Adding Color to the Power and Class

Assistant Band Director & Visual Coordinator for the UMass Minuteman Marching Band Color Guard (UMMBCG) Christine Sirard ’90 dazzles UMass fans through methodical movement.

As band members wow the crowds at halftime shows with their high-energy music, Sirard says the color guard expertly weaves through the musicians to enhance the visual experience.

“Just like the Rockettes in New York City, color guard shines through its synchronicity,” she says. “We have a scripted vocabulary that translates to a beautiful performance for the eyes.”

Since the age of eleven, the communications major has invested most of her life to the color guard art form. From participant to captain to UMMBCG director, Sirard has observed one notable change in the craft.

“Over the past two decades, the color guard art form has continued to incorporate more dancing into its routines,” she notes. “We still interpret music through maneuvering pieces of equipment, but there are more prominent dance elements than ever before.”

Handling UMMBCG equipment is no simple feat. Six-foot-tall, weighted metal poles with draping silk flags; wooden rifles and full-size sabers are regularly incorporated into routines while members practice intricate footwork.

“Our equipment has weight to it and requires focus to master,” Sirard explains. “We throw two-and-a-half pound rifles into the air while dancing. Some of our flags are built with slender poles and large, billowing silks to show as much color as possible. It truly is a skill to manipulate equipment accurately in unison.”

Each season, one of Sirard’s biggest challenges is crafting new and innovative routines that stand out from previous years. Through careful research, she looks for creative inspiration in both artistic and historical contexts.

“After UMMB Director Tim Anderson and Assistant Director Thom Hannum hone their vision for the season, I decide what equipment I want to use and the direction I want to take,” she says. “I like to examine the pieces we are performing and incorporate each song’s story as a unique undertone to my routine.”

In this year’s upcoming season, for example, Sirard notes the band will be performing Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland. “This piece was originally called Ballet for Martha because it was written for choreographer Martha Graham,” Sirard remarks. “Knowing this, I researched some of Graham’s signature ballet movements that I could then extract and pay homage to in my routine. There are always nuances like that in each of our performances.”

These small touches are Sirard’s trademark and are instrumental in her plan to continue to raise the caliber of UMMBCG shows. As the art form continues to become more competitive in nature, Sirard hopes to see an increase in the number of opportunities to perform outside of football season.

“Currently, we do not have an indoor guard but it is in my long-range plan to start one,” she notes. “There are over forty colleges and universities who have indoor competitive programs right now and there is a growing circuit in Massachusetts and Connecticut.”

Sirard also plans to increase the number of opportunities for UMMBCG members to teach the skill to others, a service she says that will help keep the art form thriving in the state.

“There aren’t as many color guards as there were ten or fifteen years ago, so I often get inquiries from band directors asking for teaching help,” she explains. Part of my teaching method is not only instructing UMMBCG members on how to perform, but also guiding them on how to teach the art to others. That’s a great tool to have when looking for jobs, and I’m not sure any other school is doing it.”

Though being a member of the color guard does require a high level of commitment, Sirard insists that anyone who wants to join is welcome.

“Band and color guard are for everyone at UMass,” she says. “If someone doesn’t have a lot of experience, they may share a spot while they learn, but this is an art form that anyone can learn. We want members to build friendships, laugh and enjoy themselves. That’s what we all remember from our experiences with UMMB.”

Be sure to see the UMass Minuteman Marching Band Color Guard perform at all home football games. View the schedule and purchase your tickets today!

By Samm Smith ’08

Christine is searching for UMMB alumni willing to share their stories and memories surrounding band, George N. Parks and Old Chapel as part of an audio history project to be housed in the W.E.B. Du Bois Archives Collection. Christine welcomes you to contact her if you would like to participate.