February marks an important month for our Performing Arts and Music Departments at Los Osos, as plays are in full swing, the choir and band are rehearsing for upcoming concerts, and our indoor color guard group begins competing with performances of the show they have spent months rehearsing.
During the first semester, the color guard works with the marching band to produce a large-scale field show, adding vibrant tosses with their flag, rifles, and sabers, while also performing and increasing the visual impact of the musical performance. Their influence on the show is noted in their countless wins and involvement in the production, but what do they do once marching season has ended?
After the conclusion of marching band season, color guard immediately jumps into their prime season: Winterguard. Throughout the winter season, our color guard rehearses for countless hours and pours their heart into creating yet another memorable show for the audiences to enjoy. Later in the season, they will travel to various high schools to perform this show in front of peers, friends, and adjudicators.
The winter season of color guard often goes unnoticed, as many do not recognize the hard work that is put into the winter production of their show, while in reality, the members of the guard are putting in twice as much work in rehearsal to perfect harder tosses and nail all aspects of their performance, emotional or physical.
This year’s Winterguard show, entitled “Autumn Leaves,” holds a deep capacity of intriguing performance and prose as the winter guard team works to produce this show about love and loss.
Senior Nisreen Makati, who is a part of color guard, said, “Our show is about the changing of seasons, specifically into autumn. The song is in French and English, and it has sad vibes. We are trying to show the audience the despair of losing a significant other, but they still hold a place in your heart, despite the passage of time.”
This heartfelt topic revolves around the expressive moments of love and pain that will be expressed by the performers throughout the movements of their show as the music changes and the performance comes to life.
In the show, this main message will be conveyed not only through the dramatic music and emotional performance, but it will also be emphasized by their customized costumes, flag silks, and props to make a true impact on the audience.
On Saturday, February 7th, our Winterguard put all of their hard work into effort as they kicked off their competitive season at Patriot High School. The team performed extremely well, producing minimal errors in their routine and quickly correcting the ones that slipped through the cracks, earning their score that won them first place in their division.
Many of the team members felt good about performance, as it provided hope and good vibes to start off their season. Sophomore Alayna De Anada, another member of the team, said, “As a team, I’m proud of how we performed. It wasn’t perfect, but we stayed together, supported each other, and finished strong. For our first show, we showed a lot of emotion and potential, and it made me excited to see how much we’ll grow throughout the season.”
This strong first outing for the winterguard team is a good sign for the rest of the season, as they will continue competing in WGI and WGASC competitions at high schools, traveling to destinations like San Diego and Las Vegas for these competitions. All of this effort and hard work will shine at their WGASC finals in April, where they will showcase the dedication and leave it all on the floor for their final performance, hopefully scoring high in their division as they have in years past.
The members of the team have bonded over their strong love for colorguard, including the newest 8th grade members from Vineyard Junior High School who have showcased their resilience and ability to keep up when they were thrown into the world of colorguard after only a season of training.
8th Grader Cici Wang said, “I think I’m most excited to perform in Las Vegas!! I have never brought myself out to the open in arts like this, so I think it’ll be a great opportunity.”
The strength and skills taught through the flying flags and rifles of colorguard performance include more than just physical endurance; they strengthen the bonds of teammates and the confidence of the performers in their everyday lives. As a team, they have truly elevated another valuable part of our performing arts department, and we are all excited to see how far our Winterguard is able to go this year.