It is not just a camp for captains we suggest that as many of you that can afford it as possible go and enjoy this amazing camp!
Bands of American is a camp where this year 1400 students gathered in Normal, Illinois at the ISU Illinois state University. You can find out more at BOA.ORG. Click on the summer symposium.
The best part of this camp is 200 of these students where they're to learn more about color guard. There were 5 different levels of flag classes, 2 Rifle classes, 1 Sabre class and a Masters Class (they spin all three). There was also a dance class every one attended. These classes are taught by very talented people, they have been spinning and dancing for years. After being separated into classes you then are taught awesome new moves and a two routines. One is to be performed Wednesday night at the Show and Tell for all of the other groups and the Final performance is for all of the other students and that is on Saturday morning.
Here is a quick recap of the weeks events:
Monday- Check in and placement auditions. Then there is an opening assembly that a drum group performed at. (They were amazing) We also learned that there were 50 Australians at the camp. We then were sorted into our groups and spent the day inside a gym (it was raining). That night there was a concert Yamaha young performers They were amazingly talented!
Tuesday- This was our first full day. The first day we were kind of lost but a nurse found our group for us. In the morning we warn up and stretch with the dance teacher Vincent and then split up into our groups to learn. Today we learned our routines for the show and tell. That night the concert was a performance of Broadway music and American patriotic music by the Air for symphonic Band.
Wednesday- Today we learn a bunch of stuff not only from our teachers but from other teachers. We perfected our routines and our drill for the performance and performed after dinner. That night we left early for our hotel so that we could relax after the hard day in the hot tub. While we were gone there was the concert which I heard was really good.
Thursday- This day we started learning the dance routine and our group routines for the final performance. We also went to paradise field (which was cement) to learn our drill. After a long day of practice we went to the night concert, which was Bella fleck and the Fleck-Tones. It was really good for the first few min but it became out of tune and hard to listen to. The solos were amazing like the electric banjo and the guy who played two saxes at the same time but when they came together to play it just sounded off.
Friday- This was an awesome day because we got to see the Cavaliers which is an all boy guard. They were all really cute and amazing dancers! After we watched how they warm up we got to spend time individually with them and learned a segment from their show. They were truly amazing. We then practiced on Paradise field then enjoyed a picnic. After the picnic we had our 1400 student camp photo taken and went shopping at the shops in front of the DCI competition. We then went and watched the competition, which was the best group of bands I had ever seen. Each guard was very talented. The Cavaliers won first Place! Go 007! They wore costumes that looked like tuxes.
We arrived at home on Sunday around 5pm.
