McNeil High School Band

Colorguard

What is Colorguard?

Guard_EnsembleDouble

The Colorguard is the part of a marching band or drum corps that spins flags, rifles, and sabres. The colorguard lends an additional visual element to the music and drill (the shapes made by marchers on a field) created by the band. Modern colorguard incorporates dance, character, costuming, and props into performances.

Why should YOU join the McNeil Colorguard?

If you love to dance, love to learn choreography, and enjoy performing for audiences, being in Colorguard is a lot of fun! Successful Colorguard Members also enjoy putting in the hard work it takes to be great. Other reasons include:

  • having 200 prospective friends in the Band and Colorguard upon entering High School (if joining as a Freshman)
  • earning Fine Arts credits toward High School graduation
  • earning of Physical Education waivers for each semester in the class
  • the thrill of performance
  • the pride of being part of a successful school group
  • the honing of dance skills
  • the building of confidence and sense of responsibility
  • increased fitness and flexibility
  • training for participation in drum corps and independent winterguards

The McNeil Colorguard is unique in that most Freshmen and New Members get to perform their very first year in the organization! New members begin learning flag technique, progressing in the following years to rifle and sabre.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MCNEIL COLORGUARD and how you can join, go to our Colorguard – Frequently Asked Questions page.

For a print reference, DOWNLOAD THIS COLORGUARD FACT SHEET (.pdf, 2.5 mb).updated 26 April 2009

Colorguard Pages

Never to be chained to one style, the McNeil Winterguard performed the crowd-pleaser “Feel The Burn” in 2009. Thematically designed around the 1980’s aerobics craze, costumes were complete with off-the-shoulder shirts and magenta legwarmers. The colorguard executed the ending flag feature while performing step aerobics as crowds gasped and laughed in awe and disbelief.

Above is a video recording of their performance at a Texas Color Guard Circuit Show hosted by Bryan HS, 7 March 2009.


The McNeil Winterguard’s 2008 program “Interpretation #1 in E Flat,” was performed to Eric Whitacre’s acclaimed choral work “Sleep,” as recorded by the BYU Singers. Without a firm and obvious tempo in the first half of the show, the guard members learned to feel the music rather than count it, making “Interpretation” a difficult and sophisticated undertaking. The guard showed strongly in A Class (up from AA the year before) over the course of the season, earning a few third place trophies, finally finishing 9th out of 15 at Championships.

Above is a video recording of their performance at their Encore Performance at McNeil, 4 April 2008, the last public show for friends and family before the guard headed off to Championships the next day.


The McNeil Winterguard’s 2007 program, “Sugar Plum Scary,” earned the guard silver medals at the Texas Color Guard Circuit Championships on March 31st, 2007. McNeil was seeded third out of 21 units going into the contest, and after TCGC split the field into two divisions, McNeil went into Championships in second place in the White Division – and was able to hold on to their placing. Congratulations on an incredible season!

Above is a video of the Winterguard’s “Encore Performance,” the last public show for friends and family before the guard headed off to Championships the next day.