How to Do Drill Team Maneuvers

A drill team is a marching unit that performs maneuvers at the high school, college or military level. Often, drill team maneuvers are seen at public events such as parades, air shows, football half-time shows or school ceremonies like graduation. Competition is a part of drill team life and many high schools and colleges have competitive teams vying for the top spot at drill meets. Drill teams often perform exhibition drills, in which they may display intricate marching maneuvers including spinning and tossing rifles in the air, sometimes with fixed bayonets. Common drill team maneuvers include the Airplanes, Kims or Queen Anne Salutes.

Things You'll Need

  • Uniform
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Instructions

  1. Do Drill Team Maneuvers

    • 1

      Expect to wear a uniform. Drill team members wear matching uniforms of a specific cut and color that signifies their team. Uniforms should always be pressed and stored neatly.

    • 2

      Learn how to march with your team. Marching during drill team maneuvers is mandatory and is done in unison to ensure consistency and a strong performance.

    • 3

      Quicken your pace to accommodate different types of marching. Drill teams march at different paces and rhythms, and may exceed 90 steps per minute.

    • 4

      Cultivate the art of timing and discipline. Drill teams are known for their intense practice sessions, since timing must be perfect and always precise.

    • 5

      Make the cut. Practicing for a drill team before you apply for admission is necessary, whether at the military or educational level. Applicants must display strength, dexterity and discipline that surpasses all other competitors.

    Be Familiar With Drill Team Maneuvers

    • 6

      Familiarize yourself with the Queen Anne Salute. This drill maneuver is commonly viewed as a crowd pleaser and involves throwing rifles during the highly recognizable routine.

    • 7

      Let your creative juices flow while you do standard maneuvers. Many drill team maneuvers are made up on the spot, especially when a team is highly organized and cohesive.

    • 8

      Know some of the common drill team maneuvers. These include the Airplanes and Kims, which originate from within the military.

    • 9

      Know the essence of a drill command used during maneuvers. DLIPS (distinctness, loudness, inflection, projection and snap), or conciseness of command, are all important aspects used to judge and create drill commands.