How to Practice Marching Band Flag Routines

Color guard is a strong accessory to any marching band, providing additional movement, style and color to a show. To practice marching band flag routines, you will need some access to the music that is to be performed by the marching band. If it's early in the process, the band probably won't have a recording of their own performance yet, but by working with the color guard director, you should be able to obtain a copy of some recording to work from as you practice your routines. Barring that, work from the timing and counts your guard director has given you in group practice sessions.

Things You'll Need

• Flags and/or mock rifles
• Recordings of the songs to be performed

Instructions

Practice Marching Band Flag Routines

1. Walk through your show routine for each song without your flag, making sure you have the choreography down. Your flag work will not be very impressive if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

2. Take your flag and go over any moves that you tend to have trouble with, such as inverted windmills, horizontals or yo-yo tosses. Practice these moves until you can execute them flawlessly.

3. Run through the entire show, one song at a time, with flag movements and choreography combined. Note any areas you are having trouble with.

4. Drill yourself on your trouble areas in the routine until you have them down.

5. Run the routine again, noting any new problem areas, and drill yourself on those.

6. Seek the help of a more experienced guard member for moves that are giving you a particularly hard time.

Tips & Warnings

• As you practice your flag routines, try to imagine your fellow color guard and marching band members around you. You don't want to get so caught up with executing a perfect toss that you forget your step work and end up colliding with a tuba on show night.

• Stay positive. Flag work can be frustrating, and getting it just right doesn't come easily. "Drops" are not uncommon. Even the most experienced guard members still make them. Keep working and try not to get discouraged.

• Stay flexible. Don't become so committed to a routine early on that you are unable to incorporate later changes that may be necessary to accommodate the marching band or other color guard members. Be ready for last-minute changes and stay alert on the field!

• You will be tossing, or at least spinning, heavy metal poles or wooden mock rifles. These can become dangerous instruments if proper precautions are not taken. Be mindful of your own safety and that of the people around you. Trying to make an impossible catch is not worth a broken nose.