SYMPOSIUM ADDRESS: Dictionary of Colorguard Terms and Tall Flag Positions (rifles and sabres not included) Eugenia Horne GENERAL TERMS ARC OF CARRY 1. The 90 degree arc prescribed by a flag moving from the vertical position, forward and down to the horizontal, the base of the pike being in the flag sling. i.e. "Present Colors" is usually done by lowering 45 degree through the arc of carry. During such movement, the flag remains in line with other flags since the pivot point (the base of the pike) is in line. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] AUXILIARIES 1. Non-instrumentalists who march and dance with the band carrying flags, props, etc. Sometimes worth valuable extra points at marching contests [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] CHOREOGRAPHY 1. Plan of body movements of band and auxiliaries in show including marching, drilling and dancing (band members improvise tripping, slipping and falling themselves). [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] COLOR 1. The national flag. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. The official flag of a country. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 3. Usage provides that the word by capitalization indicates a national flag; non-capitalized "color" indicates any flag carried by a dismounted organization (not including national flags). [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] COLOR GUARD 1. The persons carrying and escorting the colors. Traditionally four persons, two guards and two bearers, the commanding officer of which is the color bearer. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. People who swing flags and toss rifles to distract the audience's attention away from the band. Makes the band seem better. Get extra credit if they hit (accidentally, of course) a band member, yet defied if they hit a field judge. [Band dictionary by Ben White for Leigh HS, and others] 3. Wannabe musicians who are used as distractions to keep the audience from noticing band members who are off-step. Dance around the field, waving flags, sabres, and rifles. [Veradale, WA band dictionary, and others] DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS 1. Traditional parade marching ensemble using bugles and drums, not to be confused with DCI type show drum corps. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] DRUM CORPS 1. Very similar to marching band, except for a few differences: 1)They are good. 2)No woodwinds. Coincidence? [Band dictionary by Ben White for Leigh HS, and others] 2. How over-devoted musicians spend their summer vacations when they're forced to go out into the "real world." [Veradale, WA band dictionary, and others] 3. Drum Corps International- DCI, a national organization which sponsors summer marching contests for valved bugle and drum corps of high school/college age players. DCI corps pioneered the modern style of show marching. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL (DCI) 1. A national organization which sponsors summer marching contests for valved bugle and drum corps of high school/college age players. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] 2. nonprofit youth organization formed in 1972 and sanctions competitions for junior drum and bugle corps [http://www.dci.org/fyi/] FLAG 1. A piece of cloth or bunting, often attached to a staff, with definite colors, patterns, or symbolic devices, used as a national or state symbol, or to indicate membership in an organization…banner, standard, ensign. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] FLAG CORPS 1. Auxiliary unit to a marching band or drum corps; a unit that uses tall flags [Fuller, p 36; Sagen, 49] 2. Flagline [Roman, p 78] 3. Silks [Roman, p 78] 4. Silk section [Leonard, p 295 ] FLAGS, TALL 1. 1) attempted to spin by colorguard while moving and repeatedly hitting the band knocking everyone unconscious, 2) This results in the drum major laughing for a couple of minutes then calls animal control to come and "scoop" up the band. [Band dictionary by Ben White for Leigh HS, and others] 2. Large, floaty, shiny pieces of cloth on sticks waved by members of the colorguard. Good for "accidentally" thwacking band members or annoying field judges. [Veradale, WA band dictionary, and others] 3. 1) Large pieces of colored cloth on poles waved by auxiliaries, 2) the auxiliaries who wave them. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] MANUAL OF ARMS 1. Movement, stand or otherwise, done by weapon carriers in unison or in a like manner singly. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. Prescribed exercises for the handling of weapons [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] MARCHING, CORPS STYLE 1. Style of show marching pioneered by Drum Corps International featuring smooth upper body movement, difficult music and complex set shapes. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi] MARCHING, MILITARY STYLE 1. Older style of band marching (still used in Longview, Texas) and also used by the military to move infantry. [The Band Parents' Dictionary by George Yenetchi ] PIKE 1. The pole or staff on which the flag is attached. Derived from the old foot-soldiers weapon consisting of a long wooden staff with a pointed steel head or spear. Flag that is mounted in, carried by, or designed to be carried by foot troops, or troops escorting the flag on foot. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. Proper term for the staff upon which a flag is mounted. [Casavant, p 98] POLE 1. A stationary pole or staff upon which a flag is either semi- or permanently attached. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. A permanently mounted shaft with halyards (ropes) to raise and lower the flag. [Casavant, p 98] SILK 1. Slang expression used generally to indicate a flag or banner, which does not contain or have displayed upon its surface a design or device. [Drum Corps Rules Congress, 1974] 2. All flags other than the flags of the color squad (American Flag, American Flag guard, school flags or other auxiliary flags that might be used). [Roman, p 77] VISUAL, VISUALS 1. A way of keeping marching band members busy during a show. Extra credit received if used against an on-field judge. [Band dictionary by Ben White for Leigh HS, and others] 2. Futile attempts to turn the band into a colorguard. [Veradale, WA band dictionary, and others] WINTER GUARD 1. A color guard unit that performs indoors during the winter. WINTER GUARD INTERNATIONAL (WGI) 1. Organization formed in 1977 which sanctions competitions during the winter for color guards and percussion units. An off-shoot of Drum Corps International (DCI). [http://wgi.org/] TALL FLAG POSITIONS ORDER ARMS Position in which the pike is vertical, the end resting on the ground (or slightly above) slightly to the front and right of the body, the left arm holding the pike just under the silk or on the silk, right arm to the side holding the pike at waist level or slightly bent. [Casavant, p 136; Roman, p 80; Sagen, p 50; Sherry, p 30; Leonard, p 299] ALSO CALLED: Attention [Fuller, p 28]; Points#26 [27 points] RIGHT SHOULDER ARMS Position in which the pike is vertical and centered on the body with the bottom of the pike held at waist level with the left hand, the right hand at the forehead or above. [Casavant, p 127; Leonard, p 300] ALSO CALLED: 0 degree point in the arc of carry [Casavant, p 101]; Up Position [Sagen, p 50]; Right Shoulder [Sherry, p 31]; Up (Up from Attention) [Fuller, p 39]; Shoulder Arms [Fuller, p 39]; Point #25 [27 points] LEFT SHOULDER ARMS Position in which the pike is vertical and centered on the body with the bottom of the pike held at waist level with the right hand, the left hand at the forehead or above. [SC usage; shown as exchanging hands but not defined in Casavant, p 147; implied but not defined in Sagen, p 51; described as exchanging hands but not defined in Fuller, p 46] PRESENT ARMS Position in which the pike is slanted forward and centered on the body with the bottom of the pike held at waist level with the left hand, the right arm extended to the front with the pike approximately 30 to 45 degrees from vertical. [Casavant, p 141; Roman, p 80; Leonard, p 300; Fuller, p 39; Pfeifle, p 55] ALSO CALLED: Present [Sagen, p 53]; 30 to 45 degrees in the arc of carry [Casavant, p 101], Point #4 [27 points, 24 angles]; Front Present [SC usage] EXTENDED HORIZONTAL Position in which the silk is forward and the pike is parallel to the ground at approximately shoulder level. The pike is on the right or left side of the body depending on the style. [Casavant, p 154] ALSO CALLED: Thrust [Sagen, p 52] Point #5 [27 points, 24 angles] VARIATION: 90 degree point in the arc of carry [Casavant, p 101] - The end of the pike remains at waist level and the pike is parallel to the ground at this level. GROUND POSITION TO THE FRONT Position in which the silk is forward with the pike slanted downwards with the top of the pike on the ground (or slightly above) to the front of the holder. [Leonard, p 308] ALSO CALLED: Front Slam [Sherry, p 31]; Drop (front) [Roman, p 82]; Point #6 [27 points, 24 angles] PORT ARMS Position in which the silk is forward and the pike is parallel to the ground with the middle placed under the right arm pit. [Casavant, p 126] ALSO CALLED: Lance Position [Casavant, p 126]; Lance [Roman, p 81]; Front Lance [Fuller, p 39]; Horizontal or Charge Position [Leonard, p 306] DOWN ARMS Position similar to Port Arms but the pike is slanted downwards with the top of the pike on the ground (or slightly above) to the front of the holder. [Casavant, p 129] ALSO CALLED: Low Port Arms [SC usage] SIDE PRESENT (TO THE RIGHT) Position in which the pike is slanted approximately 30 to 45 degrees to the holder's right from the Right Shoulder Arms position. The left hand may or may not move from the center of the waist depending on the style. [Casavant, p 50] ALSO CALLED: Quarter Right Jerk [Sagen, p 51]; Present (Side Right) [Fuller, p 39]; Point #10 [27 points, 24 angles]; Right Present [SC usage] HORIZONTAL POSITION TO THE RIGHT Position in which the silk is lowered to the holder's right and the pike is parallel to the ground at approximately the shoulder level. [Leonard, p 308] ALSO CALLED: Horizontal [Casavant, p 151]; Half Right Down [Sagen, p 51]; Point #11 [27 points, 24 angles] GROUND POSITION TO THE RIGHT Position in which the silk is lowered to the holder's right until the top of the pike is on the ground (or slightly above) [Leonard, p 308] ALSO CALLED: Ground Arms (to the Right) [Casavant, p 146]; Drop [Roman, p 82; Fuller, p 39]; Right Down [Sagen, p 52]; Right Slam [Sherry, p 31; Fuller, p 39]; Point #12 [27 points, 24 angles] SIDE PRESENT (TO THE LEFT) Position in which the pike is slanted approximately 30 to 45 degrees to the holder's left from the Right Shoulder Arms position. The left hand may or may not move from the center of the waist depending on the style. [Casavant, p 150] ALSO CALLED: Quarter Left Jerk [Sagen, p 50]; Present (Side Left) [Fuller, p 39]; Point #22 [27 points, 24 angles]; Left Present [SC usage] HORIZONTAL POSITION TO THE LEFT Position in which the silk is lowered to the holder's left from a left shoulder arms and the pike is parallel to the ground at approximately the shoulder level. [Terminology after Leonard; not actually shown] ALSO CALLED: Horizontal [Casavant, p 151]; Half Left Down [Sagen, p 51] VARIATION: Point #23 [27 points, 24 angles] - The position is taken from a right shoulder arms resulting in the arms crossing at waist level. GROUND POSITION TO THE LEFT Position in which the silk is lowered to the holder's left until the top of the pike is on the ground (or slightly above). [Terminology after Leonard; not actually shown] ALSO CALLED: Ground Arms (to the Left) [Casavant, p 147]; Drop [Roman, p 82; Fuller, p 46]; Left Down [Sagen, p 52]; Slam (left) [; Fuller, p 39]; VARIATION: Point #24 [27 points, 24 angles] - The position is taken from a right shoulder arms resulting in the arms crossing at waist level. VARIATION: Left Slam [Sherry, p 31] - The position is taken from a right shoulder arms with the left hand releasing the pole. BACK PRESENT Position in which the pike is slanted backwards and centered on the body with the bottom of the pike held at shoulder level with the left hand (with the arm straight out parallel to the ground) and the right arm extended vertically with the pike approximately 30 to 45 degrees from vertical. [Fuller, p 39; SC Usage] ALSO CALLED: Point #13 [27 points, 24 angles] HORIZONTAL POSITION TO THE BACK Position in which the silk is lowered to the holder's back from a right shoulder arms and the pike is parallel to the ground at approximately the shoulder level. [Leonard, p 308; described but not defined in Fuller, p 39] ALSO CALLED: Shoulder Horizontal [Casavant, p 155]; Point #14 [27 points, 24 angles] VARIATION: Back Shoulder position [Leonard, p 310] - The position is taken from an order arms or port arms. ALSO CALLED: "Flop" [Roman, p 82 with Lance being called "Flip"] GROUND POSITION TO THE FRONT Position in which the silk is backwards with the pike slanted downwards with the top of the pike on the ground (or slightly above) to the back of the holder. [Leonard, p 308] ALSO CALLED: Back Slam [Sherry, p 31]; Drop (back) [Roman, p 82]; Point #15 [27 points, 24 angles] SOURCES PUBLISHED Casavant, A.R., Flags and Rifles, Volume 5 of Exhibition Marching, Fuller, John, "The Flag Corps." School Musician, Director & Teacher (June/July 1979): 36-39,46. Leonard, Stephen, "Silks" in Wells, James R., The Marching Band in Contemporary Music Education, Interland Publishing Inc, New York, NY, 1976 Pfeifle, Morrell, "The Color Guard." School Musician, Director & Teacher (May 1978): 55, 59. Roman, Joseph, "Color Guard" in Hopper, Dale F., Corps Style Marching, C.L. Barnhouse Company, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 1977. Sagen, Dwayne P, "Flags that Visualize Music." The Instrumentalist (October 1977): 49-54. Sherry, Heather Rakauskas, "Fundamental Colorguard Techniques." The Instrumentalist (September 1999): 30-33, 108. WEBSITES Central Valley H.S. Marching Band and Colorguard (Veradale, WA) - originator?) http://cvband.tripod.com/dict.html Version also at: MHS Marching Band Dictionary (Menomonie High School) http://www.mscs.uwstout.edu/~johnston/mhsband/banddiction.htm DCI - http://www.dci.org/fyi/ WGI - http://wgi.org/ White, Ben and Southwick, David for the Leigh HS Band & Music Department. http://members.aol.com/BenWhite/banddict.htm Versions also at: McLane Highlander Marching Band (Fresno, CA) band dictionary http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/mclaneband/dictiona.htm the Fremont High School Marching Band http://members.nbci.com/fhsmarching/dictionary.htm Yenetchi, George, The Band Parents' Dictionary (Useful Terms for Band Parents) by George Yenetchi, Band Booster and Assistant Tuba Tutor, R.S. Sterling HS Band http://www.crosswinds.net/~bandparent/dict.html OTHER SC Usage - Southern California usage