How to Practice Marching Band Flag Routines

Color guard is a strong accessory to any marching band, providing additional movement, style and color to a show. To practice marching band flag routines, you will need some access to the music that is to be performed by the marching band. If it's early in the process, the band probably won't have a recording of their own performance yet, but by working with the color guard director, you should be able to obtain a copy of some recording to work from as you practice your routines. Barring that, work from the timing and counts your guard director has given you in group practice sessions.

Things You'll Need

  • Flags and/or mock rifles
  • Recordings of the songs to be performed
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Instructions

  1. Practice Marching Band Flag Routines

    • 1

      Walk through your show routine for each song without your flag, making sure you have the choreography down. Your flag work will not be very impressive if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    • 2

      Take your flag and go over any moves that you tend to have trouble with, such as inverted windmills, horizontals or yo-yo tosses. Practice these moves until you can execute them flawlessly.

    • 3

      Run through the entire show, one song at a time, with flag movements and choreography combined. Note any areas you are having trouble with.

    • 4

      Drill yourself on your trouble areas in the routine until you have them down.

    • 5

      Run the routine again, noting any new problem areas, and drill yourself on those.

    • 6

      Seek the help of a more experienced guard member for moves that are giving you a particularly hard time.