Delazure sparkles
UD’s indoor color guard has outstanding competition
2:05 p.m., April 20, 2011--Delazure, the University of Delaware Marching Band’s highly competitive indoor color guard team, recently competed at the Winter Guard International (WGI) competition in Dayton, Ohio. The team came home with the highest finish in its 15-year existence after placing fifth out of a total of 52 teams.
The event started on Thursday, April 7, with the preliminary rounds, and culminated on Friday, April 8, with the semifinals in the morning and the finals in the evening.
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On Thursday, Delazure placed second in its round, which advanced the team to the semifinals. The semifinals were divided into four divisions and Delazure captured the Zingali Division to advance to the Independent A Class finals.
UD has been sending teams to the WGI championships for the past 15 seasons. Throughout the years the team has made it as far as the semifinals. The 2010 team finished 17th overall, which was the highest ever until this season’s fifth place spot.
Sarah McAdams, the color guard director, said, “The top 5 simply solidifies Delazure’s place as one of the elite Independent A Class color guards.”
Senior guard captain Karen Caddy could not agree more. “Delazure provides me with a home away from home and this season was a wonderful way for me to end,” she said.
Delazure, which was started in 1996, was first called the University of Delaware Performance Ensemble then transitioned to the Visual Arts Production Company, then just Visual Arts. That name finally evolved into Delazure.
The name was created after weeks of brainstorming for a new identity. By combining part of the University's name (Del) with a blue color (azure), Delazure was born.
There are 14 Delazure members ranging from freshmen to seniors. Each year the team spends many months in preparation for the WGI championships. “Their dedication to the team truly creates a family atmosphere and it is that group strength and determination that has led to their success,” said McAdams of the team.
Training for this year’s season began back in October with weekly dance classes. Shortly after, in mid-November, the design team began writing and choreographing the show, then the team began regular rehearsals, which were held every Friday and Saturday in the Roselle Center for the Arts.
In addition to national tournaments, Delazure competes locally in the Tournament Indoor Association (TIA) as an Independent Class A guard as well as in WGI regional competitions. This year the team traveled to the Pittsburgh, South Brunswick, and Eastern regional tournaments and finished first, second and third respectively in their division.
Heidi Sarver, director of the University of Delaware Marching Band, said she is proud of Delazure’s recent successes and the joy that it has brought to the entire marching band community. “It is my goal to provide as many positive life experiences through performance opportunities as I can,” Sarver said. “To risk and to achieve a new level of understanding through commitment, dedication and perseverance is a lesson worth learning."
For more information regarding Delazure, visit the color guard website. A video of Delazure can be found at the site.
Article by Greta Gibboney