There is much to be done and many conversations to be had. Here is a starter list of guard elements to coordinate before the visual designer places the first dots.
When choosing a piece of equipment, there are many things to take into consideration, including the music, skill level of the performers, the size of the program, and training needs. The two guiding questions through the process that you need to be asking constantly … Will this grow my students? Is it a musical decision?
One of the challenges band and color guard directors face is deciding what equipment should be used at different points in the show. While there is never ONLY one correct answer, our goal is to give you a starting point: How to make educated equipment choices based on the needs of your program.