How to Do the 27-Points Move in Color Guard

The 27 points are the basis of all movements in a color-guard routine. Learning each of the points, as well as how to put them into one fluid movement, is a skill every color-guard member needs to know.

Instructions

  1. Points One Through 10

    • 1

      Grasp your flag with your right hand held just below the silk and your left hand a little less than a foot above your right. Lift your arms so your elbows are extended and away from your body and the flag is held upright.

    • 2

      Slide your left hand to the end of the flag staff and extend the flag at a 45 degree angle. Twist at the waist a quarter of a turn to your right. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.

    • 3

      Move into point two by lifting the butt of the flag so the staff is straight, with your right arm fully extended. Drop the top of the flag to create another 45-degree angle. This is point three.

    • 4

      Extend the top of the flag, and drop your left hand to your hip to make a 45-degree angle on point four. Return the flag to horizontal at eye level to go into point five.

    • 5

      Drop the top of the flag to the ground, and lift the butt to create another 45-degree angle to complete point six. Untwist at your waist, and hold the flag straight up in front of you with the butt of the flag pole held at your waist. This is point seven.

    • 6

      Lift the butt of the pole to the side of your head, and extend the pole straight in front of you, as if pointing it at someone, to finish point eight. Drop the front of the flag toward the ground at a 45-degree angle in front of you. This is point nine.

    • 7

      Go into point 10 by lifting the flag so it's at a 45-degree angle in front of your body, pointed toward the right.

    Points 11 Through 20

    • 8

      Lift your left hand so the flag is straight at eye level to go into point 11. Drop the front of the flag down to make a 45-degree angle for point 12.

    • 9

      Bring your left hand to your hip, and raise the flag to a 45-degree angle for point 13. Point 14 is achieved by returning the flag to eye level. Drop the silk to the ground to move into point 15.

    • 10

      Flip the silk up and behind you so your left hand is at your waist and the pole is at 45-degree angle. Do this by twisting to your left a quarter of a turn. This is point 16.

    • 11

      Raise your left hand so the pole is straight and at eye level for point 17. Drop the flag to the ground to create a 45-degree angle to move into point 18.

    • 12

      Move on to point 19 by bringing the flag straight up and down in front of you with the butt of the staff at arm-height.

    • 13

      Rest the flagstaff on your shoulder, keeping it level. Then, let the flag fall toward the ground, and slide your hands to just below the silk to complete point 20.

    Points 21 Through 27

    • 14

      Flip the flag to your right side with the butt of the pole at your waist and the flag at a 45-degree angle to do point 21.

    • 15

      Raise your left hand to make the flag level with the ground. This is point 22.

    • 16

      Leave the butt of the pole in place while dropping the flag to make 45-degree angle to complete point 23. Lift the flag up while leaving the butt of the pole in place to create another 45-degree angle, point 24.

    • 17

      Lift your left hand to position the pole so it's level with the ground at eye level to move into point 25.

    • 18

      Go into point 26 by dropping the flag to the ground, keeping your left hand at eye level, so the pole is in a 45-degree angle.

    • 19

      Return to your original starting position with your right hand below the silk and your left hand approximately 8 inches into the silk with the pole straight in front of you to complete point 27.