An indoor percussion ensemble or indoor drumline is type of marching ensemble that utilizes the battery and front ensemble instruments. It differs itself from a traditional percussion ensemble in that it focuses not only on musical performance, but on theatrics and marching as well giving it the nickname "musical theatre." Although most indoor percussion ensembles are affiliated with high schools, there are also many independent groups that draw participants from a large area and are independently funded. Independent groups typically start rehearsing in October, while high school groups typically start after their fall marching band season ends. Because of this, the activity is often called winter percussion or winterline.
Winter Guard International (WGI) is an American performing arts association, governing body, and the producer of regional championship events for three activities: color guard, percussion ensembles, and small marching bands. WGI's competitive season is January to March, ending with an annual World Championships in April; hence, "winter" in the association's name.
Senator Ruben S. Ayala Senior High School, often abbreviated as Ayala High School or AHS, is located in Chino Hills, California and is one of the four comprehensive high schools in the Chino Valley Unified School District. The school was established in 1990 and named after California state senator Ruben S. Ayala. It received the 2011 California Distinguished School award and the 2015 California Gold Ribbon School Award.
Color guards or flag corps are teams of performers who perform choreographed dances and routines with various equipment to enhance and interpret the music of the marching band show. Color guard teams can be found in American colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools and independent drum corps. They use various equipment including, flags, non-functioning rifles, and sabres, along with other props. Most Color Guard groups are of mixed gender but some may also be single gender.
Winter Guard is an indoor color guard sport and performance art derived from military ceremonies. Modern winter guard is a competitive, performance-based activity which incorporates choreographed staging, dance, and manipulation of equipment such as flags and prop rifles and sabres. Unlike traditional color guard, winter guard performances and contests are held indoors, usually in a gymnasium or an indoor arena. Performances typically last 3 to 7 minutes and are accompanied by recorded soundtracks rather than live music. However, the use of live instrumentation and vocalization have grown in popularity. Winter guard is most present in the United States; independent units have also been formed in Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Winter guard ensembles often perform at judged competitions officiated by local and regional associations using criteria developed by Winter Guard International, host of the annual Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. The World Championships event purportedly attracts in 60,000 visitors to the event annually. Scoring attempts to rank units on the repertoire and achievement of aspects of each performance such as unity, quality, range, precision, skill, design, and effect.
Archbishop Alter High School, also known as Alter High School, is a Catholic high school in Kettering, Ohio, United States. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati and is named after Archbishop Karl Joseph Alter.
Central Crossing High School is a high school in Grove City, Ohio. It is one of four high schools in the South-Western City Schools district, the others being Franklin Heights High School, Grove City High School, and Westland High School.
University High School is a public high school in Orlando, Florida opened in 1990. The school is a part of Orange County Public Schools and is located about a mile from the University of Central Florida. University High School offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) magnet program, and a Performing Fine Arts magnet program which began in the 2019–20 school year. University High School also has a well known Athletic Training program, Veterinary Assisting program, Culinary Program, Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Aimachi is a Tenrikyo church based in Nagoya, Japan. Outside Japan, Aimachi is most known for its marching music and color guard ensembles. A selection from their 130-member marching band compete internationally as an indoor percussion ensembles, indoor marching ensembles, baton twirling, and winter guards. The group rehearses outside of Nagoya in Handa City.
Laguna Creek High School is a public high school located in Elk Grove, California, a suburban community near Sacramento, California established in 1994. It is home to various organizations and programs, including the rigorous International Baccalaureate Programme (IB), Green Energy Technology Academy (GETA), the Manufacturing Production Technology Academy (MPTA), and the Sports Careers Academy (SCA).
West Johnston High School or WJHS is located in Benson, North Carolina. It is part of Johnston County School district and was established in the 2002-2003 school year to address crowding problems in other local high schools.
Dartmouth High School is a four-year public high school located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States.
Leigh High School is a secondary school located in the West San Jose region of San Jose, California, United States. Opening in September 1962, it was the fifth school established in the Campbell Union High School District. The school has twice been given the California Distinguished School award, in 1999 and 2003. As of 2020, the school's enrollment was 1809 students. The school colors are gold (yellow) and pine green, and its mascot is the Longhorn.
Muscle Shoals High School is the sole public secondary education institution in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. MSHS was recently awarded the Blue Ribbon Lighthouse Award for Excellence.
Atlanta CV, originally known as The Atlanta CorpsVets is an all-age drum and bugle corps that competes in the Drum Corps Associates circuit, and is a 501c3 Not-For-Profit Organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 1997 and is one of two competitive Drum Corps in the state of Georgia.
Rhythm X, Inc. is a non-profit music education organization that operates a competitive indoor percussion ensemble and wind ensemble, as well as an online school for marching music called The X Academy. The company was founded in 2002 by Craig Dunn as the Rhythm X Performance Ensemble. The ensembles compete in both the Winter Guard International (WGI) and Mid-East Performance Association (MEPA) circuits in the World Class, which is the classification given to the ensembles that execute musical and visual programs of the highest difficulty. In 2013, Rhythm X announced the launch of The X Academy, an online and in-person educational program suited for high school and college-age musicians interested in competitive percussion and wind ensembles. Later that year the organization announced the addition of its newest ensemble that would compete in the new WGI Winds Division in 2015.
Dripping Springs High School is a comprehensive public high school in Dripping Springs, TX, located in Hays County, Texas. The only high school in the Dripping Springs Independent School District contains grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Its enrollment is approximately 1,800. The principal is Angela Gamez, who was appointed in 2019.
Gateway Indoor was an indoor drumline based in St. Louis, MO. The group competes in the Percussion Independent World division of Winter Guard International, as well as the Mid-Continental Color Guard Association circuit.
The Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2013) is an all-age/alumni drum and bugle corps. Based in Blair, Nebraska, the Railmen compete as a SoundSport team and perform in exhibition at a Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions in and near the corps' home state of Nebraska. The organization's intent is to build a complete drum corps organization with cadet, junior, and alumni/all-age drum and bugle corps along with Winter guard and indoor percussion ensembles.
