Guarding Greatness
The Brownsburg Fine Arts program includes numerous bands, choirs and visual arts opportunities.
More than 80 students participate in the fall color guard program, beginning in November with the marching band and transitioning to winter guard through April.
They are a choreographed team that throws flags, rifles and sabers, bringing a colorful and often mesmerizing addition to marching band performances and yearly competitions, and they have been recognized nationally for their efforts.
Students can perform on one or both teams, and there are opportunities for anyone to get involved.
“The educational staff and the core of the team is the same in the fall and winter guard program, but there’s one team in the fall and in the winter, we have four teams, which increases accessibility for students,” says Aylin Vural, color guard director. “The fall program is limited to grades 8-12, and in the winter, we accept grades 6-12. The winter program is much larger because we have the younger grades, and even students who march in the marching band will then do guard throughout the winter.”
Foundational techniques include dance and flag. All ensembles do those two components of the performance, and as the athletes grow in skill, they begin working with the rifles and sabers too.
“Before the season is over, everyone will work with the flags, and that’s a natural lead-in to the weapons as well. We also take fitness and physical health seriously. There’s a physical aspect to the program, so we work on cardio, strengthening and endurance,” Vural says.
A unique aspect of the program is the classroom time offered at Brownsburg High School in addition to practices and performances. It’s there students learn an appreciation for the art form.
“We have a color guard class where they learn how to choreograph — why things are the way they are. When they learn how to choreograph their own pieces, they also learn there’s a method to the madness, and it makes you an overall better performer,” Vural says.
The high school also offers a dance class, bringing in elements such as costumes, lighting, music and movement.
Vural says students from all different backgrounds participate, including athletes, show choir members, academics and competitive dancers. At the end of the year, they host a recital performing their own student-choreographed work.
With additional education and skills, students walk away with a broader understanding of the arts and an industry that offers a wide range of options.
For Vural, she fell in love with performing and has continued to pay it forward, hoping other young students are inspired.
“I marched in high school and continued in college. I had a graphic arts degree with a minor in dance. It’s always been super fulfilling to me, rewarding and challenging. I feel like it’s my calling. I love education, and I love teaching this specifically,” Vural says. “It’s fun to see the incredible growth from young humans developing into older humans in the art world.”
Whether students continue to participate at the collegiate level or simply pick up a dance class down the street, opportunities abound for the future. Vural says she has plenty of friends who never gave up their passion for performance and now have careers in the industry.
“This position at Brownsburg High School has turned out to be more than I could have hoped for personally, but also professionally,” Vural says. “I also teach advanced competitive adult groups, or what they call pageantry arts, so it’s something that stays with you.”
Most recently, the Brownsburg Winter Guard placed second in the open-class IHSCGA state competition and earned a bronze medal in the WGI global competition, earning world-class status.
The team has increasingly become more visible in the state, country and even the world.
“We’re on a national, world level, which is great, but we’re also ambassadors of the Brownsburg School Corporation, the Town of Brownsburg and Indiana,” Vural says. “We recently went to the Tournament of Roses Parade with the band, and I’m constantly reminding them that everything you say is what Brownsburg just said. We will be good representatives of the school, and I think that culture we’re developing not only in guard but across the corporation is really neat to see.”
Like most team activities, the growth in confidence and other soft skills you don’t pick up in a classroom are evident.
“We talk about functioning as healthy adults. There’s accountability, discipline, time management. It’s hard work. They’re trying to keep up with grades, a part-time job and extracurriculars,” Vural says. “There are also quite a few students who try something for the first time and are just shattered. They wanted to be better yesterday, but being able to say, ‘Let’s try that again,’ ‘Let’s continue to get better, learn and improve,’ is important in life.”
Another unique factor of the guard program is that everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level or experience. Think about the last performance you saw at a band competition. Some members of the color guard are doing acrobatic moves and twirling rifles, while others are adding dance choreography.
There’s a place for everyone.
“We want to cater to everyone and find a home for everyone, and I think it builds their confidence,” Vural says. “I have a large staff that is dispersed throughout every color guard team, and we’re working with them whether they are new and just learning or advanced and reaching a new skill. There’s a wide range, but everyone is getting a great education.”
As the guard program continues to grow, Vural hopes that its positive attitude, educational courses and overall atmosphere attract new students to join.
“Word of mouth is our most valuable tool. Once they’ve found color guard, they want their friends to join too. The success of this program helps, but that’s not everything. Culture is why we are successful. It’s the environment created by the staff and students.”
