Team Building Across the Whole Band

Building a strong band program begins with laying a foundation for strong relationships early and giving opportunities for maintenance throughout the season. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard another color guard student or instructor say “the guard just doesn’t feel like part of the band”, I’d have enough money for a tropical getaway vacation. This experience is often felt by drumlines, front ensembles, twirl teams, and dancelines as well. 

Though in a majority of cases these feelings of being an “outsider” by these sections are not intentional or identical from program to program, they usually stem from the same root causes. Don’t fret! There are ways to mend these rifts without completely overhauling your entire band camp and season. 

The Symptoms

You might be wondering, how do I even recognize if this is a problem within my own program? The first step is to observe. Look for some of the following…

Does each section sit exclusively with each other during off time? 
Are there many cross-section friendships?
Listen: Do you ever hear any snide comments about specific sections? (i.e. the guard is why we never get first place, or the front ensemble isn’t really band because they don’t march)

These are just some things you might see, but a great way to find out about it directly is talking with your student leadership in these sections. This probably isn’t the best time to have a full group sit-down heart-to-heart yet, but with individuals to assess the overall feelings in the group. 

The “Causes” 

Now, to be totally honest, calling this next section “the causes” is lacking a lot of the nuance you’d be able to look into within a specific program/situation. In my experience, just like with regular adults, the less you know someone, the easier it is to over-generalize them, stereotype them, and make assumptions. 

Color guards, drumlines, front ensembles, and dance/twirl teams are often more likely to have extra camp days before full band camp. They are also more likely to have several blocks throughout band camp completely separate from the winds. This separation is a natural part of band, but without something to counteract those many blocks apart, the social bonds are harder to create. 

Lack of deliberate inclusion can be an underlying message that can get picked up on, and snowball into a social/interaction problem. Language is important. When you address the band, do you say, “the band and the drumline”, or just “the band”?  Being inclusive in your language can be a slightly subconscious way that the line between the groups is being drawn. 

Are there ever events being held that leave a group out, intentionally or unintentionally? Is there a post-halftime full band meeting that the guard and front ensemble miss because they have equipment to clear from the football field? Does everyone have a role at football games? 

In my experience, the feelings of otherness are not caused by just one of these, but some of the combined in a way that makes it feel like there’s an exclusion to a specific section. 

The Solution

If you think this is happening in your band, or you want to take extra steps to ensure it doesn’t happen in your band, then your first step is deciding to take action. Band camp is the perfect time to begin fostering strong relationships and building mutual respect across sections. Here are a few activities and ideas you can try! 

Squads/Teams– Consider building squads/teams for your band that aren’t section-specific that you can use for social events, mealtimes, and other activities. The more diverse the squads, the better for building cross-section unity. Imagine the experience in perspective-sharing a senior guard member, freshman trumpet, junior flute, and sophomore percussionist in one group might have!

Band Buddies– Similar to squads/teams, a smaller unit (pairs) with people from different sections. 

Show-and-Tell– Towards the end of band camp, or during the season, give the sections a chance to show-off some skills. Small chances for the groups to interact with each other and see each other is great. 

Section Scramble– If you are dealing with comments like “the guard keeps messing up”, try to take part in an activity I call Section Scramble. To do this activity, set up some stations for spinning a flag, marching, conducting, or playing a drum pattern where people can try out other sections. It doesn’t take long for the “oh, this is a lot harder than it looks” perspectives to be heard. 

Sometimes just playing games with everyone can be a big bonding moment, so check out our other recent blog with some activities that are perfect for band camp. 

If these relationships are struggling, consider having a sit-down talk with your leadership team and guide them through their role in helping create harmony in your band. Pointing out that there’s an issue is the first step towards finding a resolution. 

You can do it! You can help your kids build strong relationships across sections, starting at band camp! Take the time to schedule an activity or two specifically designed for cross-section bonding.