarps. Now these designs are digitally created."

His advice to spectators this weekend: "You have to watch the performers, watch all the performers. Look for how programs feature their specialty (weapons, flags) by leveraging the talent they have. Understand, when you are watching, that every single performer out there has gone through a great deal of time to be able to do that. It's something that takes a lot of skill, that you don't realize.

"It's like the old saying: To make great art look effortless takes a great amount of effort."

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6284.