Colorguard
Irondale High School's Winter Guard was started in 1990 to further train
the guard members for the marching band. Very quickly the winter guard
developed a name for itself as being an innovative and creative force in
the North Star Color Guard Circuit. Through the years the Irondale Winter
Guard has always placed education, musical, and personal growth over competition.
In 1995 the winter guard entered into the Winter Guard International
circuit by attending the WGI Midwest Regional and has continued to do so every
year since. The winter guard has been a regional finalist since 1996 placing
as high as second in that very prestigious regional.
In 2002 the Irondale Winter Guard was honored to be crowned the WGI Scholastic
Open Class World Champions, one of the highest achievements a guard can
obtain in the winter guard activity. The guard was promoted to Scholastic
World Class due to their score at the championship show.
The guard continues to strive for new and educational experiences for its
members and remains committed to its original philosophy as being an
integral part of the marching activities at Irondale High School.
WGI Scholastic Open World Champion Winter Color Guard
Congratulations to the Irondale Color Guard and Drumline on their outstanding performances this season!
Pictures: 1 2 3 4 | Results
Thank you to Ken Martinson for sharing these pictures!
More WGI Pictures: Drumline | Colorguard
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The Reviews Are In . . .
"ENTRANCING. The story of the year and possibly the performance of the year, Irondale High School showcased spectacular skills to an unexpectedly driving, forward thrusting performance to what otherwise would be considered a musical "yawn" in its overuse. Artistically, this was one of the year's most luscious visual programs, and was realized by its caption-nominated Ensemble.
Irondale also ended the year in a tie from the good readers and friends of field and floor for Fans' Favorite Color Guard of the Year." --Field & Floor
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Show
Past Shows Include:
2003: "Simply Orange" - Aaron Copland
2002: "Canon in D" - Johann Pachelbel
2001: "Grapes of Blast" - "Lemon Tech" from the Blast soundtrack
2000: "Unmellow Yellow" - Night in Tunisia by Turtle Is String Quartet
1999: "Of the Earth" - Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky
1998: "Requiem" - Requiem Mass by Mozart
1997: "It's All About Me!" - Am. Symphonettes by M. Gould
1996: "Sounds of the City" - Prelude, Fugue & Riffs by Bernstein
1996: "Celtic Images" - Various Artists
1995: "Coffee House" - Music by Meryn Cadell and Bodeens
1994: "Tori Amos Show" - Music by Tori Amos
1993: "George Michael Show" - Music by George Michael & Extreme
1992: "Big Hair" - Music by Black Box, Madonna & BAD II
1991: "Candide" - Candide by Bernstein
1990: "Yanni & Greensleeves" - Music by Yanni
Staff
Gary Swanson
Gary Swanson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in
Apparel Design and is the director of Irondale's extensive color guard
program. His credits include color guard instruction at many levels,
adjudication, consulting, and special event choreography. Gary has been working
with Irondale since 1990 and is also a freelance designer.
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Jennifer Piché
Color Guard
Jen is a 1993 graduate of Irondale High School, and the 2002-03 season marks her second year as a colorguard instructor at Irondale along with many seasons here as a tech. She has marched with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, Royal Guard Floor Ensemble, and Minnesota Brass, Inc. Jen has taught colorguard at a couple of other local high schools in the past, and this summer helped with two out of state guards. Jen has a B.A. in English and a teaching license. She is in her fourth year of teaching and is currently at North High School in Minneapolis teaching 9th and 10th grade English classes.
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Alison Mullaney
Color Guard
Alison is a 1998 graduate of Irondale, and the 2001 season marks her second season as an instructor at Irondale. In the summers of 2000 and 2001 she competed with the Blue Knights from Denver, and spent the previous two summers with Minnesota Brass Inc. She has also performed with Royal Guard Winter Guard. In addition to her instruction at Irondale, she has instructed the color guard at Wadena-Deer Creek high school and the Regement Winter Guard of Elk River.
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Kim Spaeth-Presley
kimblybimbly@aol.com
Kim is currently teaching music and band at Grenada High School in Grenada, MS. She is a 1992 graduate of Irondale High School and has worked with the Irondale program since 1993. She has marched with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. |
Shubhang Davé
Color Guard
Shubhang Dave graduated from Irondale in 2002. He marched mellophone
for four years, and was captain in 2000 and 2001. He also performed in the horn
guard, which eased his transition to the color guard in the 2002 winter season.
Shubhang enjoyed making the switch and hopes his color guard career will
not be short-lived. Shubhang currently attends Northwestern University in
Evanston, IL, where he studies public health and communication.
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Andy Combites
Visual
"AC" has been working with Irondale since the fall of 1998. He playedtrombone in the Iowa State University "Varsity" Marching Band and spentthree seasons in their winter drumline on cymbals and bass drum. He playedbaritone with the Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from Geneseo, IL and euphoniumwith the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from Rosemont, IL. Andy graduated fromISU in 1996 with degrees in Fine Arts and Advertising. He recently startedhis own design/consulting firm - Rightbrain Leftbrain, Inc.
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Jessica Kracl
Color Guard
Jessica Kracl is a 2002 graduate of Irondale High School where she performed
with the colorguard for four years in both the fall and the winter and acted
as one of two captains during her last year with the guard. This has been
Jessica's first season on the instructional side of things. Currently Jessica
is attending Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN as an intended
Biology/Neuroscience double major and music minor.
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Erika Berkeland
Erika Berkeland is a 2000 graduate of Irondale. She is currently attending school at University of Wisconsin - Madison. Erika marched in guard with the
Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps during the summer of 2001.
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Members
Winter 2003
Seniors
Kirsten Bergstrom
Breanne Gervais
Callie Martin
Erin Schutta captain
Juniors
Kristin Connolly
Bobbie Gibson
Lindsey Goetsch
Laura Mason
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Sophomores
Dorie Beyer
Kristin Boehm
Kristen Gervais
Rachel Goldsmith
Annie Hokanson
Casey Juul captain
Matt Sheetz
Freshmen
Anne Peloquin
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Members
Winter 2002
Seniors
Julianne Beisswenger captain
Kristi Boas
Michelle Connolly
Shubhang Dave
Zatch Haller
Christine Halling
Jessica Kracl captain
Julianne Stennes
Jon Thomalla
Brian Wetherby
Ashley Wiehoff
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Juniors
Kirsten Bergstrom
Breanne Gervais
Callie Martin
Erin Schutta
Sophomores
Kristin Connolly
Lindsey Goetsch
Freshmen
Kristin Boehm
Rachel Goldsmith
Annie Hokanson
Casey Juul
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Fall 2001
Seniors
Julianne Beisswenger captain
Michelle Connolly
Jessica Kracl captain
Julianne Stennes
Brian Wetherby
Ashley Wiehoff
Juniors
Kirsten Bergstrom
Erin Schutta
Sophomores
Kristin Connolly
Lindsey Goetsch
Andrea Polfliet
Sara Stambaugh
Freshmen
Emily Becker
Dorie Beyer
Ashley Burton
Mindy Dunn
Kristin Gervais
Rachel Goldsmith
Annie Hokanson
Casey Juul
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Eighth Graders
Anne Peloquin
Horn Guard
Second Year
Kevin Bohl - Alto
Shubhang Dave - Mello
ArJay Dossey - Mello
Zach Haller - Trumpet
Brandon Koller - Alto
Ross Martin - Trumpet
Dave Seybold - Baritone
Jon Thomalla - Contra
Jon Thomas - Baritone
First Year
Kristi Boas - Flute
Katie Burns - Flute
Rachel DeVries - Alto
Anna Fabian - Drum Major
Breanne Gervais - Clarinet
Emily Goldhammer - Clarinet
Christine Halling - Flute
Erin Lee - Clarinet
Johanna Lee - Mello
Katie Moses - Alto
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Winter 2001
Seniors
Heather Amundsen captain
Kelley Blomberg captain
Kim Gedde
Mel Goetsch captain
Juniors
Julianne "Clem" Beisswenger
Kristi Boas
Zach "Zatch" Haller
Christine Halling
Brandon Koller
Jessica "Lil Dru" Kracl
Julianne "Gumby" Stennes
Jon Thomalla
Ashley Weihoff
Brian Wetherby
Sophomores
Kirsten Bergstrom
Jen Butler
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Breanne Gervais
Emily Goldhammer
Lisa Luinenburg
Callie Martin
manager Sara Pederson
Erin Schutta
Freshmen
Ellen Beasley
manager Nikki Blomlie
Kristin Connolly
Lindsey Goetsch
Wendy Haller
Jessica Lechko
Johanna Lee
Andrea Polfliet
manager Sara Stambaugh
Eighth Graders
Casey Juul
manager Christie Tri
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Awards
Past Awards Include:
WGI Scholastic Open Class World Champions (2002)
Field & Floor Final 4 Color Guard (2002)
WGI Midwest Regional Finalist (1996 - 2002)
WGI North Star Regional Scholastic Open Class Champion (1997 - 2002)
North Star Circuit Scholastic Open Class Champion (1993, 1996 - 2002)
North Star Circuit Scholastic "A" Class Champion (1996)
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