Longwood Winterguard -- Mirage

By Danielle Hebert
Rotunda ReporterIs it a "Mirage," or is it really here? That would be the official name for Longwood University's winter guard. Originally, color guard started in the military accompanied by a band that played patriotic songs. Along with a band to keep the soldiers' spirits up, they sent soldiers to bare their colors with pride. Nowadays, they perform to various musical genres using dance, choreography and various kinds of equipment outside on a field. They spin colorful flags and toss mock rifles and sabers. Color guards create elegant costumes to go with their routine as well.

Winter guard is an indoor colorguard activity performed on a gym floor. Mirage, formerly known as Sheer Horizon, originated in 2002 and had their first performance, "Mambo Spice," in the spring of 2004. Experience is not a prerequisite for joining the guard. Officers and members are willing to teach winter guard skills to anyone interested in learning.

Guard is way to get in shape, make new friends, and boost self-confidence, the group says. Megan Grimes said," I love color guard, and I love to learn new routines. Being in a group with people that have the same interest is like a big family."

Mirage holds their practices every Monday and Wednesday from 9 to 11 p.m. Competitions begin at the end of January and run through April. The group plans to attend five competitions this year.
Megan Hartley, who has been involved in color guard for eight years, said, "I decided to join because guard is my passion and I love playing with equipment, writing random routines or shows, and performing." Hartley summed up her as "spectacular." Hartley's advice to future guard members was to, "Give it your all. When you put everything you have into the dance and moves it will reward you in the end. Help the other members if you can, and accept other people's help. And most of all, take pride in what you're doing! It's not easy."

Katie Uyak has been in color guard for five years and said, "I joined because of a friend who was in my high school's marching band. She wanted me to try color guard, so I did, and I fell in love with guard." She summed up her entire colorguard experience as "enriching." Uyak is the treasurer of Mirage. She advised future guard members to, "Stick with it! It's hard at first, and you will get frustrated, but if you stick with it, you won't regret it."

Kaitlin Bishop, who started guard for the first time last year and is now the group's historian, said, "I decided to join because one of my younger sisters is in our high school's color guard and it looked like a lot of fun." Bishop said her experience has been "amazing." She said, "My advice for future guard members would be to not give up. It's really frustrating at first when your flag or rifle doesn't do what you want it to, but with a lot of practice it eventually gets easier."

Grimes has done colorguard for three years and said, "I wanted to join because I wanted to meet new people and learn something new," and described guard as "thrilling

Allison Deland, the president of Mirage, is going on her sixth year, She said, "Color guard is just like other things; even though it might be hard in the beginning it's totally worth it in the end. If I'd quit when it started to get hard, my entire life would be totally different. . I've met some of my best friends through guard, and I know I wouldn't be the same person I am today if it wasn't for guard.