WINTER GUARD INTERNATIONAL

Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International (DCI), 'Winter Guard International' ('WGI') was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard (known as winter guard) and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S. and Canada and WGI headquarters is located in Dayton, Ohio.
Six people were responsible for the birth of this performing arts organization in San Francisco: Don Angelica, Shirlee Whitcomb, Stanley Knaub, Bryan Johnston, Marie Czapinski, and Linda Chambers. Together they created the first division of WGI, the color guard division. The second division, indoor percussion, would not be established until 1992.
WGI was created as a competitive vehicle for the performing arts. The organization sets standardized rules and criteria, provides educational clinics and resources, and manages competitions on a regional, national, and international scale.

Contents

Mission Statement

Scholarship Opportunities

Color Guard

Competition

Competition Classifications

Indoor Percussion

Competition Classifications

List of World Class Champions

External links

Mission Statement

"WGI Sport of the Arts exists to foster positive experiences for all who participate, by promoting education, creativity and freedom of expression through the unification of pageantry and the performing arts."

Scholarship Opportunities

As a part of their commitment to education, WGI offers scholarships every year. One member from each color guard or percussion group, performing at the Championships, qualifies to apply. More than $200,000 has been awarded to WGI participants over the years. The scholarship money is collected through raffles, World Championship program sales, and donations. Recipients are announced at the end of the night at the World Championships.

Color Guard

The visual art form of color guard incorporates spinning flags, rifles, sabres, and other various pieces of equipment, while performing to a selection of music, classical to contemporary. Dance is also featured and integrated into the spinning. WGI began with only 30 participating color guards. Today, it has grown to over 400 guard and percussion groups.

Competition

At the conclusion of a competitive season that starts in January, guards and percussion ensembles come together to compete within their respective divisions at the WGI World Championships every April. To qualify for competition, both guard and percussion groups must perform in at least one WGI regional contest during the season. The World Championships are usually held in Dayton, Ohio, however, every few years Championships are temporarily relocated (2004 - San Diego, CA, 2001 - Milwaukee, WI, 1997 - Phoenix, AZ.)

Competition Classifications

WGI classifies color guards into two divisions: 'Scholastic' and 'Independent'. Scholastic guards are made up of members from the same high school. University guards are classified in Independent Class. Independent guards often do not associate themselves with any one school, university units being the exception.
WGI goes on to divide these two divisions even further into classes. There are three classes in each division: 'A Class', 'Open Class', and 'World Class'. A Class is for beginner to intermediate level ensembles. Open Class is for those better than A Class, World Class is the highest, reserved for experienced and superior color guards. Independent World Class is the only class with no age restrictions. Performers in A and Open classes "age-out" at 22 years old, and can no longer compete in those classes after their twenty-third birthday, but may continue performing with the Independent World Class.

★ Color Guard Scholastic A (CGSA)

★ Color Guard Scholastic Open (CGSO)

★ Color Guard Scholastic World (CGSW)

★ Color Guard Independent A (CGIA)

★ Color Guard Independent Open (CGIO)

★ Color Guard Independent World (CGIW)

Indoor Percussion

In 1992, WGI oversaw the development of the second division, indoor percussion. Only six groups competed the first year, and that first year Clovis West High School from Clovis, California won the Championships. Indoor percussion ensembles perform a musical selection while also featuring marching drill patterns and tying in artistic visual effects.

Competition Classifications

Like the color guard division, indoor percussion saw such a rapid growth that there became a need for multiple classes. As of 1999, eight classes have been created to accommodate indoor percussion's rising popularity. The concert classes are designed for scholastic percussion ensembles who do not feature marching in their performance.

★ Percussion Scholastic A (PSA)

★ Percussion Scholastic Open (PSO)

★ Percussion Scholastic World (PSW)

★ Percussion Independent A (PIA)

★ Percussion Independent Open (PIO)

★ Percussion Independent World (PIW)

★ Percussion Scholastic Concert Open (PSCO)

★ Percussion Scholastic Concert World (PSCW)

List of World Class Champions

List of World Class Champions in different classes (
★ denotes tie)
'COLOR GUARD:'

Year	Scholastic World	Independent World
1978	N/A	Quasar
1979	N/A	Phantom Regiment
1980	N/A	Phantom Regiment
1981	N/A	Cavaliers
1982	N/A	Cavaliers
1983	N/A	Cavaliers
1984	Center Grove High School	Skylarks ★ Erte Productions ★
1985	Union High School	State Street Review
1986	Center Grove High School	State Street Review Odyssey
1987	Union High School	State Street Review
1988	Union High School	State Street Review
1989	Chaparrals of Tate High School (Tate Chaparrals)	State Street Review
1990	Center Grove High School	San Jose Raiders ★ Blessed Sacrament ★
1991	Miamisburg High School	San Jose Raiders
1992	Miamisburg High School	San Jose Raiders
1993	Bishop Kearney High School	San Jose Raiders
1994	Bishop Kearney High School	San Jose Raiders
1995	Bishop Kearney High School	Blue Devils
1996	Bishop Kearney High School	Blue Devils
1997	Bishop Kearney High School	Blue Devils
1998	James Logan High School ★ Miamisburg High School ★	Blue Devils
1999	James Logan High School	Emerald Marquis
2000	James Logan High School	Fantasia
2001	James Logan High School	Pride of Cincinnati
2002	James Logan High School	Fantasia
2003	James Logan High School	San Jose Raiders
2004	James Logan High School	Fantasia
2005	James Logan High School	Pride of Cincinnati
2006	James Logan High School	Fantasia
2007	James Logan High School	Pride of Cincinnati

'PERCUSSION:'
'Scholastic World'

★ Center Grove High School (2005, 2006)

★ Centerville High School (2004)

★ Winston Churchill High School (2003)

★ Avon High School (2002)

★ Mission Viejo High School (2001, 2007)

★ King Philip High School (2000)

★ Dartmouth High School (1998, 1999)

★ Northglenn High School (1997)

★ John Overton High School (1996)

★ Hatboro Horsham High School (1995)

★ Lincoln Way High School (1994)

★ Clovis West High School (1993)
'Independent World'

★ Riverside Community College (2002, 2005, 2007)

★ Music City Mystique (1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006)

★ Blue Knights (1994, 1999, 2000, 2003)

★ Atlanta Rhythm Machine (1995)
'Scholastic Concert World'

★ Ayala High School (2006, 2007)

★ Fort Mill High School (2003, 2005)

★ Franklin Central High School (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)

★ Gateway High School (1996, 1997)

★ Baldwinsville High School (1994, 1995)

External links

★ Winter Guard International official website