Many times in color guard we are looking for something specific for our hair pieces - a certain color, style, size, etc. Sometimes it's best to have the whole color guard wear the exact same hair piece, and sometimes it's better if there's variety in style, but sticking with the same color scheme. One simple solution to get the perfect hair piece is to make it yourself. In this video I'll walk you through the steps I used to create a simple hair piece. Feel free to copy this tutorial exactly, or you can just use these instructions as guidelines to create your own hair pieces for colorguard.
If you do use this tutorial for your guard hair pieces this year, I'd love to hear from you. Please comment and let me know how they turned out!
Have a wonderful holiday season, and I hope you enjoy the video!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Undead Make-up Tutorial
As a Halloween Special, I'm posting a fun, Halloweenie undead make-up tutorial that's great for your Halloween party or your scary color guard look.
I created this tutorial for the Collective Winter Drum Line from Mankato, MN - they wanted a sort of zombie, creepy look for their line this year. It can be applied to colorguard easily, or maybe you want to use it for your Halloween make-up.
Don't feel that you need to use ALL the steps I mention in this video. I was being thorough and wanted to illustrate many of the ways I might approach creating this look. You can pick and choose the steps in order to tailor the look to one that's right for your performance or costume.
Enjoy the Tutorials!
I created this tutorial for the Collective Winter Drum Line from Mankato, MN - they wanted a sort of zombie, creepy look for their line this year. It can be applied to colorguard easily, or maybe you want to use it for your Halloween make-up.
Don't feel that you need to use ALL the steps I mention in this video. I was being thorough and wanted to illustrate many of the ways I might approach creating this look. You can pick and choose the steps in order to tailor the look to one that's right for your performance or costume.
Enjoy the Tutorials!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Make-up Tutorial "I'm Getting Sunburned"
"I'm Getting Sunburned" is the first in a series of hair and make-up tutorials that I will be doing for Color Guard Educators. If you missed it there, here it is again! Hope you like it.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
DCA Finals Recap
I'm a little behind in posting, but I want to thank Catina and the gang at ColorGuardEducators.com for having me as a guest poster on their blog. It's a really fun experience to get into the make-up tutorials and hopefully help guards find ideas for hair and make-up that can be used in the show. I will be re-posting the videos here as well.
DCA - well, I was going to write but have not gotten around to it. It was so fun to be in Annapolis for finals this year. I absolutely love watching the open class shows. I couldn't believe the Reading Buccaneers with their fall on your face show and a nearly PERFECT score of 99.03! Well done, that jaw dropping show was more than worthy of first place. One of the most amazing things I've ever witnessed!
Of course, MN Brass didn't do so bad either, coming in second place with a 96.23! Their Bonnie and Clyde show featured a moving car and gunshots. It was very original and fun to watch. Go MN!
Of course, I have to give a shout out to my dear friends from across the pond as well - the Kidsgrove Scouts. It was so awesome to see them back at DCA this year, performing an Egyptian show that was creative and full of awesome movement. They came in 7th with a 90.75.
In Class A Carolina Gold had a stealer performance, taking first place with a score of 82.60. I must admit, I didn't get to see much of their show because we performed either right before or right after them, but what I did see from the gate at finals was CLEAN! Nice work to Carolina Gold.
Govies came in second place with an 80.93. Our show was fun, themed "Hot" - we performed a wide variety of music including Fever and Too Darn Hot for the opener, Common Baby Light my Fire and Ring of Fire, Caliente, then a disco closer featuring Disco Inferno, Hot Lunch, Hot Stuff, and more. It was really... well... hot! Our guard instructors Molly Norton and Jeffrey Peterson were genius with their flag tricks and choreography. It was a really fun show to be a part of, and I had a wonderful experience yet again this year - so thanks to all the Govies Colorguard membership and staff for making the summer awesome.
So now, I'm in my off season and you will see many more hair and make-up tutorials from me on this site as well as Color Guard Educators. I will be working on some new performer spotlights as well. If you are or know an outstanding performer who should be featured on this blog, please contact me - tollefson.lindsey[at]gmail.com. Also if you have general feedback or things you'd like to see here, I'd really love to hear from you. You can comment on the blog or just send an email, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
'Till next time,
Mrs. T
DCA - well, I was going to write but have not gotten around to it. It was so fun to be in Annapolis for finals this year. I absolutely love watching the open class shows. I couldn't believe the Reading Buccaneers with their fall on your face show and a nearly PERFECT score of 99.03! Well done, that jaw dropping show was more than worthy of first place. One of the most amazing things I've ever witnessed!
Of course, MN Brass didn't do so bad either, coming in second place with a 96.23! Their Bonnie and Clyde show featured a moving car and gunshots. It was very original and fun to watch. Go MN!
Of course, I have to give a shout out to my dear friends from across the pond as well - the Kidsgrove Scouts. It was so awesome to see them back at DCA this year, performing an Egyptian show that was creative and full of awesome movement. They came in 7th with a 90.75.
In Class A Carolina Gold had a stealer performance, taking first place with a score of 82.60. I must admit, I didn't get to see much of their show because we performed either right before or right after them, but what I did see from the gate at finals was CLEAN! Nice work to Carolina Gold.
Govies came in second place with an 80.93. Our show was fun, themed "Hot" - we performed a wide variety of music including Fever and Too Darn Hot for the opener, Common Baby Light my Fire and Ring of Fire, Caliente, then a disco closer featuring Disco Inferno, Hot Lunch, Hot Stuff, and more. It was really... well... hot! Our guard instructors Molly Norton and Jeffrey Peterson were genius with their flag tricks and choreography. It was a really fun show to be a part of, and I had a wonderful experience yet again this year - so thanks to all the Govies Colorguard membership and staff for making the summer awesome.
So now, I'm in my off season and you will see many more hair and make-up tutorials from me on this site as well as Color Guard Educators. I will be working on some new performer spotlights as well. If you are or know an outstanding performer who should be featured on this blog, please contact me - tollefson.lindsey[at]gmail.com. Also if you have general feedback or things you'd like to see here, I'd really love to hear from you. You can comment on the blog or just send an email, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
'Till next time,
Mrs. T
Sunday, August 19, 2012
2 - 91.35 - Minnesota Brass
3 - 89.60 - Caballeros
4 - 87.65 - Hurricanes
5 - 86.85 - Empire Statesmen
6 - 84.00 - Cadets2
7 - 83.85 - Atlanta CV
8 - 81.75 - Fusion Core
9 - 81.35 - Kilties
10 - 78.25 - Tampa Bay Thunder
11 - 69.75 - Bushwackers
12 - N/S - Renegades
12 - N/S - Kidsgrove Scouts (England)
Class A (Corps of less than 65 members):
1 - 82.00 - Govenaires (St Peter MN)
2 - 76.80 - Carolina Gold
3 - 74.10 - Windsor Regiment
4 - 72.00 - White Sabers
5 - 71.75 - Sunrisers
6 - 70.80 - Cincinnati Tradition
7 - 67.05 - Shenandoah Sound
8 - 56.60 - Excelsior
3 - 89.60 - Caballeros
4 - 87.65 - Hurricanes
5 - 86.85 - Empire Statesmen
6 - 84.00 - Cadets2
7 - 83.85 - Atlanta CV
8 - 81.75 - Fusion Core
9 - 81.35 - Kilties
10 - 78.25 - Tampa Bay Thunder
11 - 69.75 - Bushwackers
12 - N/S - Renegades
12 - N/S - Kidsgrove Scouts (England)
Class A (Corps of less than 65 members):
1 - 82.00 - Govenaires (St Peter MN)
2 - 76.80 - Carolina Gold
3 - 74.10 - Windsor Regiment
4 - 72.00 - White Sabers
5 - 71.75 - Sunrisers
6 - 70.80 - Cincinnati Tradition
7 - 67.05 - Shenandoah Sound
8 - 56.60 - Excelsior
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Wisconson tour
I am currently sitting on tremendous (that's the name of one of the Govie's buses) leaving Dekalb, IL heading to Racine, WI.Last night's show in Naperville, IL was a lot of fun. 4 DCA corps competed - Cincinnati Tradition, the Govenaires from St. Peter MN, MN Brass from the twin cities, and the Kilties from Racine WI. Cincinnati started the show off and scored somewhere around a 62 (as my memory serves, I don't remember their exact score). The Govies performed our best show of the year so far, receiving a 76.8. Kilties were hot on our heals with a 76.4, and brass took the show with a 87-something.
We are now heading to Racine for a Sunday afternoon exhibition show. Naperville, you were great, thanks for having us! Staying in a housing site in Dekalb brought back fond memories of the good old days and DCAC (Drum Corps Associates Central) finals. Now it's time for another day of color guard and drum corps in Racine! I love show days.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Performer Spotlight: Benny Serrato
It's been a while since I've posted - life gets busy and sometimes I have trouble keeping up with blogging. Today I wanted to make sure to take the time to post about Ben Serrato.
If you follow my blog you know that my performer spotlight articles tell the stories of people who have and continue to inspire me. A lot can be learned and applied to our experiences as performers or instructors by listening to the struggles and successes of others.
I find Benny very inspiring for many reasons.
At only 19 years old, from the small town of Waseca Minnesota, and going into his mere 3rd year of color guard experience he is already marching his second season with the Madison Scouts. In addition to being a young, ambitious color guard junkie, he's going on tour without a dime in his pocket because he'll do whatever it takes to do what he's passionate about doing. If you can help him out you can donate to his corps dues here. He needs to raise over $2,000.00 to march and every little bit helps. But before you do that, let me tell you a little more about him.
Benny started color guard in high school as a Senior and marched only one season there. Last summer he marched with the Govenaires senior drum and bugle corps, but halfway through the season he was spotted by a member of the Madison Scouts staff and asked to hop on the bus to fill a hole in their guard for the rest of the season. Once he got back from Scouts he finished out the Govenaires season - helping them win the title of Class A World Champions at DCA Finals. This year he is returning to march with the Scouts as a vet.
I asked Ben to elaborate on his color guard experiences.
Ben: I was introduced to color guard by constantly watching and being a member of the Waseca marching jays as soon as I had gotten into high school. I had just loved the impact that a well coordinated ensemble could effortlessly make on an audience. I remember my that eyes would filter out everything going on in the show except for how awesome the flags had looked like when they spun together to the music. I knew in my heart it's what I had wanted to do but immediately became discouraged when I realized the colorguard was comprised of nothing but females, so I started my marching career in the battery.
I had originally just messed around with my friend's equipment then realized more and more how much I loved it. Unfortunately, Waseca's color guard program didn't allow guys to participate due to a couple of old rules, which to an extent is very understandable. The idea of guys doing colorguard (even for me) was just completely foreign to a small mid-western town like Waseca, thus, I never got to participate for my early high school years. So my start was all very self taught. I always found myself making friends with a lot of the guard members in Waseca and I had befriended a lot of members of different high schools almost all being guard members, until I had soon surrounded myself with friends that did nothing but spin all day. As time went on, their habits eventually began to grow on me.
Being surrounded by all of these new friends helped me to discover the different networks of color guard around the world, helped me to learn different ways of spinning, challenged me to learn new and different tricks, and continued to expand my knowledge of the sport. So long story short, even though I wasn't even in color guard until my senior year of high school doesn't mean I wasn't spinning and practicing almost everyday. Some days all I used to do was practice, especially in high school when I wasn't as preoccupied with life.
During my senior year of high school there was a staff change at Waseca and the old "no boys allowed" rule was removed. I became the first male to march Waseca's color guard. during my high school year I began to attend winter camps with the Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps and refined my skills alot more. I then began the 2011 summer with the Govenaires, but at the TCF show I had been asked to fill a flag hole in the Madison Scouts and help them out for the rest of tour. I simply could not refuse the offer. After marching DCI finals, I finished out the rest of the season with the Govenaires, participating in both DCI and DCA for the first time in the same season. The Govenaires took first place at finals becoming world champions. Also at DCA I participated in the Individual and Ensemble contest with Govies Chorus and received first place.
Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment and why?
Ben: Flag, hands down. It creates such an amazing impact when done correctly. And the different spins you can get out of a flag are almost endless.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment in Color Guard?
Ben: I would have to say being the first male color guard member in Waseca would be my biggest accomplishment. Yeah it may have been difficult with all of the hurtful things people had to say about me when I did so but because I stayed strong, not only did I take down a blatant ignorant rule, I had broken tradition in one of the longest running competing marching bands in the Midwest. I also opened a door for future spinners who see the sport as gender-blind and now Waseca has cast 2 other guys in the guard this year!
Q: What are one or two things you do in your training that are keys to your success?
Ben: I feel like the morning preparation into the daily practice is what is always most important. I have an apple and tons of water with my breakfast in place of my daily caffeine intake which helps me to focus during rehearsal and I find my self more energized for the day. A hot shower to start my day always helped to make my muscles more limber especially when I was pushing to gain flexibility.
Overall I find putting in overtime is the key success in guard, for example, practicing in what people say is a little too much, over performing and really making sure I sell the work. Every second put into the program of whatever season outside of scheduled rehearsals have all seem to have gotten me where I am today with my success in marching music. One of my techs in the Scouts from last year, Laura Gasper, had said something that sticks to me this very day: nothing is more important than taking personal time with your equipment for it's the time of self-challenge and growth, you will almost always discover something different about the given choreography when it's one on one time with you and your equipment.
oh and of course reps, reps, reps,
Q: How do you set your goals?
Ben: I find writing down my goals as one of the best ways to set them because everything seems more easily accomplished when it's written down in front of you. And in guard world for some reason this method of goal setting just has always just worked in my favor. I also challenge myself to make less mistakes and to get better with every rep during personal practices.
Q: What is your biggest challenge, and how do you overcome this challenge?
Ben: Getting myself in the Madison Scouts 2011 New York Morning show was what I found the most challenging moment in my marching music career. Joining anything midway will never be easy, but I thought this goal was near impossible. Everything just happened sooo fast, putting my life on pause, getting to know everyone, not having the same level of physicality as everyone else, not working on the same level of skill for an entire half of a season, and just learning someone else's drill spot, I thought I was doing nothing but running myself into the ground and breaking down way more frequently for anyone's good. but once I got over the challenge and found myself looking up at the audience from the bottom of the field in Lucas Oil Stadium at DCI finals with everyone out of their seat and going crazy for what we had just performed for them, I have never had so much self worth in my life.
Q: How often do you practice and for how long?
Ben: Lately I have not put in a lot of practice due to staying very busy with school and work but usually if there is time to sit, there is defiantly time to spin. Whenever I'm not preoccupied with something important, it is nearly guaranteed that I will have a piece of equipment in my hands. I honestly think of practice for color guard as my time of leisure. When my practicing skills were prime I would practice from around 3 pm when school got out till right before I head to bed. There have been times where you can find me spinning at times like 3 am in the front yard and with the cops pulling up to my house asking my if my wooden rifle was real.
Q: What things do you believe differentiate you from your contemporaries who have tailed off in their participation and abilities?
Ben: I find that those who tail off from it eventually loose touch with their skills completely, at least from the instances I have seen. I also find myself a little more disciplined and I feel myself getting healthier while those who tail off head completely in the other direction.
Q: Do you have any recommended resources to share? (books, seminars, websites, etc).
Ben: Surprisingly not. All of this has really been a hands on experience for me but I guess I would suggest to just YouTube as much guard as possible. There's always a new trick to learn out there and I feel like the more I watch color guard, the more I understand it.
Q: Have you experienced a break through in Color Guard at any point? If so, what led to it?
Ben: I guess my break through would also be my highlight of my guard career which would be DCA finals. because I felt like it was the real point of reflection for me and it was the point that put a period to my second year of this amazing sport.
Q: What was the best advice you were ever given?
Ben: Ha I'm reminded of it everyday and especially at guard rehearsals, "BREATHE!"
Q: Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?
Ben: The only thing hindering yourself from what you want to do is nothing but yourself.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Ben: I draw my inspiration from my supporters back at home because I feel that making people proud of me by entertaining them is something no one will ever take away from either me or them, but mainly my mother because I want nothing more than life but to make her proud.
Q: Do you have any color guard role models?
Ben: Allison Freaking Larkin, not only did she recruit me into my first corps, she was the first person to teach me rifle basics properly and was the also the first person to prove to me that color guard can be awesome and not only for high-schoolers. She's kind of like my color guard guru. Her ambition, excitement, and love for guard is truly amazing and reminds me everyday why we do what we do. Her personality has helped me strengthen my confidence in the sport and she was the one to take my hand to assure me that I can be whoever I want to be. What do you think got me so brave to spin and dance with a flag in a small town?
I also just find myself looking up to every guard member involved with the Govies, to do the work we do and to pull off the programs we choose truly takes a great amount of self confidence and courage. Every personality there is just so different, which I least expect out of the people moving like how the Govies move. I look up to every one of them because each one is a fighter in their own way and seeing them fight to make sure that they dazzle every audience member they encounter is truly inspiring.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years while you are still able to march Junior Corps?
Ben: I hope to find a discovery in myself during this process, I know marching junior corps will help enable me to grow as a man and learn how to live my life as a responsible citizen of the world because the lessons one can take from drum corps can really help lead your life into the right direction.
Q: Do you plan to march the Scouts until your age out?
Ben: Why yes i do :)
Q: What would you like to do with your Guard experience after you age out?
Ben: I one day hope to team up and instruct with my biggest guard inspiration, Allison Larkin, and use the experience to teach and keep marching music alive in the youth of tomorrow.
Q: What have you taken away from your experience in the Madison Scouts so far?
Ben: Overall I feel like I have become more confident in myself and Scouts has proved to me that I am never alone in life.
Q: Why do you prefer to march with the Scouts over other corps?
Ben: Well, my overall preference is the Govies for sure, but the reason why I choose to march with both the Govies and Scouts would have to be because, I feel I am more so part of a family than a drum corps, it's not business, it's fun! Also I feel both the Govies and Scouts are prime examples of giving people what they came for, entertainment.
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
Ben: Well, just about 24 hours until I hop onto the bus in Madison [at the time of this interview], but I would like to thank you for interviewing me and taking the time to put me in your blog.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
I would also like to thank Ben for allowing me to interview him for this story. Ben - you've overcome so many obstacles that I'm sure many young men in color guard still face and you are truly an inspiration because you continue to be yourself no matter what. Your passion for guard is clear and it's amazing that anyone can accomplish what you have. If you find Benny as inspirational as I do please ensure that he can continue to march with the Madison Scouts by making a small donation towards his dues. Currently money is the biggest obstacle between Ben and his dream - his heart alone shows that money should not hold him back. You can contribute here. Make sure that you enter the name Ben Serrato in the "corps member name" form field so that he receives credit for the donation. If you have trouble donating at this site you can send a check directly to the scouts and mention that you'd like it to go towards Ben's dues.
If you follow my blog you know that my performer spotlight articles tell the stories of people who have and continue to inspire me. A lot can be learned and applied to our experiences as performers or instructors by listening to the struggles and successes of others.
I find Benny very inspiring for many reasons.
At only 19 years old, from the small town of Waseca Minnesota, and going into his mere 3rd year of color guard experience he is already marching his second season with the Madison Scouts. In addition to being a young, ambitious color guard junkie, he's going on tour without a dime in his pocket because he'll do whatever it takes to do what he's passionate about doing. If you can help him out you can donate to his corps dues here. He needs to raise over $2,000.00 to march and every little bit helps. But before you do that, let me tell you a little more about him.
Benny started color guard in high school as a Senior and marched only one season there. Last summer he marched with the Govenaires senior drum and bugle corps, but halfway through the season he was spotted by a member of the Madison Scouts staff and asked to hop on the bus to fill a hole in their guard for the rest of the season. Once he got back from Scouts he finished out the Govenaires season - helping them win the title of Class A World Champions at DCA Finals. This year he is returning to march with the Scouts as a vet.
I asked Ben to elaborate on his color guard experiences.
Ben: I was introduced to color guard by constantly watching and being a member of the Waseca marching jays as soon as I had gotten into high school. I had just loved the impact that a well coordinated ensemble could effortlessly make on an audience. I remember my that eyes would filter out everything going on in the show except for how awesome the flags had looked like when they spun together to the music. I knew in my heart it's what I had wanted to do but immediately became discouraged when I realized the colorguard was comprised of nothing but females, so I started my marching career in the battery.
I had originally just messed around with my friend's equipment then realized more and more how much I loved it. Unfortunately, Waseca's color guard program didn't allow guys to participate due to a couple of old rules, which to an extent is very understandable. The idea of guys doing colorguard (even for me) was just completely foreign to a small mid-western town like Waseca, thus, I never got to participate for my early high school years. So my start was all very self taught. I always found myself making friends with a lot of the guard members in Waseca and I had befriended a lot of members of different high schools almost all being guard members, until I had soon surrounded myself with friends that did nothing but spin all day. As time went on, their habits eventually began to grow on me.
Being surrounded by all of these new friends helped me to discover the different networks of color guard around the world, helped me to learn different ways of spinning, challenged me to learn new and different tricks, and continued to expand my knowledge of the sport. So long story short, even though I wasn't even in color guard until my senior year of high school doesn't mean I wasn't spinning and practicing almost everyday. Some days all I used to do was practice, especially in high school when I wasn't as preoccupied with life.
During my senior year of high school there was a staff change at Waseca and the old "no boys allowed" rule was removed. I became the first male to march Waseca's color guard. during my high school year I began to attend winter camps with the Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps and refined my skills alot more. I then began the 2011 summer with the Govenaires, but at the TCF show I had been asked to fill a flag hole in the Madison Scouts and help them out for the rest of tour. I simply could not refuse the offer. After marching DCI finals, I finished out the rest of the season with the Govenaires, participating in both DCI and DCA for the first time in the same season. The Govenaires took first place at finals becoming world champions. Also at DCA I participated in the Individual and Ensemble contest with Govies Chorus and received first place.
Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment and why?
Ben: Flag, hands down. It creates such an amazing impact when done correctly. And the different spins you can get out of a flag are almost endless.
Ben: I would have to say being the first male color guard member in Waseca would be my biggest accomplishment. Yeah it may have been difficult with all of the hurtful things people had to say about me when I did so but because I stayed strong, not only did I take down a blatant ignorant rule, I had broken tradition in one of the longest running competing marching bands in the Midwest. I also opened a door for future spinners who see the sport as gender-blind and now Waseca has cast 2 other guys in the guard this year!
Q: What are one or two things you do in your training that are keys to your success?
Ben: I feel like the morning preparation into the daily practice is what is always most important. I have an apple and tons of water with my breakfast in place of my daily caffeine intake which helps me to focus during rehearsal and I find my self more energized for the day. A hot shower to start my day always helped to make my muscles more limber especially when I was pushing to gain flexibility.
Overall I find putting in overtime is the key success in guard, for example, practicing in what people say is a little too much, over performing and really making sure I sell the work. Every second put into the program of whatever season outside of scheduled rehearsals have all seem to have gotten me where I am today with my success in marching music. One of my techs in the Scouts from last year, Laura Gasper, had said something that sticks to me this very day: nothing is more important than taking personal time with your equipment for it's the time of self-challenge and growth, you will almost always discover something different about the given choreography when it's one on one time with you and your equipment.
oh and of course reps, reps, reps,
Q: How do you set your goals?
Ben: I find writing down my goals as one of the best ways to set them because everything seems more easily accomplished when it's written down in front of you. And in guard world for some reason this method of goal setting just has always just worked in my favor. I also challenge myself to make less mistakes and to get better with every rep during personal practices.
Q: What is your biggest challenge, and how do you overcome this challenge?
Ben: Getting myself in the Madison Scouts 2011 New York Morning show was what I found the most challenging moment in my marching music career. Joining anything midway will never be easy, but I thought this goal was near impossible. Everything just happened sooo fast, putting my life on pause, getting to know everyone, not having the same level of physicality as everyone else, not working on the same level of skill for an entire half of a season, and just learning someone else's drill spot, I thought I was doing nothing but running myself into the ground and breaking down way more frequently for anyone's good. but once I got over the challenge and found myself looking up at the audience from the bottom of the field in Lucas Oil Stadium at DCI finals with everyone out of their seat and going crazy for what we had just performed for them, I have never had so much self worth in my life.
Q: How often do you practice and for how long?
Ben: Lately I have not put in a lot of practice due to staying very busy with school and work but usually if there is time to sit, there is defiantly time to spin. Whenever I'm not preoccupied with something important, it is nearly guaranteed that I will have a piece of equipment in my hands. I honestly think of practice for color guard as my time of leisure. When my practicing skills were prime I would practice from around 3 pm when school got out till right before I head to bed. There have been times where you can find me spinning at times like 3 am in the front yard and with the cops pulling up to my house asking my if my wooden rifle was real.
Q: What things do you believe differentiate you from your contemporaries who have tailed off in their participation and abilities?
Ben: I find that those who tail off from it eventually loose touch with their skills completely, at least from the instances I have seen. I also find myself a little more disciplined and I feel myself getting healthier while those who tail off head completely in the other direction.
Q: Do you have any recommended resources to share? (books, seminars, websites, etc).
Ben: Surprisingly not. All of this has really been a hands on experience for me but I guess I would suggest to just YouTube as much guard as possible. There's always a new trick to learn out there and I feel like the more I watch color guard, the more I understand it.
Q: Have you experienced a break through in Color Guard at any point? If so, what led to it?
Ben: I guess my break through would also be my highlight of my guard career which would be DCA finals. because I felt like it was the real point of reflection for me and it was the point that put a period to my second year of this amazing sport.
Q: What was the best advice you were ever given?
Ben: Ha I'm reminded of it everyday and especially at guard rehearsals, "BREATHE!"
Q: Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?
Ben: The only thing hindering yourself from what you want to do is nothing but yourself.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Ben: I draw my inspiration from my supporters back at home because I feel that making people proud of me by entertaining them is something no one will ever take away from either me or them, but mainly my mother because I want nothing more than life but to make her proud.
Q: Do you have any color guard role models?
Ben: Allison Freaking Larkin, not only did she recruit me into my first corps, she was the first person to teach me rifle basics properly and was the also the first person to prove to me that color guard can be awesome and not only for high-schoolers. She's kind of like my color guard guru. Her ambition, excitement, and love for guard is truly amazing and reminds me everyday why we do what we do. Her personality has helped me strengthen my confidence in the sport and she was the one to take my hand to assure me that I can be whoever I want to be. What do you think got me so brave to spin and dance with a flag in a small town?
I also just find myself looking up to every guard member involved with the Govies, to do the work we do and to pull off the programs we choose truly takes a great amount of self confidence and courage. Every personality there is just so different, which I least expect out of the people moving like how the Govies move. I look up to every one of them because each one is a fighter in their own way and seeing them fight to make sure that they dazzle every audience member they encounter is truly inspiring.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years while you are still able to march Junior Corps?
Ben: I hope to find a discovery in myself during this process, I know marching junior corps will help enable me to grow as a man and learn how to live my life as a responsible citizen of the world because the lessons one can take from drum corps can really help lead your life into the right direction.
Q: Do you plan to march the Scouts until your age out?
Ben: Why yes i do :)
Q: What would you like to do with your Guard experience after you age out?
Ben: I one day hope to team up and instruct with my biggest guard inspiration, Allison Larkin, and use the experience to teach and keep marching music alive in the youth of tomorrow.
Q: What have you taken away from your experience in the Madison Scouts so far?
Ben: Overall I feel like I have become more confident in myself and Scouts has proved to me that I am never alone in life.
Q: Why do you prefer to march with the Scouts over other corps?
Ben: Well, my overall preference is the Govies for sure, but the reason why I choose to march with both the Govies and Scouts would have to be because, I feel I am more so part of a family than a drum corps, it's not business, it's fun! Also I feel both the Govies and Scouts are prime examples of giving people what they came for, entertainment.
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
Ben: Well, just about 24 hours until I hop onto the bus in Madison [at the time of this interview], but I would like to thank you for interviewing me and taking the time to put me in your blog.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
I would also like to thank Ben for allowing me to interview him for this story. Ben - you've overcome so many obstacles that I'm sure many young men in color guard still face and you are truly an inspiration because you continue to be yourself no matter what. Your passion for guard is clear and it's amazing that anyone can accomplish what you have. If you find Benny as inspirational as I do please ensure that he can continue to march with the Madison Scouts by making a small donation towards his dues. Currently money is the biggest obstacle between Ben and his dream - his heart alone shows that money should not hold him back. You can contribute here. Make sure that you enter the name Ben Serrato in the "corps member name" form field so that he receives credit for the donation. If you have trouble donating at this site you can send a check directly to the scouts and mention that you'd like it to go towards Ben's dues.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Benefits of Yoga - Using Yoga to Improve your Color Guard
Today's post is inspired by my brilliant instructors and our work at our first rehearsal camp this past weekend.
This year in the Govenaires, my instructors are incorporating yoga into our stretching warm up. There are a lot of reasons they changed the warm up, but what makes me the most happy is that now I do get to do yoga before guard every time I hit the field, setting me up for success on so many levels in rehearsals and shows.
The first time I did yoga before drum corps was several years ago. We were on tour, I was still in the drum line, we had a show later that day, and everyone had terrible bus body - and I was NOT looking forward to wearing a drum for 8 hours. One of the women in our color guard lead a beginners yoga stretching workshop before rehearsal, which the whole corps attended. By the end of our yoga session, I noticed the bus body was gone, my mind felt clear, and I had a ton of energy. I couldn't believe how well it prepared not only my body but also my mind for drum corps. I was clear headed, focused, and found myself wanting to do yoga before drum corps every day.
Now I can sit here and tell you all the reasons yoga is a good thing to do with your guard based on how it makes ME feel, but to be a little more convincing I did some actual research. I can FEEL the difference that yoga makes in my body and mind, helping me prepare for the hard work of colorguard. But how is it really possible that by doing yoga stretches with your BODY, it helps focus your MIND?
Well, yoga is not just a physical practice. It is also a mental and spiritual practice. It is a form of meditation. It is aimed to unite the mind, body and spirit. Yoga originated in ancient India and is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years. The word yoga is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It consists of ancient principals, theories, and observations about the mind and body connection. These principals, theories and observations are now being proven by modern medicine.
One of the most interesting things I found during my research is a list of 77 health benefits of yoga. You can view the detailed list along with explanations here, but to give you an overview:
Benefits within the body: decreased blood pressure, lower pulse rate, improved circulation, lower respiratory rate, higher cardiovascular endurance, improved organs, improved gastrointestinal functions, stronger immune system, higher pain tolerance, and more efficient metabolism.
Benefits outside the body: delay aging, improve posture, strength, energy, weight control, sleep, balance, integrated function of the body, body awareness, core strength, and improved sexuality.
Emotional benefits: improves mood, stress reduction, reduced anxiety, reduced depression, self-acceptance, self-control, mind-body connection, positive outlook on life, reduced hostility, improved concentration, better memory, sharpens attention, improves social skills, calmness.
Body Chemistry benefits: lowers cholesterol, boosted immunity/lymphatic system, lowers blood sugar, reduces sodium, controlled hormone secretion, lower levels of triglycerides, increase in red blood cell count, increased vitamin C.
Exercise health benefits: Low risk of injury during yoga, simulates the parasympathetic nervous system, increases muscle tone, simulates the subcortex of the brain which promotes well-being, reduced oxygen consumption leading to a more efficient warm up, natural and controlled breathing, balance of opposing muscle groups, self-building rather than competitive, improved joint range of motion, improved hand-eye coordination, improved dexterity, improved reaction time, improved endurance, increased depth perception.
Disease Prevention: Heart disease, osteoporosis, alzheimer’s, type II diabetes.
Symptom Reduction or Alleviation: Carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, muscular dystrophy, migraines, scoliosis, chronic bronchitis, epilepsy, sciatica, obsessive compulsive disorder, constipation, allergies, menopause, back pain.
Whew! That's a lot of benefits. So I suppose it's easy to see how yoga can give you a better, stronger, more focused color guard.
After learning all this stuff it is easy to see why after my first session I felt so wonderful. I truly believe that yoga will make any guard better. In fact, I think it will make anyONE better at anything they do! So I guess the real question is not "why should my color guard do yoga?" it's "why shouldn't they?"
Sources:
The Nursing School Catalog
Wikipedia
ABC of yoga.com
This year in the Govenaires, my instructors are incorporating yoga into our stretching warm up. There are a lot of reasons they changed the warm up, but what makes me the most happy is that now I do get to do yoga before guard every time I hit the field, setting me up for success on so many levels in rehearsals and shows.
The first time I did yoga before drum corps was several years ago. We were on tour, I was still in the drum line, we had a show later that day, and everyone had terrible bus body - and I was NOT looking forward to wearing a drum for 8 hours. One of the women in our color guard lead a beginners yoga stretching workshop before rehearsal, which the whole corps attended. By the end of our yoga session, I noticed the bus body was gone, my mind felt clear, and I had a ton of energy. I couldn't believe how well it prepared not only my body but also my mind for drum corps. I was clear headed, focused, and found myself wanting to do yoga before drum corps every day.
Now I can sit here and tell you all the reasons yoga is a good thing to do with your guard based on how it makes ME feel, but to be a little more convincing I did some actual research. I can FEEL the difference that yoga makes in my body and mind, helping me prepare for the hard work of colorguard. But how is it really possible that by doing yoga stretches with your BODY, it helps focus your MIND?
Well, yoga is not just a physical practice. It is also a mental and spiritual practice. It is a form of meditation. It is aimed to unite the mind, body and spirit. Yoga originated in ancient India and is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years. The word yoga is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It consists of ancient principals, theories, and observations about the mind and body connection. These principals, theories and observations are now being proven by modern medicine.
One of the most interesting things I found during my research is a list of 77 health benefits of yoga. You can view the detailed list along with explanations here, but to give you an overview:
Benefits within the body: decreased blood pressure, lower pulse rate, improved circulation, lower respiratory rate, higher cardiovascular endurance, improved organs, improved gastrointestinal functions, stronger immune system, higher pain tolerance, and more efficient metabolism.
Benefits outside the body: delay aging, improve posture, strength, energy, weight control, sleep, balance, integrated function of the body, body awareness, core strength, and improved sexuality.
Emotional benefits: improves mood, stress reduction, reduced anxiety, reduced depression, self-acceptance, self-control, mind-body connection, positive outlook on life, reduced hostility, improved concentration, better memory, sharpens attention, improves social skills, calmness.
Body Chemistry benefits: lowers cholesterol, boosted immunity/lymphatic system, lowers blood sugar, reduces sodium, controlled hormone secretion, lower levels of triglycerides, increase in red blood cell count, increased vitamin C.
Exercise health benefits: Low risk of injury during yoga, simulates the parasympathetic nervous system, increases muscle tone, simulates the subcortex of the brain which promotes well-being, reduced oxygen consumption leading to a more efficient warm up, natural and controlled breathing, balance of opposing muscle groups, self-building rather than competitive, improved joint range of motion, improved hand-eye coordination, improved dexterity, improved reaction time, improved endurance, increased depth perception.
Disease Prevention: Heart disease, osteoporosis, alzheimer’s, type II diabetes.
Symptom Reduction or Alleviation: Carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, muscular dystrophy, migraines, scoliosis, chronic bronchitis, epilepsy, sciatica, obsessive compulsive disorder, constipation, allergies, menopause, back pain.
Whew! That's a lot of benefits. So I suppose it's easy to see how yoga can give you a better, stronger, more focused color guard.
After learning all this stuff it is easy to see why after my first session I felt so wonderful. I truly believe that yoga will make any guard better. In fact, I think it will make anyONE better at anything they do! So I guess the real question is not "why should my color guard do yoga?" it's "why shouldn't they?"
Sources:
The Nursing School Catalog
Wikipedia
ABC of yoga.com
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Performer Spotlight: Kimi Schillinger
I am very excited to introduce my performer spotlight articles. These articles tell the stories of people who have and continue to inspire me. I think we can learn a lot from other successful color guard peeps. I certainly find their words inspiring. I hope they help you, too!
For my very first performer spotlight, I will be telling you about Kimi Shillinger. She is a 23 year old from Saint Paul, Minnesota who has more experience and talent in her little finger than I do in my whole body. This year will be her 8th year in color guard.
She started in high school and marched two seasons there. Since high school she has marched 5 full drum corps seasons, 2 half drum corps seasons (filling holes), and 5 winter guard seasons. She has also been instructing at Hastings High School in Hastings, MN for 5 years.
I asked Kimi what got her started in color guard.
Kimi: In high school, I had a couple friends who were very academically driven (as I was) but we were looking for something else to do that would be a challenge and a good time. A few more mutual friends were involved with Marching Band and encouraged us to join.
Q: When did you start color guard, and where did you go from there?
Kimi:I didn't start doing colorguard until I was a junior at Hastings High School. Most of my high school career was focused on my grades and taking the most difficult classes that I could. As I got older, I realized that this wasn't enough for me, and I needed an outlet to express my personality and meet new people. I excelled quickly my first year in color guard, so much so, that I was put on the rifle line my first year. Because of this, a lot of the veteran members didn't care for me, to the point that I pondered joining the drum line the next year. The next year, all of those "bully" girls were graduated, so that stress was gone. I went on to be weapon section leader my senior year.
My first year in winterguard was in a little independent group called "Mosaic". There were 6 of us and we were all rookies to winter guard. This first season of winter guard is what really showed me how fun this activity could be and the great friendships you could make. A friend that I had met through winter guard told me about Chops, Inc. and asked me to come to a rehearsal. Long story short, I did, had a blast and came back for the next 3 seasons to march winterguard there.
I had other friends who were involved in MN Brass, who wanted me to check out their summer program. Again, I had tons of fun, loved the people there and proceeded to march there the next 5 years.
During this time in senior corps, I really felt like this color guard thing was becoming more than a hobby to me. I wasn't able to imagine my life without it and wanted to do more to be the best I could be. This lead me to junior corps.
My first year auditioning for the Phantom Regiment was shaky to say the least. I mostly went to auditions for a learning experience and to see if this corps was the right fit for me. After accepting a position there, I soon realized what a huge commitment I was making. To march my first season there, I quit both my jobs, put school on hold and left my home. Giving up all that was normal to me was the hardest part. As a 19 year old, it's a lot of stuff to deal with on your own, but I wanted to do it, so I made it work. Looking back, my first year in junior corps was all I thought it would be - I worked harder than I ever have, my mind was blown on a daily basis, I ran a lot and hated every second I was there. They don't play around at the Phantom Regiment, you do whatever it takes to be the best, no matter how hard it is (which takes some major getting used to). The worst part is that as soon as I got home, I wished I was back there. Then I realized I had to do it again.
I went back in 2009 and didn't make a spot. This was the hardest thing for me to face - knowing that I couldn't be with my team. I thought about going to another corps, but Phantom Regiment was the only place I wanted to be. In the end, it turned out to be a good thing for me. I marched MN Brass that summer, met my boyfriend, got my finances in order, so by the time 2010 rolled around, I was ready to try again. Going into auditions in 2010 was very nerve racking for me, but after seeing some of my best friends again, I figured that this was my last chance (since it was my age out) and I was going to show them how bad I wanted to be there. Thankfully it worked, and I went on to have one of the greatest summers.
Coming home from my age out was awesome and terrible at the same time. Being on tour is a lifestyle that is completely inconsistent and I could never get used to it, now what I was excited for was to start my "real life". I had been teaching my old high school program since I graduated and it was going well, but with the quality of teaching that I received while in the Phantom Regiment, I knew that I could make those kids great. I've now been teaching there for 5 years and every year they get better as students and I get better as their instructor.
Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment and why?
Kimi: I would have to say flag. Weapons are cool and all, but nothing gets me like a huge, clean flag line.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment in Color Guard?
Kimi: I guess just sticking with it. If I had chosen to quit early on, I would definitely not be the person I am today. I'm very thankful for everything that this activity has taught me and all the experiences I wouldn't have had without it.
Q: What are one or two things you do in your training that are keys to your success?
Kimi: Being taught by many different people is important to me. Each new instructor will teach you something, weather it's about technique, movement or even how to instruct. I also think that basics are hugely important. What you do in your basics program sets you up for what you will do in your performance.
Q: How do you set your goals?
Kimi: Having one big goal at a time, then making smaller checkpoints to achieve that goal. For example, I want to throw a 5/turnaround/catching at port. Make sure you can throw a good 5 - placement, rotation, height, catching, then practice doing the 5 with a turnaround, then add the port catch. It seems like a simple concept, but many people only see the big goal and completely look over the steps it takes to get there.
Q: What is your biggest challenge, and how do you manage this challenge?
Kimi: Since I'm not currently performing, most of my challenges right now involve teaching. I have a hard time teaching movement technique, especially more modern styles. To help me, I've been researching a lot of different styles of dance that I'm interested in, and using the concepts that I like to make a modern style that I'm comfortable teaching. Kind of like inventing something new out of something old, it's pretty cool.
Q: What is your diet like?
Kimi: ha ha ha...not as great as it could be :) I've been vegetarian for 6 years, so I eat a lot of veggies, which I hear is good. But I also have a huge weakness for dairy - the more cheese the better. I do my best to make smart choices, but feel satisfied at the same time.
Q: What things do you believe differentiate you from your contemporaries who have tailed off in their participation and abilities?
Kimi: Willingness to work. It's very easy to lose sight of why you do this when things get difficult. Being willing to work hard is essential, especially for those times when you don't even know what your working for.
Q: Do you have any recommended resources to share?
Kimi: The WGI fan network has a lot of educational tools that come in handy, especially when it comes to staging and effect. Colorguard is a big community - if there is ever a need, you're bound to know somebody who knows somebody who can help. I think we all can help each other :)
Q: Have you experienced a break through in Color Guard at any point? If so, what led to it?
Kimi: There was a point about midway through my 1st season of junior corps where I really started to catch on and it stemmed from me working on my show at every single opportunity I had. Its that time where you've rehearsed it well so many times that you can't remember how to mess it up.
Q: What was the best advice you were ever given?
Kimi: In guard, spinning away from my body. Especially outdoors, it really helps you not get tangled in a sweaty flag silk :) In life, when you feel frazzled about something, just take a second and put it into perspective. Deep breaths are good!
Q: Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?
Kimi: How you do anything is how you do everything. Why pick and choose when you want to be your best? Do everything 100% and you'll never have regrets.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Kimi: I have a really great life, so everything that's around me. A little imagination never hurts either.
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
Kimi: I have never talked this much about myself and colorguard - wow!
Well Kimi, thank you for talking so much. I truly believe that we can all learn from each other, and hearing the perspective of someone who has been there and done that is an inspiration for the rest of us to achieve our goals. Hearing someone as talented as Kimi talk about her struggles and how she overcame them reminds us that NO ONE gets there without a lot of hard work, everyone experiences failures at some point, and it's so important to learn from those and never give up. After all look where it got Kimi!
I think I need to go practice :)
Until next time!
-Mrs. T
For my very first performer spotlight, I will be telling you about Kimi Shillinger. She is a 23 year old from Saint Paul, Minnesota who has more experience and talent in her little finger than I do in my whole body. This year will be her 8th year in color guard.
She started in high school and marched two seasons there. Since high school she has marched 5 full drum corps seasons, 2 half drum corps seasons (filling holes), and 5 winter guard seasons. She has also been instructing at Hastings High School in Hastings, MN for 5 years.
I asked Kimi what got her started in color guard.
Kimi: In high school, I had a couple friends who were very academically driven (as I was) but we were looking for something else to do that would be a challenge and a good time. A few more mutual friends were involved with Marching Band and encouraged us to join.
Q: When did you start color guard, and where did you go from there?
Kimi:I didn't start doing colorguard until I was a junior at Hastings High School. Most of my high school career was focused on my grades and taking the most difficult classes that I could. As I got older, I realized that this wasn't enough for me, and I needed an outlet to express my personality and meet new people. I excelled quickly my first year in color guard, so much so, that I was put on the rifle line my first year. Because of this, a lot of the veteran members didn't care for me, to the point that I pondered joining the drum line the next year. The next year, all of those "bully" girls were graduated, so that stress was gone. I went on to be weapon section leader my senior year.
My first year in winterguard was in a little independent group called "Mosaic". There were 6 of us and we were all rookies to winter guard. This first season of winter guard is what really showed me how fun this activity could be and the great friendships you could make. A friend that I had met through winter guard told me about Chops, Inc. and asked me to come to a rehearsal. Long story short, I did, had a blast and came back for the next 3 seasons to march winterguard there.
I had other friends who were involved in MN Brass, who wanted me to check out their summer program. Again, I had tons of fun, loved the people there and proceeded to march there the next 5 years.
During this time in senior corps, I really felt like this color guard thing was becoming more than a hobby to me. I wasn't able to imagine my life without it and wanted to do more to be the best I could be. This lead me to junior corps.
My first year auditioning for the Phantom Regiment was shaky to say the least. I mostly went to auditions for a learning experience and to see if this corps was the right fit for me. After accepting a position there, I soon realized what a huge commitment I was making. To march my first season there, I quit both my jobs, put school on hold and left my home. Giving up all that was normal to me was the hardest part. As a 19 year old, it's a lot of stuff to deal with on your own, but I wanted to do it, so I made it work. Looking back, my first year in junior corps was all I thought it would be - I worked harder than I ever have, my mind was blown on a daily basis, I ran a lot and hated every second I was there. They don't play around at the Phantom Regiment, you do whatever it takes to be the best, no matter how hard it is (which takes some major getting used to). The worst part is that as soon as I got home, I wished I was back there. Then I realized I had to do it again.
I went back in 2009 and didn't make a spot. This was the hardest thing for me to face - knowing that I couldn't be with my team. I thought about going to another corps, but Phantom Regiment was the only place I wanted to be. In the end, it turned out to be a good thing for me. I marched MN Brass that summer, met my boyfriend, got my finances in order, so by the time 2010 rolled around, I was ready to try again. Going into auditions in 2010 was very nerve racking for me, but after seeing some of my best friends again, I figured that this was my last chance (since it was my age out) and I was going to show them how bad I wanted to be there. Thankfully it worked, and I went on to have one of the greatest summers.
Coming home from my age out was awesome and terrible at the same time. Being on tour is a lifestyle that is completely inconsistent and I could never get used to it, now what I was excited for was to start my "real life". I had been teaching my old high school program since I graduated and it was going well, but with the quality of teaching that I received while in the Phantom Regiment, I knew that I could make those kids great. I've now been teaching there for 5 years and every year they get better as students and I get better as their instructor.
Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment and why?
Kimi: I would have to say flag. Weapons are cool and all, but nothing gets me like a huge, clean flag line.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment in Color Guard?
Kimi: I guess just sticking with it. If I had chosen to quit early on, I would definitely not be the person I am today. I'm very thankful for everything that this activity has taught me and all the experiences I wouldn't have had without it.
Q: What are one or two things you do in your training that are keys to your success?
Kimi: Being taught by many different people is important to me. Each new instructor will teach you something, weather it's about technique, movement or even how to instruct. I also think that basics are hugely important. What you do in your basics program sets you up for what you will do in your performance.
Q: How do you set your goals?
Kimi: Having one big goal at a time, then making smaller checkpoints to achieve that goal. For example, I want to throw a 5/turnaround/catching at port. Make sure you can throw a good 5 - placement, rotation, height, catching, then practice doing the 5 with a turnaround, then add the port catch. It seems like a simple concept, but many people only see the big goal and completely look over the steps it takes to get there.
Q: What is your biggest challenge, and how do you manage this challenge?
Kimi: Since I'm not currently performing, most of my challenges right now involve teaching. I have a hard time teaching movement technique, especially more modern styles. To help me, I've been researching a lot of different styles of dance that I'm interested in, and using the concepts that I like to make a modern style that I'm comfortable teaching. Kind of like inventing something new out of something old, it's pretty cool.
Q: What is your diet like?
Kimi: ha ha ha...not as great as it could be :) I've been vegetarian for 6 years, so I eat a lot of veggies, which I hear is good. But I also have a huge weakness for dairy - the more cheese the better. I do my best to make smart choices, but feel satisfied at the same time.
Q: What things do you believe differentiate you from your contemporaries who have tailed off in their participation and abilities?
Kimi: Willingness to work. It's very easy to lose sight of why you do this when things get difficult. Being willing to work hard is essential, especially for those times when you don't even know what your working for.
Q: Do you have any recommended resources to share?
Kimi: The WGI fan network has a lot of educational tools that come in handy, especially when it comes to staging and effect. Colorguard is a big community - if there is ever a need, you're bound to know somebody who knows somebody who can help. I think we all can help each other :)
Q: Have you experienced a break through in Color Guard at any point? If so, what led to it?
Kimi: There was a point about midway through my 1st season of junior corps where I really started to catch on and it stemmed from me working on my show at every single opportunity I had. Its that time where you've rehearsed it well so many times that you can't remember how to mess it up.
Q: What was the best advice you were ever given?
Kimi: In guard, spinning away from my body. Especially outdoors, it really helps you not get tangled in a sweaty flag silk :) In life, when you feel frazzled about something, just take a second and put it into perspective. Deep breaths are good!
Q: Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?
Kimi: How you do anything is how you do everything. Why pick and choose when you want to be your best? Do everything 100% and you'll never have regrets.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Kimi: I have a really great life, so everything that's around me. A little imagination never hurts either.
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
Kimi: I have never talked this much about myself and colorguard - wow!
Well Kimi, thank you for talking so much. I truly believe that we can all learn from each other, and hearing the perspective of someone who has been there and done that is an inspiration for the rest of us to achieve our goals. Hearing someone as talented as Kimi talk about her struggles and how she overcame them reminds us that NO ONE gets there without a lot of hard work, everyone experiences failures at some point, and it's so important to learn from those and never give up. After all look where it got Kimi!
I think I need to go practice :)
Until next time!
-Mrs. T
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Mrs. T's Challenge
I proposed a challenge during my Drum Corps' off season to do drum corps twice a week until the season resumes. I don't know who's doing it and who's not, and keeping tabs on everyone is not the point. It's more of a challenge for each member individually to stay up on their game. No one to answer to except themselves. The challenge can be for anything that will improve performance, including working out to build endurance or core strength, doing basics with equipment, dancing, performing, for the musicians practicing their instrument, anything. Just to keep your own mind on drum corps while mentally and physically preparing for the next season.
I have honestly found this challenging. I'm not much for working out, but I try to get it in at least once a week. Spinning riffle is something I can work on to an extent throughout the winter because I'm a beginner with riffle and I can do some basics inside. Another thing that I've been doing is working on my core strength. My stomach doesn't look a lot different than it did in August, but I can always feel it the next day. Not always seeing results can be a big part of the frustration, along with not having an instructor there to tell me if I'm forming a bad habit which makes me second guess myself.
So how do we stay motivated? In times like these I have to remind myself that the only thing that will set me back is NOT doing anything. So, I might not have a full six pack, but that doesn't mean my stomach muscles aren't stronger. So I might not be able to run 3 miles without stopping, but doing 40 minutes of cardio in my living room will build my endurance for a 12 minute show. I'm not going to win the battle in the off season but I can increase my chances for success in the season by starting now. No efforts are wasted, only the lack of effort is.
Feel free to introduce Mrs. T's challenge to your color guard during the off season. Most likely not every one will do it, but if even one person does it or multiple people attempt it, you could really start the season off strong.
I have honestly found this challenging. I'm not much for working out, but I try to get it in at least once a week. Spinning riffle is something I can work on to an extent throughout the winter because I'm a beginner with riffle and I can do some basics inside. Another thing that I've been doing is working on my core strength. My stomach doesn't look a lot different than it did in August, but I can always feel it the next day. Not always seeing results can be a big part of the frustration, along with not having an instructor there to tell me if I'm forming a bad habit which makes me second guess myself.
So how do we stay motivated? In times like these I have to remind myself that the only thing that will set me back is NOT doing anything. So, I might not have a full six pack, but that doesn't mean my stomach muscles aren't stronger. So I might not be able to run 3 miles without stopping, but doing 40 minutes of cardio in my living room will build my endurance for a 12 minute show. I'm not going to win the battle in the off season but I can increase my chances for success in the season by starting now. No efforts are wasted, only the lack of effort is.
Feel free to introduce Mrs. T's challenge to your color guard during the off season. Most likely not every one will do it, but if even one person does it or multiple people attempt it, you could really start the season off strong.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Rocky Horror Rocked my World
Like many color guard enthusiasts, I also love the theater and pretty much all performing arts. Surprise, surprise, right?
Creative Costuming and Choreography of the Rocky Horror Picture Show:
Last weekend I attended a stage performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with a girl friend of mine. The show blew my mind! From costuming to choreography and singing to acting, this show really had it all. to anyone in the Minnesota area I highly recommend you check it out if you can, it runs through Halloween at The Lab Theater in Minneapolis.
The first crowd pleaser of the evening is that Don Shelby from Minnesota's WCCO News station plays the narrator. He cracks a few jokes about comping Michelle Bachman tickets and responds to all comments and calls from the audience.
Magenta and Riff Raff:
As the show begins and the actors start their first song and dance number, they also re-arrange some of the audience. Some of the audience is seated in short rows right on the stage. As the play starts actors push these rows of people across the stage. At this point everyone is excited and ready to go. Not to mention the amazing voice and acting ability of Molly Callinan, a Chicago native with lungs that could knock over the city. In the role of Magenta, her pitch and tone were perfect and her talent blew me away. I don't have a good photo of her from the beginning of the play, but pictured here is Magenta and Riff Raff at the end of the play in their space costumes.
Riff Raff was played by Randy Schmeling, a graduate of my Alma Mater, Gustavus Adolphus College. He mastered his character's creepiness with a very distinctive walk and sort of under-the-breath type of chuckle. To be able to keep a character like that and stay in character, even through the technically challenging choreography, was extremely impressive. His costuming added to the creepiness factor, with tattered clothes and ragged hair. And THANK YOU for not giving him the same nasty haircut as Riff Raff has in the movie!
Also deserving of a note for an outstanding voice is Jamecia Bennett, who played the role of Eddie and of Dr. Scott. For a female to step into a solo most notably performed by Meat Loaf, her incredible range and R&B style was perfect for this cast's rendition and had me utterly in awe. No wonder she has been inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. I realized toward the end of the show that I was sitting right next to one of her relatives. I hope he passed along all the comments he must have overheard me say about her outstanding performance.
Frank-N-Furter Costuming:
Frank-N-Furter was not exactly what I expected, in a good way. He was played by Andre Shoals who is a former superstar of the New York drag scene. His make-up and costuming were definitely perfect for his character, adding changes here and there for dramatic effect, such as a super long robe or a huge feather neck piece. What really shined in Frank-N-Furter was his outstanding acting and dance ability. I don't know how he danced in those 4 inch sparkly heals but he did it and did it well!
Columbia with the Cast:
By far my favorite costuming decision was that of Columbia. Columbia was played by Kat Perkins, a tattooed actress and frontwoman for Scarlet Haze. Her costume was very punk rock meets Transylvania, a very unique and fitting choice in my opinion. Kat had the whole package - she could sing, she could dance, she could DEFINITELY act, and she had the crowd loving her.
Janet and Brad Dancing with the Cast:
Reid Harmsen and Erin Capello played very well off of each other in the roles of Brad and Janet. The transitions from sainthood to Transylvania were very convincing. Janet's voice and solo performances were extremely professional, keeping her pitch, tone and volume despite the advanced blocking and choreography of the show. Her dance moves were fearless, she even did the caterpillar! And Brad's corset costume with the nipple tassles that he wore toward the end of the show had me rolling on the floor laughing! Unfortunately my nipple tassels picture turned out blurry, so you get this one instead:
During intermission Mrs. Smith hosted a costume contest with the patrons. I'm honored to say I was a finalist, but I didn't win the grand prize. I hope to get some photos of my costume to post for all of you sometime in the near future.
Don Shelby in High Heals:
And one last surprise from Don Shelby before we wrapped up the night and did the Time Warp one last time - He turns around to expose that he's wearing butt-less pants to the crowd. When he comes out for the curtain call, his pants are rolled up to the knees and he's wearing fishnet stockings with high healed shoes. It was one of the greatest things I've ever seen! He was kind enough to let us take a picture with him after the performance. I hope to get that photo from my friend soon so I can post it here.
With various costume changes - each being more impressive and surprising than the last, awesome choreography, and amazing talents such as these, this show is non-stop fun and a real theater treat. Great Job to the Lab theater and everyone who helped in the creation of this masterpiece.
The Cast Last Curtain Call:
Creative Costuming and Choreography of the Rocky Horror Picture Show:
The first crowd pleaser of the evening is that Don Shelby from Minnesota's WCCO News station plays the narrator. He cracks a few jokes about comping Michelle Bachman tickets and responds to all comments and calls from the audience.
Magenta and Riff Raff:
Riff Raff was played by Randy Schmeling, a graduate of my Alma Mater, Gustavus Adolphus College. He mastered his character's creepiness with a very distinctive walk and sort of under-the-breath type of chuckle. To be able to keep a character like that and stay in character, even through the technically challenging choreography, was extremely impressive. His costuming added to the creepiness factor, with tattered clothes and ragged hair. And THANK YOU for not giving him the same nasty haircut as Riff Raff has in the movie!
Also deserving of a note for an outstanding voice is Jamecia Bennett, who played the role of Eddie and of Dr. Scott. For a female to step into a solo most notably performed by Meat Loaf, her incredible range and R&B style was perfect for this cast's rendition and had me utterly in awe. No wonder she has been inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. I realized toward the end of the show that I was sitting right next to one of her relatives. I hope he passed along all the comments he must have overheard me say about her outstanding performance.
Frank-N-Furter Costuming:
Columbia with the Cast:
Janet and Brad Dancing with the Cast:
During intermission Mrs. Smith hosted a costume contest with the patrons. I'm honored to say I was a finalist, but I didn't win the grand prize. I hope to get some photos of my costume to post for all of you sometime in the near future.
Don Shelby in High Heals:
With various costume changes - each being more impressive and surprising than the last, awesome choreography, and amazing talents such as these, this show is non-stop fun and a real theater treat. Great Job to the Lab theater and everyone who helped in the creation of this masterpiece.
The Cast Last Curtain Call:
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