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The 2025 WGI World Class Colorguard Performers Recap
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We’re wrapping up the WGI 2025 Color Guard season with three incredible returning guests who just took the floor by storm in Dayton:
🌟 Jacob Allison – performer with crowd-favorite AMP Winter Guard, who brought the club vibes all season long and left their mark as one of the most entertaining fan-favorite shows of the year.
🌟 Colby Tapp – from Etude Winter Guard, sharing insight into their emotionally moving production Wild Geese and what it felt like to fully settle into his second season in World Class.
🌟 Andrew SeeBaran – gold medalist with Pride of Cincinnati, reflecting on their stunning, intimate floor design and what it meant to lead such a deeply connected cast.
🏆 Hear how each of them tackled personal performance goals, navigated the emotional high of WGI Finals, and what advice they have for aspiring World Class performers. We dig into performance anxiety, disco ball mishaps, UD Arena goose sightings, and the power of trust, timing, and teamwork.
🎧 Plus:
• Why Etude’s poetic staging made such an impact
• The hidden storyline behind AMP’s nightlife-themed journey
• How Pride’s 65x65 circle pushed boundaries and forced focus
• The emotional toll (and ibuprofen count) of being a seasoned vet
• Why we need a Fan Favorite Award back – officially
• Who’s retiring, who’s still hungry, and what they all wish they knew before starting
🎤 HOSTED BY:
Nicole Younger (@thatsingerguardgirl)
Alicia Sharp (@aliciasharptoo)
Trish O’Shea (@trishoshea.design)
👑 GUEST PERFORMERS:
Jacob Allison (@jacoballizon97) – AMP Winter Guard (@ampwinterguard)
Andrew SeeBaran (@iandrewmark) – Pride of Cincinnati (@prideofcincinnati)
Colby Tapp (@c0lbytapp) – Etude Winter Guard (@etudewinterguard)
📸 Don’t forget to check out all the content from WGI 2025 on our Instagram @onawaterbreak and subscribe to the YouTube channel for even more behind-the-scenes and bonus footage:
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@onawaterbreak
🌐 Website: https://www.guardcloset.com/on-a-water-break
📧 Want to be on the podcast? Fill out the guest form in our link in bio or email us at onawaterbreakpodcast@gmail.com
💬 TAGS:
#OnAWaterBreak #WGI2025 #ColorGuard #WinterGuard #Etude #AMPWinterGuard #PrideOfCincinnati #WGIWorldClass #GuardLife #MarchingArts #FanFavorite #SpillTheTea #WGIRecap #UDArena #ColorGuardGoals #MarchingArtsPodcast
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Transcript
Introduction to 'On a Water Break'
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to On a Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break.
Recap of WGI Color Guard Week
00:00:08
Speaker
This week we're recapping WGI Color Guard Week.
00:00:11
Speaker
We'll also find out what made Trish say. Some of them were saying like, oh my god, I see this so differently now, I see this activity so differently now, and why Alicia said... Good for you.
00:00:23
Speaker
i mean, i always forget these sound effects, but like...
00:00:29
Speaker
it's All this and more on this week's episode of On a Water Break.
00:00:36
Speaker
Adolph the Met and go. Welcome to On a Water Break.
00:00:48
Speaker
Everyone, sing it. It's time for a water break.
00:00:53
Speaker
everyone, it's Nicole and this is our WGI Color Guard recap interview. If you haven't checked out the On a Water Break Instagram for all the fun content we have from WGI but Worlds, then what are you doing?
00:01:05
Speaker
Go check that out. Before we see who's on the sidelines, subscribe, hit the notifications button um on your favorite listening app, write us a review and share this with a friend. So if you have a question or a good topic you want to talk about, email us at onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com or find us on social media.
00:01:24
Speaker
You can DM us if you have a question about the show, and we even have a form you can fill out if you want to be a guest on the show. We love hearing from people about our podcast, so check it out.
00:01:34
Speaker
Our link is in the bio on all of our social media. So let's see who is on the sidelines for this recap. Trish, how are you? Hey, hey, how's it going? Good, good.
00:01:46
Speaker
i know you and your school had a good time at WGI, yeah? We did. We really did. They had a great run. When we first got to the, ah we took them to the arena first Wednesday. So the director and I could check the band or and I check in and they would look, try to peek through the window and they were like, it's the YouTube arena because they'd only ever seen it on YouTube.
00:02:07
Speaker
So that made me a little emotional, but the whole thing, whole experience, I honestly feel like from the time we left the practice site to the time we came off the floor, it's almost like it never happened in a good way.
00:02:22
Speaker
Yeah, it goes by so quick. It does. Wow. And Alicia, hello. Hey. She was with us in the content house. How are you now? they Barely recovered.
00:02:37
Speaker
I'm feeling a little bit like myself today, and I'm turning around and going back to Dayton in just a minute. so Just a minute. Yeah. Well, great. Well, hey, you know what? If there's no better way to get the full experience than going to both weekends, I did it for years and decided, well, no, I'm not anymore. So have fun. I'm pumped. This year was year 19 of WGI Killer Guard for me, and I have never been to percussion. So I'm really looking forward to it.
00:03:07
Speaker
Whole new beast. Yeah. All right. So we're excited to welcome back some familiar faces that we have for this recap. And you might remember the preview episode that we did a while back. Well, guess what, y'all? We have all three of those awesome performers back to talk about their seasons.
Interview with Colby, Jacob, and Andrew
00:03:23
Speaker
Please welcome Colby from Etude, Jacob from AMP, and Andrew from Pride of Cincinnati. How are you all? Great. Going great. Still recovering.
00:03:34
Speaker
Yeah. Very tired. Yes. And deservably so. Deservably We are super excited to hear about all of your, all about your seasons and then some of the questions about your seasons and your thoughts on last week.
00:03:49
Speaker
We already got your 32 count live story, so you don't have to put you through that again. But instead of doing that, we will revisit some of what you said last time. And those, you know, the describe your season in three words.
00:04:01
Speaker
We'll go back to that and see how everything went. So, Jacob, you said, i love this. It's like you said and they said, we're just spilling tea over here. But anyway, Jacob, you, thank you. We work hard.
00:04:16
Speaker
And in the club, we all fam. I believe you.
00:04:24
Speaker
Colby, it's so etude. You could not be more right. I'm sorry, i'm gonna I'm just gonna react, because that's how I am. And oh, Andrew, okay, so this is so esoteric of you, because you said exploring space, or lack thereof.
00:04:42
Speaker
What? Wait. Or lack thereof, because yes. Yeah, so if we could go into that just a little... Well, I mean, honestly, I'll just...
00:04:55
Speaker
Very much so you all did or you all said what they really were. But like, I guess go into a little bit more that like, ah we'll, we can start with Colby because you said it's so etude.
00:05:08
Speaker
Or sorry, i did it again. You can just tell people that I, yeah, whatever. um
00:05:16
Speaker
i was like, my boy um you said it's so etude. yeah. Tell me why you thought that and then I think that we'll all chime in because we've been watching for years. So yeah.
Etude's 'Wild Geese' Performance Style
00:05:28
Speaker
Well, like you said, if you've been watching Etude for years, then you know style is very much take something pretty and make it come to life and put it on the floor. And I think taking a beautiful poem like Wild Geese and then literally and visualizing it with all of the lines on the floor and the prop that was representative of the period at the end of the line.
00:05:48
Speaker
I think it's just very fitting to etude style of just beauty and grace and art coming to life. and You're absolutely right. I will say there is that show was very much. Remember when I told you guys that you all were very much the vibe of your guard?
00:06:07
Speaker
yeah What you said about each guard was very much that way. It was very much the vibe of the guard. like The show that I watched Etude was very much an Etude. You stayed within like the identity yeah of Etude.
00:06:24
Speaker
For sure. Really liked that. I will say your explanation, Colby, just made so many things click for me because I saw the show multiple times, but connecting the poem with the period for me, I just, I never got there in my head. And for me, usually when I watch Etude, I'm just like, oh, Etude, they're so pretty. I love them.
00:06:43
Speaker
And thank you for that because now I'm like, oh, I'm dumb.
00:06:50
Speaker
But it was, it was gorgeous. Thank you. My kids were really, really upset because we did this for the first time. So when we planned this and I was super desperate to go, so I probably would have agreed to anything.
00:07:02
Speaker
So I said, all right, there's really no financial reason for us to be there Saturday. Another night in the hotel and the ticket, the food and everything else. So we're going leave Friday night.
00:07:13
Speaker
And so our prelim performance in Kentucky was at six somethings. So we literally got off the floor, ran back to the arena and watched the last block. So we saw you, Andrew, in pride.
00:07:26
Speaker
We saw you, Jacob, in app, but we didn't get to see Etude. And then when we didn't advance, we went Friday until our flight left. We left the arena right after app because that's how it worked out time-wise.
00:07:38
Speaker
And they were like, we're leaving? We're not going to see Etude? they were bummed about that. As was I. as as a Well, it's on YouTube. We're going to catch it.
00:07:53
Speaker
In the YouTube arena. yeah yep right i was to say, I really want to hear Jacob talk us through and Amp's show. It was very much like we had three different songs in the club, right?
00:08:10
Speaker
But i just I want to hear that journey for you.
AMP's Club Night Show
00:08:14
Speaker
It basically is just the timeline of going to the club. Like at the beginning, it's just us waiting to get in the club. Like Latrice is like, there is no guest list. Like everyone's invited.
00:08:26
Speaker
Starts out as a big party and then turns into turn the beat around, some more dancing. And then it kind of turns into like, a oh, who am I going to take home tonight? Which is kind of like the ballad, which is, oh God, what was that song called?
00:08:40
Speaker
I believe it's actually called No More Tears, I believe. No more to do it between Donna Summer Barbra Streisand. I'm aging myself here, but whatever. I'm just like, oh, who's going to take me home? Like, is there like someone real out there? Whatever. And then goes into it's raining. Uh-oh.
00:09:01
Speaker
Sorry, my laptop just came unplugged. It turns into reigning men like, oh, maybe I have all these options. And then um that's kind of like the flirty part of the show.
00:09:14
Speaker
And then the last dance like, oh, my last dance to show what I really got and then go home. once the lights come up. And apparently one of the judges had commented that they're like, oh, that's really smart. The gold lame, that's like the sun coming up and like, it's the end of club day.
00:09:32
Speaker
And we were all like, wow. Yeah. That's how we planned it. Totally. The only thing that I mean, honestly, like there was lots of giggles between all of your shows.
00:09:46
Speaker
That's what I do. I like get to the point where I'm just, you know, I stopped clapping and I just giggle and hoot and holler because just have good time. It's adorable. And it's true. It's like a child on Christmas Day.
00:09:58
Speaker
And um there was a point, though, I was just like watching your show and I'm like, y'all need to stop. I was starting to like draw here for you. It was too much. I was just like and then when you were done, everybody just jumps up and starts like waving. I'm like best shape of your life.
00:10:15
Speaker
No. yeah Yeah. I couldn't even be on your flag line, your B flag line. If you have whatever, C flag line. No, no. I had so much fun watching it. I was just like, I need water because they just made me tired.
00:10:30
Speaker
Yeah. i definitely touched every corner of that floor. so No. Probably twice. Jacob, I'm really fortunate. and My guard is really fortunate that we compete main because we get to cheer you guys on again on Sunday.
00:10:44
Speaker
And they're SA1, so they'll be out on awards with you. They're super excited about that. How do you guys feel about that? Do you feel like you know you should have left it in dayton are you excited to do it one more time it's kind of like i like doing it just because like obviously it's a great moment for like the local guard community to promote that like be able to do that one more time for the community Obviously, kind of having to go back after dating, your body's like, oh my God, you're still doing this.
00:11:19
Speaker
But it's just a really nice way to ah end the season like a non-stressful way. I talked to somebody last night from another group that usually does main champs but decided this year not to. And in the beginning year, they were like, yeah, we just decided we're going end it in a day.
00:11:36
Speaker
And I spoke to them last night and I was like, so do you still guys think you made the right decision? They're like, eh. so You know, it's kind of something we've always toyed with here and something we've kind of always struggled with here. So I'm really excited to hear that, like, you really want to do it one more time because I know the main circuit's going to be jumping up.
00:11:55
Speaker
Andrew, what was your dating experience like?
Pride of Cincinnati's Performance Challenges
00:11:59
Speaker
I can't even imagine what you guys felt like when you hit that flag feature. Like, I cannot even imagine what that felt like.
00:12:07
Speaker
It was... crazy. I mean, I know our flag feature is really short. so I was like, you've got to lock in for these eight counts. But that was really what I was focusing on. And then just how can truly just like embrace what the show is about and finding connection through the floor with the people around me who I love so much. And then what can I convey to the audience and find connection there?
00:12:30
Speaker
So it was really just like in those eight counts, it was really brief, but in my brain, when I'm remembering it, it was like an eternity of just like finding connection and pressing that energy out to the audience, like all my friends who I know who are watching. So it was a really great time.
00:12:46
Speaker
Was that your, like, if you needed to explain your concept to like somebody's grandmother, you know, exploring space or or making those connections, is that what your show was about?
00:12:56
Speaker
Yeah. I think from like a topical view, like we're doing our show in a 65 by 65 circle. So like there's a proximity thing that makes it really interesting and everything has to be in the walls because everything is so close. You see the entire show from that first glance, nothing is hidden or not in view.
00:13:16
Speaker
So there's that pressure just of excellence that Pride is known for. But like, as we've gotten further into the season, really diving into the lyrics of the song, just how can you be present? How can you make the most of your life and the most of everything that you do? And what we found is like that is through connection with other people and being awake and being present through your life. So that was really like as the show progressed, it was like, oh, it's not so much what we're doing.
00:13:44
Speaker
It's why we're doing it and the motives behind everything that we do. Like that was really the treasure and the message of the show, at least from my takeaway. So I never saw your show until WGI.
00:13:56
Speaker
And I didn't want to see anyone's show until WGI because spoilers, I don't like them. I want to see it like right on. I felt like Pride was literally a masterclass and like your whole show was like a density study.
00:14:12
Speaker
don't know if y'all know that. I'm pretty sure you do. But also like... how spot on you have to be because like two steps to the left and that's someone else's dot two steps to the right. And that's someone else's dot.
00:14:27
Speaker
If it doesn't come straight down, guess what? It's coming straight down with someone else's equipment. Like there's so much trust that needs to go in with that. And just like you said, like how present can you be? And it's just like, yeah, you have to be present, but you like you have to make, you have have enough trust in the person standing on either side of you.
00:14:45
Speaker
that they're present as well. So, wow. Yeah. That touched me. Exactly. And then with a cast as new as we are, think we had maybe, I don't have a number, but I think it was eight returning vets and the rest of us were new.
00:14:59
Speaker
it was like, how do you have that much and not necessarily new to world-class or color guard, but just to pride, but how do you have that amount of trust for someone, that amount of love for someone crammed into such like a short seven month period. So it was really crazy. Like I'm tossing like nine sevens and they're all like falling right next to me. But I know like without a shadow of doubt, like person A is going to catch theirs, you know?
00:15:24
Speaker
So it was really great to see them. um It's amazing to be able to build that level of trust and cohesiveness in a team in that short amount of time with so few returning vets. I mean, that's really that you said that number that impressed the hell out of me. when ah So there were two members in that guard that I knew of. And I was just like, I don't know anybody on the floor anymore, but Logan and Leticia.
00:15:50
Speaker
And like being able to see them out there on the floor and doing what they're doing. I've known Logan since he was nine. probably even younger than that. So seeing him out on the floor doing anything that's not like one of those little tiny flags, it's just like, oh, look at the baby.
00:16:06
Speaker
so you know, it was great to see it. Also, I do have to say this too. Cody, I mean, Colby, I did not know that you were tall as you were because everyone feet on the floor.
00:16:20
Speaker
And it's really ridiculous because like I met you and I was like, geez, I love the thumbnail for us because I'm just like, oh, yeah I'm like looking up at him and like, I watched the show and I'm like,
00:16:34
Speaker
You don't see... I'm pretty sure... Are you the tallest in the ground? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, on the floor, doesn't look it. Yeah, it's really hard to tell unless, like, the only time that it's, like, really noticeable is when we're in our opening line I'm towering over everyone else. But throughout the rest of the show, it's not very noticeable, which I'm okay with. I don't want to stick out too much. No, it's really...
00:16:58
Speaker
But that also means that all of your other performers are like, all the other people that you perform next to are they're like, I have to lift up and be as tall. Yeah, they're also giants. They're amazing. oh It's very much in etudes style and Brian wins wheelhouse for everything to be very elongated and taking up space. And you see, can talk about this all day long because my best friend and is from the West coast and he does a lot of stuff very tight and close to his body. That's spinny and quick and where I'm,
00:17:29
Speaker
coming from A2, elongated and breathy and reaching. And so it's cool on the floor that really comes across and you blend. I mean, you wouldn't know.
00:17:40
Speaker
Thanks. It's really cool. it's just cool to see like the shortest member of the guard the tallest member of the guard looking the same. Yeah.
00:17:50
Speaker
Let's see. know we have tons of questions, more to ask, but we got to go and pay some bills real quick. So we're going to head off to a commercial um and then we'll be back.
00:18:10
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:19:04
Speaker
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00:19:17
Speaker
Check us out at guardcloset.com or follow us on social media.
00:19:31
Speaker
All right. And we are back. All right. So we did ask some questions before. We'll get to that, ah you know, in a couple of minutes. But right now, i actually want to ask Jacob a question.
00:19:42
Speaker
Okay. So Jacob, AMP did it again this year with a crowd-pleasing fan favorite show. What was your favorite part of the show this year? think you only pick one.
00:19:54
Speaker
Ooh. I think my favorite part was just when in turn the beat around towards the beginning with the dancer saber block where we did our ah illusion just because we worked so much on it. And um I feel like finals was our one of our best times doing it. So it just felt I felt really accomplished after watching the video back.
00:20:21
Speaker
um I felt accomplished for you that I got to witness that. there's so much like Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Like again, giggles, no claps, just giggles.
00:20:33
Speaker
Okay. My question is for Andrew. You mentioned before that you were the second oldest member in pride. How's your body, knees, et cetera, doing? Yes, baby. You okay?
00:20:44
Speaker
Okay. so No, my knees definitely hurt. And I just remember like, was constantly like any opportunity to take an elevator versus the stairs. Like I was standing in line to take a beer. Like the fluid in my knees are finally like dispersing to the rest of my body.
00:21:03
Speaker
No, it was great. I survived. um And I wouldn't change that experience for anything, but my body definitely was like, well, I'm not 21 anymore. I definitely feel this. So.
00:21:14
Speaker
did you keep track of how much ibuprofen you took throughout the season? Cause that would be a number I'd love to know. It was Tylenol PM. Cause I needed to get up my sleep. Yeah. And like yeah there CBD, like bomb.
00:21:29
Speaker
yeah I love it. Y'all kept them in business. Colby, when A2 announced the show, I commented on the announcement and I was like, please say this was inspired by the geese in Dayton. I remember that.
00:21:41
Speaker
They were not big a deal this year as they had been last year, but do you feel like identify with them a little bit more now? or like he Not those. Those are some aggressive geese. They're hostile, aren't they? are. The flow marching video, that was so funny.
00:21:58
Speaker
The one where the geese, like or the goose, like, turned its head right at the beginning? Screamed. Well, they hiss. They hiss at you. Right. I don't know part of that. They're like ah near me. Right.
00:22:10
Speaker
For real.
00:22:13
Speaker
Oh, gosh. Where am I here? Jacob, I'm back to you. We heard there was some drama with the disco balls. So did you buy a pump to blow them up? So, yeah, there was plan in place to put... We had our little, we called them disco sticks, um around the floor, little silver... it was just like disco fabric around some cardboard cylinders.
00:22:40
Speaker
There was a plan to put little disco balls on top of each one of those. We had them at the Power Regional blown up, and they sat in the prop hallway the entire weekend.
00:22:52
Speaker
Yeah. oh Just because between like set up time and like everything going on with the regional, it's just we there was no way to ensure that no disco balls would go rogue because knowing our luck, someone would bump into a disco to stick and balls would go rolling all over the place.
00:23:17
Speaker
So. But yeah, the big, big disco ball in the center of the floor at the end, that was also a big bullet ball just covered in fabric. And there was in fact a pump bought specifically for these disco balls.
00:23:31
Speaker
What you, what was it? ah The more you know.
00:23:36
Speaker
Andrew, show us your medal. Yes, and congratulations.
00:23:43
Speaker
Thank you. Oh my gosh. This is where I need to put the applause in. I promise I don't keep the medal on me. I just read the prompt and know that I needed a to bring it. so I do have it with me.
00:23:56
Speaker
I don't carry it with me though. hope I mean, if I had one, I would carry it with me. Look at that. That's so good. So it says like the year and everything on it, doesn't it?
00:24:08
Speaker
That's cool. It hit me when we were getting ready for the episode that a lot of our listeners or viewers probably have never even seen one. I've never seen one. Fair. So that's so cool. and it just that Is it IW on the back? yeah Yeah. Awesome. I mean, i would wear it 24-7 for like at least the next month.
00:24:28
Speaker
think I'm just going to get it framed or something or nice. ah and none Oh, goodness. So cool. Thank you for sharing that with us. Colby, you told us like last year was your first year of world class, right?
Adapting to World-Class Performances
00:24:43
Speaker
And I remember you mentioning like some of wanting to kind of work out some of that performance anxiety and whatever. And we'll circle back to that because we're going to about it. But what were there things this year that you found more comfortable or things that like,
00:24:59
Speaker
I mean, it wasn't a new experience for you anymore. Did you feel like you kind of settled into your own as a world-class performer this year? Yeah, I definitely do. I think last year was just a lot of new.
00:25:10
Speaker
a lot of new style, a lot of new skills, a lot of new technique. Just getting into etude, learning how we toss and catch is always different at every organization.
00:25:21
Speaker
So it was still, lot of the anxiety came from learning everything all at once and just figuring it all out. at the same time. This year, i think it helped me just because every competition that we went to, we went to last year. There was no new, i think, I'm trying to remember now.
00:25:41
Speaker
I'm pretty sure we went to all the same competitions as last year, this year. So I wasn't in any new venues. And so taking that in with me of like I've performed at this level in this room before helped me a lot um to just know that I've done it before I can do it again and just remember that is probably what helped me most.
00:26:05
Speaker
Yeah. And i it's a really good kind of like transition to talking about, you know, we asked you guys in the first video preseason what goals you had set for yourself. And you said that you really wanted to work on kind of getting over that performance anxiety. And it sounds like it went a lot better this year.
00:26:23
Speaker
It did. Yeah, for sure. It's not gone, but... was going to say, did you still get the shitters? Yes. I think in a way, though, having some of those is a good thing, though. Jacob, you've been performing with AMP for many, many years, right?
00:26:38
Speaker
And do you still get those like performance shitters before you go on? Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I think. I mean, who can stay still when you walk into UD Arena and the place is literally like...
00:26:50
Speaker
It's electric. I can't. Many of you, honestly, like, would just be like, calm down. Yeah. yeah Thank you. When else does that happen though? i I commented, Michael Gaines posted something on Facebook today about and WGI being magical and I had to comment on it. And I was like, I get chills every year because I have to stop for a second and look at that room and think about the amount of creativity and intelligence and like passion that is existing in that small space for those few hours. And it always like,
00:27:24
Speaker
I know. It always like kind of overwhelms me for a minute and I'm like, oh my God, the best minds in our activity are in this room right now. It's so like, so of course i have jitters and I'm not even performing. no I'm drinking and like, you know, having a good time. Yeah.
00:27:41
Speaker
Andrew. Okay. so last time, like when we talked to each other, like Alicia said, ah you had set some personal goals for yourself and you said that you wanted to absorb everyone and appreciate the space that you were in.
00:27:53
Speaker
do you feel like that you got to fall in love with your cast like you wanted to? Oh my gosh, yes. And like a million times more. I talked about it in my little speech that I gave at Banquet.
00:28:04
Speaker
But ended up being something like 52 flights to Indy and back. Like 55,000 miles. And there wouldn't be like a cast or a staff or a show that I would do that for except for this one.
00:28:16
Speaker
And it's just... you just never get that opportunity to be in a space with 36 people and like so much undeniable love and trust for all of them. it was like the cherry on top of an already perfect Sunday. It was perfect.
00:28:30
Speaker
Oh, so good. Your knees. It was worth it. It was worth the like knee surgery. I'm going to have an hour for sure. Yeah.
00:28:39
Speaker
Well, good. I'm glad. I'm so glad for that. So Jacob, Your goal was to have fun and enjoy it with your show. I'm sure did. But you also recently made the very big decision to retire from performing.
00:28:53
Speaker
Can you tell us about that? Yeah, i absolutely had an amazing time this season. It's just the show was fun. I had fun at rehearsal, um getting better. But i think just...
00:29:07
Speaker
Normally after finals, like after I'm done, like as soon as the show is over, I'm like, you know, like sobbing. I'm so happy. Like, oh my God, I can't wait to do this again.
00:29:19
Speaker
and while I was very, very like emotional after this finals, um there was just like a part of me that was just like, you know what? I'm i'm content. Like, It just kind of was just like this like content feeling of like, I'm ready to move on and go to the next level.
00:29:36
Speaker
I've already started like my transition into teaching. Like I started teaching um the Reading Buccaneers back 2023, as well as Madison Scouts.
00:29:47
Speaker
um So I've already started that process. And now I think it's just time to move on indoor as well. and Good for you. i mean, i always forget these sound effects, but like... It's kind of like on my running joke now. I'm always screwing up the sounds on when I produce the podcast, but that's a big decision. And I wish you well in your teaching career. And if you decide in 20 years that you want to go back to it, and take care of your knees.
00:30:17
Speaker
Right. I'm right there. I'll tell you, I took eight years off and then I came back and i didn't know going come back, but I came back and I was like, the game has changed and my knees hated me. They still hate me.
00:30:32
Speaker
There were many times this past weekend, Colby, where I was like, man, it would be fun to go back in March, a two, 15 years later, 20 years later. Like maybe if I start practicing right now, my body, I'd like,
00:30:47
Speaker
that's That's a different Alicia talking because um in reality, there's no way.
00:30:52
Speaker
But so i have one more really big question for you and that I would love for all of you to answer. But i you know what would you say to those kids that are following you on Instagram or you know are watching you perform in UD thinking, I want to do that?
Advice for Aspiring Performers
00:31:09
Speaker
What do you say to those kids or what advice do you have to share? And we can keep going in the same order we've been going in. you Colby, you want to start us? Yeah.
00:31:20
Speaker
I think the number one thing that will get you to the top is dedication. You cannot get there by luck. You cannot get there by chance, in my opinion. Like if you want to be at the top, you have to work for it and There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears put into it, but the happy tears that you get out at the end is definitely worth all of it.
00:31:47
Speaker
But I think for sure, if you want, you can have it. You just got to work for it. blood Kind of going without the dedication, take the steps. Like, not that I ever regret going right into world class from my rinky-dinkle A-class college guard, but...
00:32:05
Speaker
and take the steps, go to an independent A-class guard, go to an independent open, go march all age DCI, go march world-class drum corps, like, or open class drum corps as well. Like take those steps to build your technique, build your performance, all that stuff to really make sure that you are prepared for world-class audition.
00:32:26
Speaker
Imagine Jacob's like independent A-college guard listening to this. Like, wow.
00:32:34
Speaker
Andrew, what about you? I would say the biggest thing is go into any situation ready to just learn and soak up as much as you can. These groups, whether it's Drum Corps Winter Guard, aren't always looking for the best spinners, but they're looking for the best students.
00:32:49
Speaker
So if you are able to just like absorb everything and like you know back in my hometown, I do it this way, but here... I've embrace a new style. Instructors are going to see that willingness to change. And like, that's going to be what is like the pull to have you on that guard. So that's my biggest advice. Just be adaptable, be ready to change and fall in love with what you're doing.
00:33:10
Speaker
Love it. Coming back and doing this, I hope we do this every year with like three different performers because you all look somewhat more mature in a way.
00:33:21
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like you live some life. There was some life lived, you know? but and all of you um well they came on nicole and my first thought was man they look tired
00:33:37
Speaker
happy and tired you know still but still you know like you still have the glow in your eye and everything like that but it's just like hey ah you went out there and you did the damn thing all of you like I can congratulate you all on different things. Of course, like Andrew, congratulations on that gold medal, you know, like even if you don't walk around with it on the outside of your clothes, just put it inside the shirt.
00:34:04
Speaker
Okay. You know, and favorite. And then that beautiful geese show. And honestly, how tall everyone looks on that floor. I'm just can't get over that, but we're going to go into something else right now.
00:34:18
Speaker
um I think y'all going to remember. Okay. This is a perfect time. we do
00:34:30
Speaker
What are we doing? Sorry. I totally jumped the gun on that one. It's all right. I edit this. So, you know, what this is, what are we doing? We're going to keep this all WGI based.
00:34:42
Speaker
and So basically just like, hey, what are we doing? What aren't we doing? What should we be doing? um Who are we going to go with first? Trish, what are we doing? um what are we What were we doing with that weather out there?
00:34:55
Speaker
Why does it always rain on prelims day? But this year, and feel like it big kept going. It's probably why we're all sick. It's probably why we're all, it's just every year. What are we doing?
00:35:09
Speaker
And then percussion gets a good one. They go. go
00:35:15
Speaker
yeah
00:35:18
Speaker
Andrew, what are we doing? I know we're not doing is leaving our phones in the stands at UD. And as someone who had to climb up to find my phone again, because I left it in my seat, like we're not going to do that anymore.
00:35:31
Speaker
We're passing off. and Your knees, your poor knees. I know. He's like, are y'all okay? I didn't have to get up bone.
00:35:43
Speaker
I would have cried too, baby. so yeah but Alicia, what are we doing? Oh, you know, I'm ready. i have so many after that, but what are we doing? Sitting at finals, talking through every performance.
00:36:01
Speaker
A class finals and open class finals. I had to ask the people, different people behind me both times to like, I was nice, but I was like, I mean this respectfully, but if you're going to have conversation through every performance, can you go sit in the back where People don't care because care and you're loud.
00:36:19
Speaker
Shut up. Take in the art. Like it happens one time a year. you can't stop talking about your boyfriend for two days to enjoy some color guard, you don't need to be there. And I'll give myself a good ding for that.
00:36:32
Speaker
yeah You better. You better. and Jacob, what are we doing? Um, you mentioned the fan favorite thing a little bit ago. So mine's actually based off that. What are we doing? Not having the WGI official fan favorite award anymore. It hasn't been there since 2019. will even piggyback off of you and be like,
00:36:52
Speaker
Where's the fan favorite DVD? Can we, can we bring that back? Can we just bring back the DVDs pure? We're aging ourselves, but ah yeah here if somebody can make a playlist and put it on ah YouTube, I will be all about it.
00:37:06
Speaker
We'll say there's a super secret Google drive out there that all of flow, not flow. What was it? Fan network. Oh yeah. Yeah. gotrit And put up.
00:37:17
Speaker
And that exists out in the world. You just have to know the people that will share it with you. Oh, I'm saying there, there's a way. Just send me a text. I went way too quick and did that, but now I'm going to go over to Colby.
00:37:33
Speaker
What are we doing Colby? What are we doing? Not getting the same recognition as the national dance competitions. I really wish that we were on the same level as like the NDA the Yeah, i think it's the NDA. they Every year when that comes around, I see it all over the place.
00:37:52
Speaker
And like my one of my friend's little sisters is a competitive dancer, and she came to Dayton this year. and I was like, well, did you like it? like Was it as fun as a dance competition? She was like, it was more. She was like, y'all are doing everything that we do, and then you add equipment. like Give us some.
00:38:09
Speaker
I would love that. I think we deserve it. Honestly, a community, we deserve Oh, perfect. All right. Now we're doing the gush and goes.
00:38:20
Speaker
Okay. oh great job. Everyone set your equipment down. got and go It's getting quicker. Y'all do you see that? All right. So again, this is going to be, well, doesn't have to be WGI related, but something during the season related.
00:38:36
Speaker
So, um, what are we gushing and going about? Let's go ahead and go with, we're going to go in the same order again. So oh Trish. um I just want to gush and go about the amazing experience that my kids had at WGI for their first one and seeing all of you perform just amazing, amazing.
00:38:56
Speaker
They just, some of them were saying like, Oh my God, I see this so differently now. I see this activity so differently now. And that's all because you guys gave them amazing performances. So thank you for that.
00:39:10
Speaker
So good. Andrew, what are you gushing and going about? My gush and go is for the Woodlands Color Guard. And as someone who lives in the Woodlands, Texas, like, thank you for bringing home a gold medal. Y'all were incredible. This right here.
00:39:25
Speaker
So thank you for bringing it home. It is about dang time. They were ridiculous. and really Ridiculous. so Alicia.
00:39:37
Speaker
I have to gush about El Dorado High School and their show. It was the only show this year to make me white genuinely emotional.
00:39:48
Speaker
I was sitting up in the stands and I was like, it is prelims day. like i need to calm down. Jeremy was laughing at me, but like I just was very, I was very, very moved by their show. So that that's my gush.
00:40:01
Speaker
I can't listen to that song again and not feel something. Yeah. yeah Well, for me, it was just the whole meaning of the show, the you know, ah diversity, equity and inclusion. And, you know, they picked that show months before this, all of our political stuff has happened. And for me, I was like, it was just, it was so much. And I just was like, what a lesson for those kids to be learning and thinking about and for everyone here in Dayton to see. Yeah.
00:40:30
Speaker
I could go on and on about it. Oh, yeah. ah My gosh, Ingo, is kind of like the camaraderie that all the color guards had to go through with all of the rain. But then also, like, after everything was said and done on the floor after retreat, it just, like, felt like one big, happy color guard family. And it was just the one was so happy.
00:40:51
Speaker
did you guys get a lot of pins? Oh, my. The pins are the greatest thing. I'm sorry. The pins are awesome. It's super cheap.
00:41:02
Speaker
It's easy to do. It just brings everybody to... Oh, I loved it. What do they call it? Clipping each other? Yeah. yeah me Because I'm like, the kids these days. yeah No idea. I said to my kids, I didn't get one. You guys didn't give me one because they made them so nice. they like They're like, you don't clip your own guard.
00:41:22
Speaker
was like, oh. Mine is kind of, I don't know. I'm just very happy that it happened um as far as WGI is concerned.
00:41:34
Speaker
Like, I don't know. I'm just gushing about the creativity and the talent of all of the performers, but the creativity of a lot of my peers too, to be able to have a vision and then, you know, have that portrayed on the floor.
00:41:50
Speaker
um All three of you in your own right, Literally beautiful. Not kidding. Beautiful. Someone gets applause. Right. Right.
00:42:01
Speaker
Like, and it, i you know, cause honestly too, I cried on prelims day, you know, um it's yeah. So, and, and it was just watching shows and i was just like, man, first day, Nicole, you probably shouldn't wear makeup the rest of the week.
00:42:16
Speaker
This is not going to work out. But yes, I'm gushing over that because honestly, that's the whole thing that brings us together is the creativity of
The Color Guard Community's Support
00:42:24
Speaker
it. And so I'm gushing that we have an abundance and it's not going anywhere.
00:42:28
Speaker
um Colby, what are we gushing about? Mine's kind of the same as Jacob's. I just really think that it's so cool that everyone in this community supports and uplifts each other, like, regardless of results, like, the world class moved around so much in placements between prelims and semis and finals. And regardless of that, when we broke ranks at the end of a tree, everyone was still going to hug and talk to people from other groups and congratulate each other. Like,
00:42:56
Speaker
I just think it's cool that we support each other all the time, but also on top of it doesn't matter what place you get, you're still going to support the people who do their best. Amen.
00:43:10
Speaker
I love that. There is not a single person standing in UD Arena on that floor at finals whose body does not hurt and who is not tired. Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:43:22
Speaker
And if it is, it's just like, I want what you're having. Right.
00:43:28
Speaker
Well, I want to thank everyone here for a great rehearsal this week. And what a great way to wrap up the WGI season. Thank you to Trish, Alicia, Colby, Jacob, and Andrew.
00:43:40
Speaker
and If you've got a question for the podcast or a good topic to talk about, make sure you email us at onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com or find us on social media.
00:43:51
Speaker
You can DM us if you have a question or if you even want to be on the show, you can fill out a questionnaire that we have if you want to be a guest. but We love having people on the show all the time. So check out our link in the bio on all of our social medias.
00:44:02
Speaker
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00:44:20
Speaker
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00:44:37
Speaker
The On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
00:44:49
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning in.