By Elizabeth Geli

Say goodbye to the hardware store and hello to the High Performance Flag Pole from ColorguardUSA.com and Randall May International.

"Right now poles are basically just a pipe; these poles are designed specifically for spinning," says Peter Gomez, a color guard designer and choreographer who brought this idea to Randall May. "The weight balance system inside them is what is unique."

The precision balance system contains multiple weights that can be added and removed as needed with an interlocking design. The end of the flag screws in securely, so that there is no chance of the weight falling out of the flag like traditional bolts or fish weights.

"My main mission behind the whole thing was to give people the opportunity of having a piece of equipment that is geared solely to make the color guard activity better," Gomez says.

The pole itself is made from aircraft brushed aluminum tubing. The end caps are made of translucent and resistant silicone. Gomez tested out the new poles at three schools: Chino, Upland and Glen A. Wilson High School in Southern California.

"The feedback that I'm getting from the kids is that they don't want to pick up other poles now, just these," Gomez says.

To order go to www.randallmay.com or www.colorguardusa.com.

High Performance Flag Pole.pdf (117.75 kb)

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List your top designers for Designers for color guard, percussion, marching band, and drum corps.  Feel free to tell us why.  List shows and links to videos

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Here is a picture of the students in flag block. 

Here are some picture from Camp Alchemy

What do you think?

Camply Alchemy is a guard camp that takes place during the 1st week of August.  All circuit members can come meet other guard members, spin, and have some fun learning a few things that are new. Here is the Camp Schedule.  You can download if you choose.

9am Registration $12 each.
10am Dance Class (stretch, basics, ATF) w/Marcus
11am Adv.Dance choreography w/ Marcus, Int. Dance Choreo w/Jessie Smith
12pm Flag Basics w/Kenny
130pm Lunch provided
230pm Rifle basics w/Kenny & Jessica F.
3pm Advanced Rifle choreo w/ Kenny, Int. Rifle choreo w/ Jessica F., Flag choreo w/Marcus
4pm Sabre Basics w/ Marcus & Jessie S.
430pm Advanced Sabre choreo w/ Marcus, Int. Sabre choreo w/ Jessie S., Flag tricks/tosses w/Kenny & Jessica F.
530pm Show and Tell: 2 dance phrases, 2 rifle phrases, 2 sabre phrases, 1 flag phrase, flag tricks & tosses
6pm Wrap up and Clean up

Camp Alchemy flyer 2010.pdf (277.83 kb)

Here is the information for Camp Alchemy.  This is a one day camp where we invite students from all of surrounding programs to come and join us for fun and spins.

I tell you, band is just like football and just as American as apple pie.  I can remember a time when Drum Corps was not being shown at the movie theatre.  There was also a time when guard was just the flag girls behind the band.  Now there is a commercial using color guard to show the benefits of a product called Guardasil.  Images of our activity now reaches the Grammy's showcasing drumlines across the stage.  Why is this taking place now?  What is different about our social and cultural norm that is different today than it was yesterday?

Flags are usually the first piece of equipment that a color guard member is introduced to.  Drop spins are an exercise that is often taught first.  These spins have a very even feel in tempo/meter with no velocity changes in the weight of the pole as the flag travels from up to down and up again in one continuous motion.  Next,  some form of a speed spin like "Double Fast" or the infamous "Peggy Spins" are usually taught.  These type of spins are a bit faster and allow the performer to get a better understanding of how the weight can be used in their pole.  There is a change in velocity in between hand grabs.  Both of these spins are taught on the left and right hands for dexterity.

Palm flips is the first time that a new color guard member will have the opportunity to release their flag. This exercise will get them to focus on control of the flag as it leaves their hands only to catch solidly without loosing posturing and alignment.  These flips are typically a half rotation that can be from flag up position to flag down position. The release of the flip happens simultaneously from each hand evenly.  A combination in succession will allow the performer to develop some consistency. Each time the flip occurs, the performer must regain control over the flag so that another flip can be performed with the same excellence as the first.