Your life without color guard (from Tumblr)

Anonymous asked:

color guard isn't fun anymore. I don't enjoy it as much as i used to. there's too many bad memories associated with guard and it hurts a lot. I love guard and I want to do it next year since it'll be my senior year but I don't know if I can

he-spins-sabre answered:

I don’t know what to tell you because I just quit marching…. And…. Honestly it’s completely up to you. If you can push through then do it but if you don’t want anything to do with it after this year then just stop. But think about all the pros and cons and see how they weigh against each other.

No matter how bad things may be in your life, they will always be worse without guard in it.

Spintronix Weekends! February 12-13, 2016

This weekend was one of the most focused weekends we’ve had this season. Its been a tough one so far, but we’ll definitely keep pushing through it! We have had the best results this weekend out of all of them. Our coaches? They’re the best for dealing with us for one, but they were giving their all and receiving the most out of the performers. Before we started this weekend, we had a meeting for the returning members and we had talked about how to get the most out of the new members and ourselves. As well as how to encourage everyone to not be so stressed, and we had a very good turn out afterwards. I feel like we’re definitely getting better and this season will turn around for us. Here’s a little piece to lighten this post. Unfortunately, our sink was clogged. So the ones who were in charge of doing the dishes had to use the small sinks in the bathrooms (which are very tiny and inconvenient for doing dishes.) Well, one of the girls dropped a dish straight into the toilet! Gross. Hopefully this event will never occur in the future. 
❤️💛💚💙💜💗 Jade, 2nd year veteran

Take 1… eight steps to viewing success.

Sometimes you have to sit back and watch your own show with some fresh eyes. You have to see it from an audience member’s point of view as if you’ve never watched it before to really gain clarity on what to do next. I mean, we know EXACTLY what parts of the show we need to work on cleaning wise (drill, choreography, performance, whatever…) but design-wise, does everything flow together? When I watched our show live on Saturday, our first contest, I felt awful for our kids. It just wasn’t good. They had done SO MUCH better in rehearsals and I was right to believe they would come off the floor beaten. However, the good part was that they were not broken and they knew exactly what this meant: they need to work to get better.

Anyway, I watched the show on my iPad over and over, pointing out every little mistake to myself and getting upset over every little thing. As a director, that’s super unhealthy. I knew it, so I finally put the iPad down. I didn’t look at the show again until today, and like I said, I decided to look with fresh eyes. Here’s what I saw…

1. Uniforms. Honestly, not nearly as rough as they seemed. I was worried that the color under the arm would be a big, glaring mistake on our pristine white costumes, but it wasn’t so bad. I have decided that it’s mandatory for the guard to have nude undergarments and white leggings to wear underneath though, so that’s something.

2. Concept. Wow! We have seriously developed our concept this year. Almost perfectly from beginning to end. I gotta say it’s thanks to our new drill writer/show designer Justin, and we work so well together! I’m looking at adjusting the ending to REALLY round it out in the long run, but overall we are getting it.

3. Performance. Ouch!! Those poor kids looked terrified out there. And we have several young adults on our team with many years experience out there! Definitely need to get them to relax and perform the show more. Applying our performance faces and bodies in our basics blocks will shine that up.

4. Flags. What can I say to the beauty of our flags? Definitely one of my favorite sets we have ever used.

5. Makeup. Not everyone followed suit on makeup. Some of the eyes are completely lost to the flesh of their faces. Probably a good thing right now so it hides the terror in their eyes, but later we are going to want to see that ferocity let loose with some incredible winged eyes.

6. Floor. Nope, not going there. It’s black, that’s all that matters.

7. Prop. Honestly, and don’t ever tell him I said this, my dad was right. It looks a lot more prism-esque in the gymnasium lights than it did in our little warehouse. I was starting to make a plan for how we could paint it black and give it a white border to look like the Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon logo prism, but I’m glad I didn’t put in the extra effort because it does look nice.

8. Choreography. It LOOKS like the choreography is too hard for the kids. I know for a fact that it’s not. A million factors clearly played in here and we are just going to have to keep dealing with those in stride.

Ok, so that’s all of the thoughts going through my head as I watch this show, right? Now I can use those thoughts and make a plan for what we need to do as a staff. Here’s the thing that it really all boils down to; will the performers practice at home during the week? That’s really going to be the road block to this entire system because our show has some SERIOUS potential. However, just for example, we have a veteran member on rifle this year who is having a hard time with a backhand in the choreography. Whenever this person gets called out for it in rehearsal I get ready for an excuse like “well the music is too fast, my hand slipped, my gloves got in the way…” etc. until the cows come home. But does this person go home and practice during the week so that the backhand looks perfect the following weekend? Nope. As a matter of fact, that rifle choreography is one of the first things that the guard learned and this one person is still making the same exact mistake every weekend, even when the rest of the line appears to have gotten it down. It’s almost like the mistake is now ingrained on the muscle memory as part of the choreography. And this is just ONE example. There are a multitude of other positions in the show where other people do the same thing. These kids have to realize they should be working hard daily if they want to go anywhere. We have the team up top, but THIS is going to be the determining factor in our placement this year; how dedicated our members are to their show and to perfection.

Can we do it? Yep. Will we? I’m not sure yet.

<3 Jackie

Here we go #SIG2016

Our 2016 season is about to be underway and I am just a ball of excitement over it. I can’t believe how far we have come as a team and I am so glad to be sharing in this journey with our fans, especially on our YouTube channel.

We have a new show designer this year and he has provided some excellent pieces to the overall puzzle of our show. Leah, Merideth, and I are placing choreography into the drill like a paint by number and things are fitting like a glove. Anna is in control of the vlog and doing an excellent job of that as well so if you haven’t watched it already, put some hustle on answer check it out. Our uniforms came in this week so dress rehearsal this weekend will be a colorful affair. I already made the show announcement to our email subscribers, and our social media announcement will be coming soon! I am thinking next week?

Our performers have had a lot going on in their personal lives as well; I won’t delve into their own details unless they are included in our vlog… Because let’s face it, who really wants their entire life out there for anyone to see and read?! If you watched this week’s vlog then you know we had a member get engaged at rehearsal! It was an adorable affair that her fiance called me to set up in advance. Unfortunately for the team she didn’t see how she would have time to both plan a wedding and perform with Spintronix so she quit shortly after that rehearsal. We have had a member do it before, and not just plan the wedding but she is carrying out her marriage during the week and performing with us on weekends now. But not everyone is dedicated like that unfortunately. So this leaves us with a second open position for a performer.

Another member had knee surgery this week. I have to say she is the most hard core kid I think we have had. She’s been dancing, performing, and being incredible on her knee all this time, thinking she will just walk it off. When her MRI showed a torn and folded meniscus though, her only questions were “how long until I can dance again, and when is the soonest you can fit me in?” They did surgery the next day and she will be sitting through rehearsal for about a month. It’s the dedicated kids like these that make the organization hold together as strong as it does!!

Rehearsal tonight, stay tuned for another vlog on Tuesday!

💙 Jackie

Why I Don't Pay For Dance

(You may have seen this circulating as "why I don't pay for colorguard/winterguard/percussion" all over the internet. It spread like wildfire! This is the original article that didn't get any credit in the viral version of the post. It's excellent! And the original link is included below.)

The other night someone asked me “Why do you pay so much money for your girls to dance?” Well I have a confession to make, I don’t pay for dance. Personally, I couldn’t care less about dance. I grew up in a family of 4 boys and no girls. The “Nutcracker” was something you did on a dare off of the high dive at the pool or something you unpleasantly surprised your brother with. Up until the day I met my wife if I were asked to go to Swan Lake I would have asked if we were water skiing or fishing.

So if I am not paying for dance what am I paying for? I pay for those moments when my daughters become so tired they want to quit but don’t. I pay for those days when my daughters come home from school and are “too tired” to go dance but go anyway. I pay for my daughters to learn to be graceful. I pay for my daughters to learn to take care of their body. I pay for my daughters to learn to work with others and to be good team mates. I pay for my daughters to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don’t get that part they hoped for, but still have to work hard at the part that they received. I pay for my daughters learn to make and accomplish goals. I pay for my daughters to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create something beautiful, and that success does not happen over night. I pay for the opportunity my daughters have and will have to make life-long friendships. I pay so that my daughters can be on stage instead of in front of a screen…

I could go on but to be short, I don’t pay for dance, I pay for the opportunities that dance provides my daughters to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!

I am sure that other parents get similar questions. “Why do you pay for competitive baseball?” “Why do you pay for Quarterback training?” “Why do you pay for club soccer?” “Why does your kid swim year round?”…. I just think it is important to realize what we are really paying for.

By Shad Martin
http://www.especiallyforathletes.com/

A Weighted List of Pros and Pros: Discussing Drum Corps with a Practical Parent

Original article: https://whereismytroopersuit.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/a-weighted-list-of-pros-and-pros-discussing-drum-corps-with-a-practical-parent/

Drum corps can be a difficult thing to discuss with family – especially if you are not just requesting for permission but financial support as well; with the tour fees of most corps being between two and four thousand dollars, the reality is most young people interested in the activity will need help. The difficulty of this conversation can be multiplied substantially if your parents are like my own dad: practical, fact-oriented, and skeptical.

Many people involved in drum corps will suggest you win your family over with talk of life lessons to be learned and forever friends to be found. These things are without a doubt the greatest products to be found in corps, but they aren’t tangible – and to many people, tangibility is everything.

With people like this in mind, I want to help aspiring marchers get on the field. Listed below are a few points I have compiled of real, practical benefits of participating in corps. Take this information, and if you like it, share it, use it, and help to grow drum corps:

1. Drum corps techniques are a must for music educators.
   A large portion of drum corps members and aspiring members are music majors, and whether your official focus is education or simply performance, you will end up teaching (the most successful performers give clinics, master classes, and private lessons). The techniques you are taught in drum corps, whether on brass or percussion, can be applied to marching bands, concert bands, orchestras, and even private students – and your music program and students will only be successful if you are a successful teacher. The unfortunate truth is the successful programs are the ones with the most funding, and the most sought after clinicians often make more money teaching than they do performing.
2. Drum corps will open up doors to whole new career opportunities.
   This one is really quite simple: drum corps and marching bands are always in need of staff. Whether it is administration, instructional, or design, chances are these organizations will not hire you without drum corps experience. Even if you don’t want to be involved full time, these jobs are great supplements to your chosen career path.
3. Drum corps will kick down the doors you were already eyeing.
   Another simple one. People who know what drum corps is usually know that it’s really damn hard. And people who know what drum corps is usually know that members work really damn hard. And if a potential employer is one of those people? That gives you a fantastic advantage.
4. Drum corps will introduce you to people. Important people.
   Marty O’Donnell. Robert W. Smith. John Mackey. Do these names ring any bells? If not, I feel sorry for you, son. These are big names in the music industry, and all of them (and more) are involved in drum corps – I know at least one person who has met each of these people through drum corps.
5. Drum corps gets you in shape and gives you something to do.
   I lost 25 pounds participating in just one season of drum corps. That summer, most of my friends were either doing nothing or working minimum wage part-time jobs. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of these things or any other personal decision (we all need a break from the draining nature of modern education), I know many parents who would prefer involvement in something a bit more full-time. 12 hours a day of physical activity is pretty full-time.
6. When you really think about it, you might not be spending that much money.
   Considering tour fees mostly pay for meals and travel expenses, and the amount of money many families spend on food and vacation during the summer anyway, it might be worthwhile to point out that net spending on drum corps might work out to only about a thousand dollars.

 

Drum corps is the most worthwhile experience I have ever had and the best money I ever spent. Don’t give up because your parents said “no” the first time you asked. Mine did – and I’m going into my third season.

On self-trust: How to color guard (from Tumblr)

You know what sport helps you gain self-trust? Color Guard. If you don’t show up there’s a hole in your drill. You’re spinning equipment that has the potential to not only give yourself but others bruises, bloody noses, concussions, etc. To be honest find this most prevalent in rifle because you have to spin a block of solid wood decked out with sharp metal screws, leather, and plastic mere inches from your face. While looking like you’re not terrified.  

On being a perfectionist - How to color guard (from Tumblr)

I am an impatient perfectionist who needs to not expect immediate success.

I must remind myself that practice makes perfect.

When I first joined color guard, everything was foreign. It took me weeks to figure out how to toss a single. 
It wasnt easy.

But with time and practice, I got it.

The same followed for doubles.
Rifle.
Sabre.

I may currently be struggling with specific 45s and consistent quads on rifle, but just because I dont have these skills now doesnt mean I will never have them.

Practice is key.

Determination is key.

I WILL get these tosses. I will improve.

The lesson here is to not shut down when you dont receive immediate results.

Here’s to improvement.

Fight till the bitter freaking end.

Dealing with Drama: How to color guard

Drama is the plague. (Not really but seriously, treat it like the plague). 

Any place where a lot of girls gather (and some guys, 95% of the drama in my guard comes from one guy lmao) is going to get some drama. Especially if you have to deal with the same girls for an entire year, or multiple years. If you need reasons to stay out of drama, and how to avoid, keep on reading.

- Don’t say anything behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say directly to their face, context is irrelevant. Things get passed around. Things get shared. You’d hate to lose friends or create enemies just because you wanted to add some gossip to a conversation.

- If you know someone is notorious for causing problems, maybe don’t hang out with them all the time?? If you do, don’t let yourself sink to their level. 

- Instructors do notice who picks on who. They notice who is sassy or catty. And when the time comes for leadership, it shows real maturity to be above all that gossipy nonsense.

- If your instructor is the type that punishes everyone for the actions of a few, do you really want to be the reason that everyone has to run? (or do any other punishment).

-  Being nice to others is always the way to go. It’s hard sometimes, especially if the crowd is doing the wrong thing, the mean thing, but it’s worth it in the end.

Merry Christmas!

I’ve been posting a few things on tumblr here and there since we started this account, however this is our first official blog post!! So Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope you enjoy all of your holidays, no matter what you celebrate at this time of year.

If you enjoy color guard, you might be interested to check out our company at one of many social media locations online. We have our ever-popular YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/user/SpintronixGuard and also our central collection of all things color guard on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpintronixGuard. If you are a fan of pictures or short posts we have lovely Instagram and Twitter accounts as well!!

This season is going to be quite a wild ride for the cast of Spintronix Indoor Guard 2016, our competitive team based in southern Missouri, so if you are interested in guard stories make sure you follow along with us as we go. I will be making blog updates along with our director, Jackie, plus other staff and cast members.

Hang onto your leg warmers, because here we go!

J.M. Hope

New Girl

We have been on a blog hiatus here at Spintronix, but are finally back in action this week! Check out this entry from our newest member, Darby Schwein, as she recounts her step into the team mid-season.

 

So this weekend I had my third official Spintronix practice! Joining and learning the show in the middle of the season wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I did. On Friday we had a surprise hip hop dance class, with the help of Leah Cunigan! Then we had a great dinner of pizza, salad, and oreos provided by LK, who is now my favorite person for bringing oreos. Then we rehearsed, and before going to bed had team building, which taught us a lot about working together and relying on our teammates. On Saturday we got to sleep in till 8:30!  After having a fantastic breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and sausage, we had our ballet class taught by Joy then we cleaned our flag work and had an early lunch. It felt amazing outside, so we went out and worked on our dance and flag routine. Then Jackie’s sister Kelly surprised us! We went back inside and performed our show to random songs, which was pretty difficult, but helped us learn counts. Then after one last runthrough, we did our chores and went home.

 

When I first joined Spintronix, I was terrified that I wouldn’t fit in, and that I wouldn’t be able to learn the choreography in time. Everyone has been great, helping me out when I needed it, and accepting me even though I was thrown in in the middle of the season. These last couple weekends have been awesome, and look forward to more in the future.

 

And we at Spintronix are looking forward to having more of our fans involved in the future as we come down the home stretch into the last few weeks of our season. Keep checking back with us for more updates and if you would like to receive monthly updates right to your inbox just send us your e-mail address!

An Adventure Every Weekend

Valentine's weekend was a real treat for the Spintronix Indoor Guard and Kaitlin "LK" Boutwell is here to tell us about her adventure. She is a rookie member of the SIG who was introduced to color guard at the 5th annual Weekend Camp but has been dancing as long as she could walk. She is a member of Team Ballet and is one of the youngest members this year at only 13 years old;

 

This weekend was amazing. From the moment I walked in everyone was having a great, hilarious time. Friday night was awesome, Kelsi brought a huge heart with assorted chocolates. They were gone in under 15 min. Joy taught the ballet girls some really cool things we didn't know. Then Jackie taught us the new hip-hop dance and Joy kept saying we looked too country but Jackie disagreed. That night when Anna and Jackie were making the team building event Ama got the idea to tie Caitlin up cause of our name "Spintronix fight club." Then Ama asked me to prom and I got dressed up in the funniest stuff I had. It was pretty great. In morning I finally tossed my 45!! We got some good run throughs also... I love this guard and how close we have come together. Every single weekend is an adventure.

 

The entire team as they complete their team building activity for the night!The team ties up one of their favorite members with love! (Hence the heart on the ground...)

 

Keep checking back each week to keep up with LK and the rest of the guard in our Facebook Notes! And, don't forget to "like" this note to help LK earn points for the end of the season.

Prima

Insight into this past weekend is brought to you by Kelsi Kelly, a second year member of SIG and the soloist in our show, the Prima Ballerina. She has also been a member of her high school color guard and plans to continue to study dance and color guard beyond high school. This is what she has to say about our second contest:

 

This competition weekend was amazing, I loved every second of it. From getting ready, to falling on my knee before the performance. We all had so much fun performing, hanging out with each other, and even helping another guard fold their floor out. Friday we had alot of fun rehearsing and eating pizza. We got to see some of Sasha's really cool tricks, then rehearsed some more. Saturday we woke, ate cinnamon rolls, and laughed most of the trip. On our way to Kickapoo Anna hit a gas can full of gas; that was a little scary. We got to Kickapoo, got dressed, then stretched and did across the floors in the hallway (that is when I injured my knee by falling). We went to warm-ups and then performed! It was amazingly fantastic I felt like it was our best performance so far because I tossed a 5 on my sabre solo and Ama tossed a 4 on her rifle solo. It was beautiful. After awards we stayed and watched Rolla. They were beautiful. Then after that we went to the mall and ran into Nate. It was so much fun! Afterwards we ate in the food court and after that we went home. When we got back to Angelica me, Caitlin, LK, and Jackie cleaned what needed done, we all loaded for Jackie and Caitlin's trip to St. Louis. Overall it was a great weekend and can't wait for next weekend and all the great rehearsal time!

 

Kelsi practicing sabre in the nice weather.

 

Wish Kelsi and the rest of SIG luck on our Facebook page! Then keep an eye out for more excitement and invitations into the world of our Indoor Guard!

Guard Life

This week's blog comes from Cassandra McCartney, a second year member of Spintronix and graduate of her high school's color guard and winter guard programs. She is currently preparing for an audition with Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede in Branson, MO so wish her luck!! Here is our weekend from her point of view:

 

Life is hard. Guard life is harder. The physicality of spinning a flag or rifle/sabre is work, but it's worth it. It's all about emotion and physical fitness to take on this task; especially if you're joining guard for the first time.

 

When I first joined guard, I didn't know anything about it, let alone how much physical pain I would be in the first week! Dr. Spurling showed me how much fun it really was. I stayed on for two seasons in high school. After I graduated, I decided to join an independent guard called Spintronix. When I auditioned, I didn't realize how involved I was getting involved in the friendship of the other auditionees. As we all waited for the results of the audition, we all chattered away. Jackie came in and talked about the audition; she said that everyone who attended the call back were being accepted as members.

 

Last year was awesome because we danced to Michael Buble's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in our show "Motorbike Melody". This year is even better because we are doing a show called "Bunheads and B-boys". I love the song "Cray Button" and I love being on TEAM HIP HOP! This weekend was great because we are AMAZING!!!! Plus, Jackie is helping us stay healthy by doing crunches and giving advice on how to eat right. Team building was fun; we put our backs against one another and tried to get up as a team.... Which was a sight to see. I just love how we spend so much time together as a team!

 

Cassandra McCartney

 

Cassie gets her performance face on at championships in 2013.

 

If you liked Cassie's note, please click the "like" button so she can earn points from each person who reads it! Next weekend we will be attending our second contest at Kickapoo High School so come out to support the team and keep checking back to our Facebook page for more Spintronix information!!

Whirlwind

The blog for our first week of competition comes to us from Alicia Bond, a member who has been with SIG since we first started the indoor guard in 2011. She was captain at SIG for the last two years, served as drum major in high school, and marched with the color guard in the Bands of America Honor Band in the Tournament of Roses Parade. She is now a college student majoring in theatre and this weekend was very special for her because her Spintronix schedule has had to be worked around her college schedule:

What a weekend! It felt like I was caught up in a whirlwind of fun, friends, and one FANTASTIC first performance! In all my four seasons with this guard, I have to say that was my favorite first competition. Rehearsal went really well Friday night and, besides a few pit stops on the way to Republic High School, the journey to our first competition of the year went really well. When we got there we got checked in and took our stuff to our holding space. Then we all went to put on our uniforms. I have to say, all the girls look beautiful in their ballerina outfits. We went to warm ups, and then it was time to take the floor! I was so proud of all the girls and our one guy for the amazing performance we put on. one of my favorite parts was that we had no drops! Not a single piece of equipment hit the floor unless it was supposed to. After we got everything cleaned up and put away we went back inside and watched the rest of the guards perform until it was time for awards. We were all excited to find out that our performance earned a score of 52! That is pretty good for a first performance! I can't wait until the next competition in two weeks. I know we are all going to work very hard and improve a lot. Our next performance is going to be even better!

Alicia performing as the soloist in the SIG 2012 production: The Pink Alliance.

We are all so proud of our incredible performers at SIG, and are going to continue working hard before our next contest. Keep checking back to read more from our students!

Second Christmas

Our next blog comes from Ama Adams, a second year veteran who was a member of the Bands of America Honor Band color guard in the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Macy's Great American Marching Band color guard in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and she has been captain of her high school color guard. This weekend was an exciting and productive one for our team and here it is from Ama's point of view:

 

Spintronix is the best part of my week!  Spending a  weekend with some of the nicest, caring, talented, and hardworking people I know, you can only expect a great weekend and nothing less!  This weekend was one of the best because we all got our new uniforms.  For some of us it was like a second Christmas! So after we got our uniforms we had our first dress rehearsal! Then we had our team building where we all had to create the ultimate guard member....  That was interesting.  :) Then the next day we all got up ready to work hard and have a good day.  The rifles cleaned their work and also earned 45 push-ups, while the ballerinas worked there flag choreography.  Close to the end of the day we had another dress rehearsal and ran the show a couple of times.  Then we all sat down and discussed the position of Captain, so...  congratulations to all the Spintronix veterans I know this is going to be a great season with all of us working together as captions!

 

Ama, dancing with her flag at the 5th annual Spintronix Weekend Camp.

 

Keep following our competitive ensemble on our Facebook page and keep checking back each week for more blog updates!

Unconditional Love

This week's blog comes from Caitlin Meyer, a veteran member who has been with Spintronix since we began our winterguard in 2011. She has also was a member of the color guard in the Bands of America Honor Band in the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Macy's Great American Marching Band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, plus her high school marching band. Here is the SIG rehearsal from this weekend in her perspective:

 

My weekend is always the best when I go to practices with the Spintronix color guard. What's great is we are family so we definitely are ourselves around each other. On Friday we did a few Zumba warm ups which basically warm our bodies up. We also finished putting together our ballet/hip hop warm up and we got a little preview of what the rest of our flag warm up is. After rehearsal that night we had team building which teaches us not only to trust each other but the skills to help us communicate better in our lives as well as us being one guard. Saturday we put the rest of the show on the floor and at the end of practices we did some intense ab and muscle workouts and then we cleaned up the place and hugged each other goodbye. I can tell you that I've bonded with every person on this team and I love them all unconditionally.

 

There is never a day when I wake up asking why I ever joined Spintronix color guard. The people there only make me want to stay all week, no joke. Everyone there has made a huge impact on my life the past 4 years of my being there. I can go to anyone for advice knowing they will always be by my side. I never thought I could have been so fortunate until I joined the establishment and I thank God that I get the opportunity to be with the wonderful people that make this all possible every weekend. Not only do we do this to create character, friends, and memories as well as performing and breaking out of our comfort zones but we also do it for our fans.

 

Sincerely,

Caitlin Meyer

 

Caitlin giving her best performance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

 

Be sure to keep checking on the Spintronix page to follow our competitive ensemble and for more blog entries from our members each week!

Welcome to the new and improved Spintronix Blog!!

Hi there! This is Jackie Krasuski, executive director of Spintronix Color Guard. I’m writing to all of our Facebook fans this week to let you know that we have begun a new tradition at the Spintronix Indoor Guard;each week you will hear from one of our members here on the Facebook page in the form of a blog-style Note. They will tell you all about our organization, what we do each weekend, and give you updates about rehearsals, contests, and other happenings in the SIG world!

This weekend was a really productive rehearsal for the group. We had to cancel a few practices earlier in the season due to weather so this weekend was designed to make up for those cancellations. The weather has been tough on our team so far this year, but the students are proving dedication is worth more than gold as they brave every kind of obstacle to get to rehearsals on time! We spent some much-needed time in hip hop class, getting those pops and locks down and clarifying some important style definitions.Working on the two flag features was a lot of hard work, but in the end the precision achieved was well worth the effort!

Chili was donated for supper and there was a lot of it! I know several of the students were so grateful to have multiple bowls to make up for the calories they burned during rehearsal time.

We are also currently running out of a few things at our facility so if anyone is interested in making a small donation to help please feel free to contact us! We are currently in need of garbage bags and hand soap.

SIG2014 Uniforms and Other Requirements

Hair and costume requirements for potential members of the 2014 SIG to know...

 

 

#1 Ladies' Hair: DO NOT CUT YOUR HAIR.

If your hair was already short prior to the audition, we will make do with getting a fake hair piece for your ballerina look. However, please refrain from cutting your hair any further throughout the course of the season as it will be easier to fit the fake hair piece onto longer locks of hair.

 

Also, any hair coloring that is to be done throughout the course of the season is to be natural colors and natural lines only. An arrangement of unnatural colors in the hair would not be tolerated in classical ballet and since we are performing as a class of classical ballerinas, we must all look the part.

 

 

#2 Ladies' Undergarments:

You must have solid black or solid white underwear with a solid black bra to wear for performances. More details will be given to each member once they choose their custom neckline leotard.

 

 

#3 Guys' Undergarments:

All guys must wear white or nude colored undergarments as their hip hop pants will most likely be white. Compression or semi-compression is required.

 

 

#4 Guys' Shoes:

Guys are responsible for procuring their own hip hop performance shoes. Osiris is a popular brand of shoe with hip hop dancers, but can also be very costly. If you are going to purchase new shoes, please have them approved before you spend money on them!

 

 

One other reminder: auditionees who are accepted as members must turn in their optional items order form by December 14 WITH PAYMENT in order to receive their jackets, gloves, and equipment ordered.

See you in a week!

SIG2013 Members announcement (and how to do your makeup)

Here are the members of the 2013 Spintronix Indoor Color Guard:

• Alicia
• Alex
• Boe
• Caitlin
• Cassie
• Eliza
• Georgia
• Ginger
• Jacob
• Joni
• Kaylin
• Kelsi
• Kirsten
• Sam
• Tiffany

Congratulations to all of you who have made it through the audition process as members of the 2013 edition of SIG!

Schedule:

Please make sure you check the Spintronix Facebook Events page to know when our rehearsals and performances are! There have been some changes to the original schedule if you have one of the old handbooks.

Makeup:

We are going to be doing 50's style makeup on the ladies. There is a tutorial that you should watch here:http://makeup.lovetoknow.com/1950's_Makeup

You need to have black eyeliner, black mascara, bright red lipstick, blush, and dark blues/grays for your eyeshadow.

Costumes:

Please make sure you read the note on Costumes and Undergarments so that you know what you need to get for this season. You can find it here:https://www.facebook.com/notes/spintronix-color-guard/costumes-undergarments-for-sig-2013/451191734912203

Member Jacket Patch Map

Alright, Spintronix members!!! You asked for it; here is a map of where your patches should go when you are putting them on your jackets. Photos are included!

 

Front:

Pink ribbon above your name

 

Left sleeve:

American Flag (I have these you can buy for $3.00)

Contest patches (from MCCGA, WGI, or any contest we perform at!)

 

Right sleeve:

Spintronix logo patch (I also have these for sale for $1.00)

Show patches (you will receive one of these each year at the banquet once you complete the season)

 

Back:

Below the logo place any patches you earn, purchase, or just plain like. You can buy patches at a lot of places you go, and you earn them for participating in activities (such as the Macy's parade), so the back is completely customizable! I like to put patches from places I've visited, activities I've done, and other things I like.

 

TIPS:

- All patches must be sewn on. If the patch has a sticky back the sticky won't last for very long, the patch will fall off, and dirt will then stick to your jacket.

- Make sure you pin the patches on before you sew them, make sure they are straight otherwise you will be unhappy with crooked patches!

- Even if the patch is sticky on the back, PIN IT before sewing!

- Make sure you check both the inside and the outside layer of the jacket to see they are lying flat before you sew. It is very easy to get the inside layer bunched up and it ends up preventing the patch or the whole jacket from hanging straight.

- The sleeves have a seam running straight down the top, you can center sleeve patches on this seam and they will be straight.

- If you can get a professional (or a parent!) to sew on your patches, it is highly recommended! If you want me to do it I will, but I am going to have to charge a dollar per patch to do it since I don't have a lot of time on my hands these days.

 

If you have any other questions, comment below!!! Happy sewing!

Costumes & Undergarments for SIG2013

Anyone who is interested in auditioning for Spintronix Indoor Color Guard this year will be responsible for providing their own appropriate undergarments for their costumes. First of all, all undergarments MUST BE BLACK for both ladies and guys. Other requirements with some pictures are to follow.

 

LADIES:

There will be two choices of uniform for the ladies (depending on the number of students accepted as members); a black dress or black pants. All ladies must wear solid black panties no matter which uniform they are assigned. 

 

DRESSES:

Ladies in black dresses must wear a black halter bra (bras that can be converted into halters are also acceptible).

The front of the halter or convertible bra must look like the top photo, the back must look like one of the circled bottom photos.

They must also wear black bike shorts. These can be spandex, cotton, or anything in between, but the important thing is that they must be stretchy, cover a portion of your upper thigh, and be completely solid black. Shorts with lace at the bottom or short tights will NOT be acceptable in place of bike shorts.

Bike shorts must be solid black with no logos (or we will color logos in with a black sharpie).

 

PANTS:

Ladies wearing pants will be required to provide their own short-sleeved, solid black, button down shirt. They must also wear a black bra that is appropriate with the shirt they provide.

An acceptable black button down dress shirt for ladies. Must have short sleeves!

They must also wear black socks with a height of mid-calf or higher. No-show socks or crew socks will not be accepted! Socks must also be solid black with no patterns or logos visible.

Left: Acceptable sock that is appropriate length with no logos or designs visible. Right: Inappropriate sock.

 

GENTLEMEN:

All of the Spintronix men will be wearing pants. They must provide their own short-sleeved solid black button down shirt and solid black "dressy" pants. The pants must be easy to move and dance in.

An example of acceptable solid black shirt and pants.

They are also required to provide black compression shorts or other similar undergarments for underneath their black slacks.

Compression shorts (or similar undergarments) may have some coloring or logos as long as the waistband is black and the majority of the shorts is black.

In addition, all men must wear black socks that are at least mid-calf length or higher. Crew socks are not acceptable.

All socks must be at least mid-calf length. Crew socks or shorter are not acceptable as they might expose the leg above when dancing.

 

 

This is the first time Spintronix has had such strict requirements for undergarments, so please make sure you are prepared if you receive your acceptance as a member of the Spintronix Indoor Color Guard!

If you have any questions about uniforms or undergarments, please leave them in a comment below.

Can & Bottle Drive (Originally Posted May 7, 2012)

As some of you may well know, Spintronix is holding their first annual can and bottle drive this year! Please bring your aluminum cans and plastic bottles (anything that is #1 plastic will do!) to any Spintronix function this summer.

What on earth are we going to do with all of these cans and bottles??? Well, as a non-profit organization we are also a member of Greenopolis.com, a Pepsi Co. partner that offers points for every can or bottle that we recycle through them. That being said, we have our eye on some technology for our rehearsal facility, namely a desktop computer to hold all of our records, documents, and official business that is currently being filed on paper, and a scanner/copier so we can scan documents, make copies, and print forms right at our facility!

So how many cans and bottles do we need??? Each can, bottle, and #1 plastic item we recycle is worth 5 points a piece. Our goal is going to cost us 444,500 points. O.O It's a lot I know, but we are already at 7% of that goal with 30,890 points!

Here is where we need the help of everyone in the Spintronix community...

1. Save all of your cans and plastic bottles. Any plastic with a 1 inside a recycling triangle will do, so check out your soap bottles, ketchup bottles, even strawberry boxes to see if they sport the 1.

2. Drop your cans and bottles off with Spintronix whenever we hold an event, or contact us to set up a drop-off time.

3. Follow us on Facebook for periodic updates on our points progress.

If you aren't local to us, you can deposit the cans and bottles to our account yourself!

1. Go to greenopolis.com

2. Find the "Kiosk locator" on the right hand side of the screen and enter your zip code.

3. Go to your local greenopolis kiosk with your cans and bottles.

4. Sign in, make sure you log in as a returning member WITHOUT a rewards card.

5. Type "spintronixguard" in as the username on the kiosk (no password required!)

6. Scan and deposit your cans and bottles! Your deposits will count toward our total points and get us that much closer to our goal!

Thank you for your support of our programs, and we can't wait to recycle your cans & bottles for you!

Look for this triangle with the #1 inside of it to see if your plastic is recyclable!

Donations

Spintronix is in need of several things for their rehearsal facility so if anyone could help out by making donations of any of the following items we would greatly appreciate it!

toilet paper

paper towels
paper plates
towels
Kleenex tissue
washcloths/rags
trash bags (50 quart - 32 gallon sized)
Wal-mart plastic bags
electrical tape (black or white)
air freshener
thumbtacks/push pins
dish soap
hand soap

This post was originally posted in 2010, but the listing has been kept up to date with items that we are pretty much always in need of.