The Clarion Call report
Clarion University
The Clarion University Indoor Majorettes and Color Guard are a recognized student organization (R.S.O). It was founded in 2014 by Katrina Renee Seaburn and runs continuously through the present in her honor. She created it out of her love for being a majorette; she started the process and found the girls to support this organization. There are currently 27 indoor guard members and 4 majorette members. They are always looking for new members to build their group. Ideally, the Color Guard would like to have a group of 35, and Majorettes would like a group of about 12. The current president, Ashley Schultz, hopes to become a recognized university organization (R.U.O) within the next year which would help with funding and recognition. There is also an entire E-Board and captains for each section. Captain for the Color Guard is Brandi Mulligan, and captain for the Majorettes is Chastidy Gilbert.
The group started off being mostly Majorettes, and the ratio has flipped to being mostly Color Guard; they are striving to maintain the balance. Practices start two weeks after the normal band season but before winter break. Competition season starts in the spring semester.
Competitions vary by region based off of where the group is from. During the competition, it is divided into age groups, experience levels and the size of your group; it all plays a part in deciding who competes against who. Auditions for this group are not currently taking place.
Students can join and sign contracts to be a part of this group. However, this may change in coming years. There are no dues to pay unless a member were to terminate their contract, then there is a $35 fee. Experience is not necessary, but it is always looked at and considered when thinking about the group.
“Skills can be taught but commitment has to be shown up with,” said Mulligan.
Indoor Guard and Indoor Majorettes both preform in the spring at the Relay for Life event held on campus every year. Throughout the year, they are focused on bringing in new members and showing off what they can do in order to get their name out. Every spring they have a twirl and spin camp held in honor of their founder, Seaburn. This event is held for community members and locals to come see the Indoor Guard and Majorettes. It can also help incoming freshmen or current students learn what they can do in guard or practice their talent.
Every year, both groups’ sections have a picked theme. In past years, the Indoor Guard has done Panic at the Disco and “La La Land”; this year the theme is “The Greatest Showman”. The Majorette section has done a 2017 Mashup and “Beauty and the Beast”; this year they will do Rag Time Jazz.
“I never knew Katrina, but I know she was an amazing twirler,” Gilbert said. “I connected with her and what she did, and I want to do that for other people. I want to push people to do the things they don’t think they can do themselves.”
Mulligan reflects on her experience thus far with Color Guard, saying, “I’ve had so much passion for guard, even since I was younger. Coming into a family that all has a passion for this is incredible. This group has encouraged my leadership capabilities, and I want to do everything I can to better us and to make us a more socially recognized group.”
“I’m a very determined and ambitious person; I saw that this group needed help, and that’s what I wanted to throw myself into,” said Schultz on her role as president. “I want to make this group strong and connected. I want to make us as great as we can so that one day we succeed more than ever.”
This group meets every other Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in 213 Marwick Boyd. The next meeting is on Oct. 24. Anyone who is interested can come to the meetings to talk to Schultz, Mulligan, Gilbert or the E-Board.
