Stay tuned!!
We plan to have a Spin in the Park in June 2023.
Check back closer to April for more information!
See you there!
Quick Little Update: 6/15/22
Hello All!
Spin in the Park is THIS WEEKEND! Whew! I don't know about you, but this summer hit the ground running for me! I am excited to make new friends and spin with some besties! I hope you are planning to come and bring friends! Please, please, please- Do not stress about the choreography. Legit- We can just have a fun time and spin. Feel free to come for as long or as little as you would like. Hang out, or just spin for a bit, Just whatever you'd like to do! This is a celebration of summer and networking event above all. It's never too late to bring friends!
Please let me know if you have any questions! I hope to see you soon!
-Matt
Just in case you need a quick reference-
Schedule:
Google Map to Shelter
Spin in the Park is THIS WEEKEND! Whew! I don't know about you, but this summer hit the ground running for me! I am excited to make new friends and spin with some besties! I hope you are planning to come and bring friends! Please, please, please- Do not stress about the choreography. Legit- We can just have a fun time and spin. Feel free to come for as long or as little as you would like. Hang out, or just spin for a bit, Just whatever you'd like to do! This is a celebration of summer and networking event above all. It's never too late to bring friends!
Please let me know if you have any questions! I hope to see you soon!
-Matt
Just in case you need a quick reference-
Schedule:
- 2pm to 4pm Free Spin & Practice, Hang out and Tricks.
- 4pm-ish to 5pm-ish: Sectional Practice, informal. If you would like to be in the final little production, please plan to attend the sectional just in case.
- About 6pm: A little show for our Friends and Family
- After Showcase to 8pm: Visit, keep spinning, enjoy nature and clean up until Shelter Reservation ends at 8pm
- Water!! It's going to be hot! Please plan to bring water! Some friends have expressed they would be bringing some also, but you just never know. Please stay hydrated on a nice summer afternoon!
- Equipment- Flag, Rifle, Sabre, ect…. I am most worried about having enough flags because (usually) folks have their own rifles/sabers. If you are able to bring your own equipment, please do. We will try to have some extras. If you have some extra equipment you can bring to share, I bet someone would appreciate borrowing it!
- Chairs, blankets, Sun Screen, ect. Our shelter house has a shelter and many trees, picnic tables, but feel free to bring things to sit by the spinning and be in the weather!
- Snacks or a Picnic!! Oh Gosh! We (or at lease me...) love snacks! Perhaps plan for a little picnic for yourself, or your friends or family. We will not have anything formal for food, but If you would like to bring snacks to share, please do!!! If you plan on staying 2-8pm, you will probably *need* a little food to keep you healthy in the summer sun!
Google Map to Shelter
I am inviting friends to come join me as I spin in the park!
I have been in the Wonderful World of Color/Winter Guard over half my life. I have met life long friends, found a way to keep my body active and learned some unique life skills for both guard and the ‘real world’.
As I moved into coaching, I was also still a performer. I was lucky to have a coach who supported me, shared their knowledge and friendships with me. My network of guard friends was very robust. We would spin in parking lots, back yards, at graduation parties and wherever we felt the fancy. Once in a Taco Bell Parking lot! We taught each other tricks, helped each other coach and support(ed) each other in life.
As I got older, spinning together wasn't as easy. Life Happens. Some of those friends moved in and out of the guard world. Some moved into other coaching roles, like myself. It became harder and harder to connect with others to spin with them. To this day I enjoy sharing conversations with former teammates, students and colleagues.
I stayed close to some coaches and enjoyed mini-reunions at each festival weekend or visiting at auditions and such. I watched our Coach-Friendships trickle down to our students.Over the last couple years I have worked to rebuild my network of guard friends. I found many other coaches feel the way I do. We joke about a ‘coach routine’ or meeting together but sometimes life just gets busy. This past year I was elated to make new friends across the color guard community. I hope to share our friendships with other coaches and performers from across the city and to encourage building new ones!
As I moved into coaching, I was also still a performer. I was lucky to have a coach who supported me, shared their knowledge and friendships with me. My network of guard friends was very robust. We would spin in parking lots, back yards, at graduation parties and wherever we felt the fancy. Once in a Taco Bell Parking lot! We taught each other tricks, helped each other coach and support(ed) each other in life.
As I got older, spinning together wasn't as easy. Life Happens. Some of those friends moved in and out of the guard world. Some moved into other coaching roles, like myself. It became harder and harder to connect with others to spin with them. To this day I enjoy sharing conversations with former teammates, students and colleagues.
I stayed close to some coaches and enjoyed mini-reunions at each festival weekend or visiting at auditions and such. I watched our Coach-Friendships trickle down to our students.Over the last couple years I have worked to rebuild my network of guard friends. I found many other coaches feel the way I do. We joke about a ‘coach routine’ or meeting together but sometimes life just gets busy. This past year I was elated to make new friends across the color guard community. I hope to share our friendships with other coaches and performers from across the city and to encourage building new ones!
In an effort to build the Color Guard Community in Kansas City, I present to you: Spin in the Park 2022!
What: Guard in the Park!
On or before June 1 (hopefully before, but you know we are all busy) we will post videos tutorials of choreography to learn. We encourage you to learn the work ahead of time and bring your knowledge with you on June 18th. We will come together to share tricks, spin together and showcase our Color Guard Skills for friends in attendance as well as a video to share on social media. (A more detailed schedule below) If you would rather not learn any chero, that's ok! Come watch and have a good time with friends, that ok too!
T-Shirts!!! I am working with a local company to get T-shirts for this day!! Click here to Order T-Shirts and Tank Tops
On or before June 1 (hopefully before, but you know we are all busy) we will post videos tutorials of choreography to learn. We encourage you to learn the work ahead of time and bring your knowledge with you on June 18th. We will come together to share tricks, spin together and showcase our Color Guard Skills for friends in attendance as well as a video to share on social media. (A more detailed schedule below) If you would rather not learn any chero, that's ok! Come watch and have a good time with friends, that ok too!
T-Shirts!!! I am working with a local company to get T-shirts for this day!! Click here to Order T-Shirts and Tank Tops
To network, collaborate or to find others who might be interested in learning the choreography videos together, check out the facebook group and event!
Group: www.facebook.com/groups/spininthepark
FB Event:https://fb.me/e/1EukxOYMV
Signing up isn't required, but it will help us know how many are expected!
Sign up here!
Group: www.facebook.com/groups/spininthepark
FB Event:https://fb.me/e/1EukxOYMV
Signing up isn't required, but it will help us know how many are expected!
Sign up here!
When: June 18, 2022
2pm to 4pm Free Spin & Practice
Where: Longview Lake Shelter #3
It sits just behind Longview Community College and the baseball fields. If you type “Longview Shelter 3, I had no problems finding it. It’s the first one on the right once you turn on County Park Rd. I hope to have some kind of sign. Parking is limited.
Who: Color Guard Folks! This is geared to adults.
This fun day is geared to adults however we welcome all the Color Guard People! We welcome folks of all shapes and sizes, of all skill sets and walks of life. New to color guard or been doing this for a while. (Choreography will be written at an intermediate skill level.) This is a friendly event, and it is expected that everyone acts accordingly. There will probably be plenty of ‘coaches’ there that day however they are there for fun too and will not be supervising others. This event is not organized by a school, group or organization. It is a community of past/present color guard performers and their supporters. Persons attending are responsible for themselves and their own actions. Keep in mind there will be flying objects! Due to safety, if you do happen to bring children- Children must stay near their adults.
What to bring:
Water!!
2pm to 4pm Free Spin & Practice
- If you would like to bring flags, rifles, sabres, batons, airblades, whatever to spin! Think of tricks or cool things to share with others. Perhaps find a new friend and teach them your favorite flag feature! Mine is Synchronicity 2009!
- At about 4pm we will break into sections and review/clean the video choreography in sections. Flags in one area & Rifles/Sabres in another. We will prepare for our little showcase! If you would like to be in the final little production, please plan to attend the sectionals.
- We will come together and toss our stuff! Flags will go, Rifle/Sabres will go, then we will orchestrate it together! (or however it's going to go) We hope to have some nice videos to post to youtube/facebook! Don’t plan on a “formal performance thing”, just fun!
Where: Longview Lake Shelter #3
It sits just behind Longview Community College and the baseball fields. If you type “Longview Shelter 3, I had no problems finding it. It’s the first one on the right once you turn on County Park Rd. I hope to have some kind of sign. Parking is limited.
Who: Color Guard Folks! This is geared to adults.
This fun day is geared to adults however we welcome all the Color Guard People! We welcome folks of all shapes and sizes, of all skill sets and walks of life. New to color guard or been doing this for a while. (Choreography will be written at an intermediate skill level.) This is a friendly event, and it is expected that everyone acts accordingly. There will probably be plenty of ‘coaches’ there that day however they are there for fun too and will not be supervising others. This event is not organized by a school, group or organization. It is a community of past/present color guard performers and their supporters. Persons attending are responsible for themselves and their own actions. Keep in mind there will be flying objects! Due to safety, if you do happen to bring children- Children must stay near their adults.
What to bring:
Water!!
- Please bring water to stay hydrated on a nice summer afternoon! Keep in mind our park shelter does not have water or electricity.
- Flag, Rifle, Sabre, ect….If you are able to bring your own equipment, please do. We will try to have some extras. If you have some extra equipment you can bring to share, I bet someone would appreciate borrowing it!
- Our shelter house has picnic tables, but feel free to bring things to sit by the spinning and be in the weather!
- Oh Gosh! We love snacks! Perhaps plan for a little picnic for yourself, or your friends or family. We will not have anything formal for food, but If you would like to bring snacks to share, please do!!! If you plan on staying 2-8pm, you will probably need a little food to keep you healthy in the summer sun!
Want to help?
Here are some things that would be helpful. Keep in mind our park shelter does not have water or electricity.
Other things may come up. |
If you are interested in helping with something or have ideas...
send me an email. [email protected]
*This event is not organized by a school, group or organization. It is a community of past/present color guard performers and their supporters.