Color Guard

We invite anyone who is interested in being part of our section to reach out to us via email ([email protected]) to learn more about our group or get individual time learning some of our standard skills and routines. We’re always excited to help potential new members prepare for auditions!

Some of our members joined the group with no previous experience, and some members had years of color guard experience. Our goal is always to include any person who wants to be part of the group, has an interest in marching band, and is willing to learn quickly and work hard.

Early Decision Scholarship: This year, the University of Minnesota Marching Band is offering a scholarship for first-year students who submit their audition video prior to March 1st, 2026. First-year students will automatically apply for this scholarship if they submit their video prior to March 1st – decisions will be made by March 17th. If you miss the deadline or choose not to submit prior to March 1st, your audition will be due June 12th, 2026.

Every potential member will be required to audition to be a member of the 2026 Guard. The preferred method to audition is to submit a video.

1. The audition video should contain the flag work and rifle work (if applicable) shown below.
2. Please submit your YouTube video here. (Tips to upload the video are written below).

You will also need to submit a personal statement answering the following questions: “Why do you want to be a member of the Pride of Minnesota? How have your past experiences prepared you to be part of the band?” The personal statement can be written (max one page) or video-recorded (max two minutes). Please upload your personal statement here at the same time as your video audition.

Videos are due no later than June 12th, 2026.

Following a video audition, one of 2 things will happen:

1. You are accepted into the group – Yeah! And go straight to the Learning portion of the guard camp in August.
2. We need to see more, so we will invite you to the in-person auditions taking place on day 1 of the August camp. If you are unable to submit a video for any reason, or do not feel you have the skills needed to make a video yet (we have had plenty of members who had never done guard before joining our group!), then you will be required to do in-person auditions on day 1 of our August camp. If possible, here’s what video auditions should contain:

Flag Work

• 32 counts of drop spins (or whatever basic spin you know)
• 32 counts of stirs (or cones/grinders/hour glass)
• 32 counts of traps (or cracker jacks/cranks/pull-hits)
• 32 counts of tosses (both regular and lateral/angled)
• 32-64 count combination (something from an old show or something you made up)

Rifle Work (if applicable) 

• 32 counts of right spins
• 32 counts of left spins
• 32 counts of double tosses
• 32 counts of triples
• 32-64 counts of a combination

VETS ONLY - Rouser Coda

Check out our YouTube channel for an example of the fundamentals listed above.

Submitting the Video

1. Create a YouTube account (if you have Gmail, you automatically have one)
2. Click the Upload button in the top right corner
3. It will take you to the Upload page.
   A little box will appear with the word Public. Click on the little triangle and click Unlisted (this way, only people with the link will be able to see your video).
4. Either drag the video, or select the file of your video to upload.
5. Make sure to title your video “[Your name] Color Guard Audition”, and in the description, put your name, hometown, and years of color guard experience.
6. Copy and paste the link to your YouTube video (it will give you the link once your video is uploaded), and submit it via the Color Guard Audition Submission form.
7. If you have any questions about uploading the video, send an email.

This information is subject to change.

The rough outline of camp is listed below, but additional, more detailed, info will be sent out closer to camp. Camp will be held Thursday, August 6th, through Sunday, August 9th, at Huntington Bank Stadium, a few weeks before the whole band begins Spat Camp. During the four days of auditions, members will learn school songs, the flag, and body warm-ups, and other standard performance work. On-campus housing is available if needed.

Day 1

• Morning session: Incoming rookies who were unable to submit a video must attend. All rookies are welcome.
  • Learning basics
• Afternoon session: Rookies who were accepted based on a video join.
  • Continue to review basics and learn a small combination that the vets already know
• Evening Session: Vets who did not submit a video need to attend 
  • Small group auditions. Rookies will do the basics and the short combo in a small group.
  • Vets will do basics and the Rouser in a small group.

Day 2 - 4

Learning! All vets join starting today, and Season 135 is underway.

Things we’ll be learning include:

• The 5 school songs.
• Our Warm-Up Routine
• 1 or more 32-count combinations
• Rifle (for those that would like to)
• Some recurring combos we do every year
• Depending on how things go, there is a chance we could end early on the 4th day, but for now, please plan on being there for the full 4 days of learning.

All auditioners (returning and new members) are expected to attend these auditions for the entire time. Please contact an instructor if you have extenuating circumstances. Late auditions (after August 6th-9th) may impact a student’s ability to perform in the first part of the season.

Once you have been notified, you are invited to guard camp and auditions, you will receive more specific information about these auditions. Until then, any questions can be sent to anyone listed under the leadership team.

Former members of our team have made how-to videos for all of our basics and we encourage you to check them out while completing your audition video!

Flag Work

• Drop and Double Time Spins
• Stirs (cones/grinders/hour glass) 
• Traps (cracker jacks/cranks/pull-hits)
• Tosses (both regular and lateral/angled)

Rifle Work (if applicable)

• Spins
• Doubles
• Triples

Leadership Team

You may contact the leadership with any questions you have about the guard or the audition process.

Cristina Machado, [email protected] (Team Lead)

Kelly Koski, [email protected] (Instructor)

Syressa Lewis, [email protected] (Assistant Instructor)

Uniform and Equipment Info

Below are the extra expenses we have on the team. All purchases are one-time purchases, unless you would like multiple pairs of anything.

Uniforms

• Shoes (range from lower quality to higher): The cost ranges from $45 up to $82, depending on the style

• Pants: About $25-$30 

Equipment

• Flag: Six-foot aluminum poles, 1/2″ by 2″ carriage bolt at each end of the pole

• Rifle: 39″ DSI rifle

Can I use my own equipment? 

Only for rifle practice, as long as you have a 39” rifle. All other equipment will be university-owned.

Can I wear practice gloves? 

Yes, nude fingerless gloves are acceptable.

Can I use my own jazz shoes? 

If they meet our criteria (black, split sole), then yes. Must get approved by Kelly.