Military Drill Team
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A drill team can be one of four different entities: # A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military
foot The foot (: feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is an organ at the terminal part of the leg made up o ...
or
exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
s. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed. # A dance drill team creates routines based on precision dance movements rather than military drill. These teams usually do not carry anything, but may use props in field production numbers. They may perform to recorded music, or the live music of an accompanying marching band. # A team that execute routines carrying either one or multiple flags or pom-poms. This team's movements are also based in dance and may also have a heavy influence of gymnastics as well. These teams also may perform to music, either live or recorded. # A team that is mounted (horse, motorcycle, etc.) or advances some type of mobile object (library carts, lawn chairs, or even garbage bins). May also include teams of dogs and handlers.


Military/police drill team

A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military drill. These teams often perfect their proficiency and then choose to compete against other programs. These competitions are generally called "drill meets", and are held all across the world.


Canada

The Canadians have the Canadian Cadet Organization, which consists of the
Royal Canadian Sea Cadets The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (RCSC; ) is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the civilian Navy League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of Nati ...
,
Royal Canadian Army Cadets The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC; ) is a national Canadian youth program sponsored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, the program is administered by th ...
, and the
Royal Canadian Air Cadets The Royal Canadian Air Cadets () is a Canadian national youth program for young individuals aged 12 to 18. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, ''National Defence Act'', the program is administered by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) ...
, all of which have drill competitions throughout the year which are hosted by the Regional Cadet Support Units. Canadian drill competitions consist of the following aspects: * Fall in * Drill Team dress and deportment * Drill Team Commander's dress and deportment * Compulsory drill procedures at the halt * Compulsory drill procedures on the march * Drill performance in a precision routine (optional) Drill units in the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...
include the
Ceremonial Guard A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
and the 2nd Battalion,
Royal 22e Régiment The Royal 22nd Regiment (R22R; ) is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. Known colloquially in English as the Van Doos (representing an anglicized pronunciation of the French number twenty-two, ) or in French as , the mostly francophone re ...
in the
Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces () is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (f ...
and the
Regular Force In the Canadian Armed Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Primary Reserve which has more flexibility. There are many bases and wings across Canada, and factors like trade, caree ...
respectively. The
Royal Military College of Canada The Royal Military College of Canada (), abbreviated in English as RMC and in French as CMR, is a Military academy#Canada, military academy and, since 1959, a List of universities in Canada#Ontario, degree-granting university of the Canadian ...
also maintains a 24-member drill team. The
RCMP The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...
Musical Ride The Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is a special unit showcasing the equestrian skills performed by 32 cavalry who are regular members of the force. It holds events held in Canada and worldwide to promote the RCMP. The first of ...
is the only mounted drill team of its kind in the world.


Greece

The
Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy (HN; , abbreviated ΠΝ) is the Navy, naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independ ...
has a precision movement unit called ''Άγημα Κινήσεων Ακριβείας'' (Agima Kiniseon Akriveias). It is made up of conscripts and also takes part in the "Μεικτός Λόχος Απόδοσης Τιμών" (Meiktos Lohos Apodosis Timon/Mixed Guard of Honour), a tri-service guard of honour composed of servicemen from the
Hellenic Army The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...
, the Hellenic Navy, and the
Hellenic Air Force The Hellenic Air Force (HAF; , sometimes abbreviated as ΠΑ) is the air force of Greece (''Hellenic'' being the endonym for ''Greek'' in the Greek language). It is considered to be one of the largest air forces in NATO, and is globally placed 1 ...
is maintained as part of the
Ministry of National Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
.


India

In the
Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the armed forces, military forces of the India, Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Ar ...
, there is currently one unit that is serves as exhibition drill team. This unit, known officially as the
Air Warrior Drill Team The Air Warrior Drill Team (AWDT) is the ceremonial drill team of Indian Air Force, being a platoon-sized formation. It was founded in 2004 as the first of precision exhibition drill unit of its kind in the Indian Armed Forces.AWDT is divided into ...
(AWDT), was founded in 2004 as part of the
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
. They commonly perform during the Air Force Day Parade at
Tezpur Airport Tezpur Airport , also known as Salonibari Air Force Station, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station serving Tezpur, Assam, India. It is located in Salonibari, situated from the city centre. The airport covers an area of 22 acre ...
on 8 October.


Malta

The
Armed Forces of Malta The Armed Forces of Malta () is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. The AFM is a brigade sized organisation consisting of a headquarters and three separate regiments, with minimal air and naval forces. Since Malta is the ...
Drill Team and the Malta Police Precision Drill Team serve as the only military drill units in the
Republic of Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. The platoon-sized AFM Drill Team has performed synchronized drill since its revival in August 2014, and is based on the British and Canadian procedures for military drill and exhibition drill. The Malta Police Precision Drill Team, on the other hand, has been performing drill for more than 25 years prior to the establishment of the AFM team. Unlike the AFM team, who carry the
FN FAL The FAL (, English: Light Automatic Rifle) is a battle rifle designed in Belgium by Dieudonné Saive and manufactured by FN Herstal and others since 1953. During the Cold War the FAL was adopted by many countries of the NATO, North Atlantic Trea ...
on parade, the police team carries a Short Magazine
Lee–Enfield The Lee–Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the standard service rifle of th ...
Mk VI. The platoon consists of 21 policemen, who are selected from the various sections of the Malta Police. Their main appearances include the
Malta Military Tattoo Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
and the
Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...
on St. George's Square.


Norway

The Norwegian military consist of only one single company sized drill team, consisting of a band and a drill platoon. The team is one of five infantry companies that are assigned the mission to protect His Majesty the King of Norway and the royal family, as well as guarding the Royal Palace. The 3rd company, HMKG are also used to represent the Norwegian armed forces at state-related matters such as state-visits, ceremonies, national festivities, and were also prominent in the Winter World Cup 2010 as guards. As of 2012, His Majesty the King's Guard is also responsible for the safety and defence of the city of Oslo, in case of a national crisis. A total of six companies make up His Majesty The King's Guard (
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde His Majesty The King's Guard () is a royal guard battalion of the Norwegian Army. The battalion has two main roles; it serves as the Norwegian King's bodyguards, guarding the royal residences (the Royal Palace in Oslo, Bygdøy Royal Estate, Bygdøy ...
), and is a part of the Norwegian army. The band is hand picked through interviews and playing tests prior to the draft date. The band consists of signal horns, a drumline, a pit and the main band. Most of the members year goes to practising and basic military training as the year is a part of their military service. The band is probably the only troop that almost never have "green" duty (as in field duty). Also, the band never stand guard at the castle nor the other guarding posts around Oslo, neither does the drill platoon. The drill platoon consists of 32–40, first-year servicing soldiers. These are all hand picked through a rigorous selection process that lasts from their drafting at the start of October till December. The soldiers go through basic military training as well as having to learn how to march, weapons drill, and how to perform synchronically. Throughout the selection process, the soldiers have to prove themselves worthy a spot on the drill team, as these soldiers will be representing not only the King's guard, but also the Norwegian military and the Norwegian state both national and internationally. Everything in their daily duty from the bed, room, facilities, closets, uniforms, and physique needs to be at excellent standards 24/7. These women and men strive for perfection in all that they do and are often seen running around the various woods nearby the base as well as working out at the gym. Every year, these soldiers finish their service with one of the highest average physical results in the army. Their uniforms are spotless and wrinkleless, in addition their boots are so well polished that you can literally reflect yourself in them. As opposed to what one might think, these soldiers draft year have been compared to as even harder than what the first-year service in the special forces is. Though most likely not as hard physically, the mentality and the pressure in being the best of the best puts these soldiers under a tremendous amount of pressure every hour of every day, every day of the year. Their rigorous training results in being one of the best drill teams in the world. The band and drill platoon (3rd company) is the only drill team that have been invited to the legendary
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and international military bands, and artistic performance teams on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Ca ...
nine times, 2012 being the most recent.


Russia

The
Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...
maintains many ceremonial drill units in its ranks, with the drill platoons in the
154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment serves as the official honor guard regiment of the Russian Armed Forces and serves as the main honor guard unit of the armed forces, stationed in Moscow. Aside from being the honor guard ...
and the
Kremlin Regiment The Kremlin Regiment (), also called the Presidential Regiment (), is a unique military regiment and part of the Russian Federal Protective Service (Russia), Federal Protective Service with the status of a special unit. The regiment ensures the s ...
being the seniormost among them. Drill units in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
set the precedent for units of that nature in and around the
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization, regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an ar ...
(CIS), especially in countries such as
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
,
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
, and
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...
.


Singapore

The Silent Precision Drill Squad of the
Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command The SAF Military Police Command ( zh, 新加坡武装部队宪兵指挥部, , ) is the military police formation of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Established as the Singapore Armed Forces Provost Unit (SAFPU) in 1966, its primary role is ...
(SAFMPC) is the sole drill unit of the
Singapore Armed Forces The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A component of the Ministry of Defence (Singapore), Ministry of D ...
that performs
Exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
. It is usually seen leading the contingent of new guards from the SAFMPC towards the Istana in the daily Guard mounting ceremony. It is also seen at the annual National Day Parade (NDP). The National Cadet Corps and
National Police Cadet Corps The National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) is one of the national uniformed group for youths between age 13 to 17 in Singapore. The organisation is supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Established in 1959, it tr ...
also sport drill units, usually performing at school events competitions, or open houses. These units are known as Precision Drill Squads, a type of drill unit which executes rifle drill in complex series of movements with co-ordination and precision.


United States

All of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
military service branches have an official drill team part of their respective service
honor guard A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
. The service academies have drill teams, as well as many college and university
ROTC The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
(Reserve Officer Training Corps) and high school
JROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a Federal government of the United States, federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US mil ...
(Junior ROTC) units. Additionally, many community-based organizations such as the Army Cadet Corps,
Naval Sea Cadets The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC or NSCC) is a congressionally chartered, United States Navy, U.S. Navy–sponsored organization that serves to involve individuals in the sea-going military services, U.S. naval operations and tra ...
,
Young Marines The Young Marines is a youth program in the United States and Japan open to youth between the ages of 8 and 18 or high school graduation (whichever is later, not to exceed 20 years of age). It has been awarded the United States D ...
, and
Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...
maintain military drill teams. Formerly, some of these units were called Crack Squads.


The drill meet

A drill meet is a competition for military-style drill teams. The US military's
honor guard A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
units have drill teams; however, they do not compete against each other in a drill meet such as this. The only exception to this is Pro America where individuals compete, but not the full drill teams. US high school
JROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a Federal government of the United States, federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US mil ...
and college
ROTC The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
teams often compete against each other. The top American bladed (bayonet-only) independent drill meet was Pro America and the top American independent armed drill meet is the Isis World Drill Championships for post high school professional exhibition drillers in the nation. The same concept is also applied to various police departments and agencies.
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military bases across the world. The progr ...
(JROTC) programs may also compete in the National High School Drill Team Championships held in Daytona Beach, Florida. There are two divisions for competing, Unarmed, and Armed. During the summers, most drill teams go to drill camps to hone their skills. Also see high school "military" drill teams in high school. Washington, Idaho, California. At the college level, teams may compete in the Mardi Gras Invitational Drill Meet hosted by Tulane University and the Cornell University Invitational Drill Meet (CUIDC).


=Phases

= Each meet has different phases: Many drill meets differ regarding what events are offered and what divisions of competition are presented. Drill meets generally include both an armed and unarmed divisions. Events offered generally include several different phases: inspection, color guard regulation drill, and, in addition, (drill based on a service's drill manual) an
exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
in which they march intricate maneuvers along with manipulating equipment including
rifle A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...
s, sometimes with fixed
bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...
s. *Inspection (I) : Each team goes through a standard military inspection for an up-close critique of their bearing, knowledge and overall appearance. * Regulation drill (RD) : A fixed list of verbal commands, armed or unarmed from a service's drill and ceremonies manual (see also
Military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...
), given by a single cadet commander. This cadet commander must memorize these commands at most every meet and the team must perform these movements as per regulations. *
Exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
(XD) : XD is based in RD, but is then infused with a Driller's imagination. XD has different categories: ** Solo/one-man (A single driller) ** Tandem/two-man (2 drillers) ** Small team (4–8 drillers) (Note: this category replaces tetrad and squad) ** Platoon/flight (9–26 Drillers) *
Color guard In Military, military organizations, a colour guard (or color guard) is a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of Colours, standards and guidons, regimental colours and the national flag. This duty is highly prestigious, and the mil ...
regulation drill (CGR): The military color guard is not to be confused with a marching band's color guard (see
Color guard (flag spinning) 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 a marching band or Drum and bugle corps (modern), drum and bugle corps show. Color guar ...
for more information), although music-related color guards have their roots in the military version. This is similar to the drill team RD phase in that there is a fixed list of commands from a service's drill and ceremonies manual that the cadet commander must memorize and execute with his/her color guard unit. Units are often required to "case" (commands required to cover the colors for transport/storage), and/or "uncase" (commands required to uncover the colors for competition/display) as a part of the competition.


=Weapons

= Each of the above phases can be marched by an armed (with a military
sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
,
saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...
, or
rifle A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...
) or unarmed team. NOTE: Many drill meets allow the use of a sword in the unarmed division, but never a rifle of any kind. All drill teams can march a guidon. *Standard drill team rifles in the United States are the
M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the United States Army, U.S. ...
, M14, or the
M1903 Springfield rifle The M1903 Springfield, officially the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903, is an American five-round magazine-fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. The M1903 was first used in combat ...
. Armed teams usually use a demilitarized version of the rifle or a facsimile, which may be light-weight for spinning (such as for marching show band use). *Unarmed teams concentrate on varied body and arm movements with intricate steps. Armed teams then add manipulation of the equipment, known as "
manual of arms A manual of arms was an instruction book for handling and using weapons in formation, whether in the field or on parade. Such manuals were especially important in the matchlock and flintlock eras, when loading and firing was a complex and length ...
" in regulation drill events.


=Judging

= The current system used almost all military drill competitions includes multiple military judges each looking at the unit as a whole while they are competing at differing angles. These judges then grade every aspect of the performance on their own score sheets. This grading is based strictly on the military drill manuals in use for the meet (i.e., Army TC 3-21.5, Marine Corps Order P-5060.20, Air Force Manual 36-2203, etc.) Using this evaluating technique closely parallels what most of these individuals have done throughout their military careers at various levels throughout their training (most of these evaluators come from military training facilities and/or base honor guards). Judges score teams within ranges from POOR, to AVERAGE, to EXCEPTIONAL. Most meets using this system have a "Judge's Notes" section where judges are either encouraged or required (depending on the meet) to write some candid notes for the team to utilize to interpret the numerical scores delivered on the score sheets.


Dance and semi-military teams


United States


Texas

Dance drill teams evolved from early pep squads and military-style drum and bugle corps that performed in the stands and/or during halftimes at football games.
Gussie Nell Davis Gussie Nell Davis (November 4, 1906 – December 21, 1993) was an American teacher and choreographer best known as the founder of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, who in September 1940 became the first all-girls drill team to perform on a college ...
, originally from
Farmersville, Texas Farmersville is a city located in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,612 at the 2020 census, with the larger Census County Division (CCD) having a population of 12,344. History Farmersville originated in 1849 as a se ...
, laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the world famous
Kilgore College Rangerettes The Kilgore College Rangerettes, also known simply as the Rangerettes, are the world's first woman's precision drill team, from Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, United States. They were created by Gussie Nell Davis in 1939. The Rangerettes h ...
located in
Kilgore, Texas Kilgore, officially the City of Kilgore, is a city in Gregg County, Texas, Gregg and Rusk County, Texas, Rusk counties in Texas, United States. Located where Interstate 20 and US 259 converge just south of the Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana), ...
the world‘s first precision drill team when she created the "Flaming Flashes" pep squad at Greenville High School in 1929. Starting with simple marches, stunts, and letter formations, Davis led the Flashes to evolve into a dynamic squad, adding twirling batons, basic dance moves, and ultimately becoming a precision drum and bugle corps with help from a band director in
Port Arthur, Texas Port Arthur is a city in the state of Texas, United States of America, located east of metro Houston. Part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, the city lies primarily in Jefferson County, with a small extension in Orange County. ...
. This foundational experience shaped her vision, and in 1940, Davis brought her expertise to
Kilgore College Kilgore College (KC) is a public community college in Kilgore, Texas. It has an annual enrollment in excess of 5,000 students and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate ...
, where she created the Rangerettes, the first-ever collegiate drill team. The Rangerettes set new standards in precision dance and halftime entertainment, becoming iconic in Texas and beyond, with their influence reaching far beyond high school and college drill teams.
Kay Teer Crawford Kay Teer Crawford (1914-2001) was an American choreographer known as the "mother of drill team". She was born Kay Waweehie Teer on August 16, 1914. She had Native American Cherokee and Comanche in her family lineage. She was raised in Grainger, T ...
, a high school cheerleader in the Rio Grande Valley during the early 1930s, had an idea of forming a team from the girls who were not selected for cheerleader. After graduating from college, Kay returned to
Edinburg High School Edinburg High School (EHS) is a comprehensive public high school in Murillo, Texas, Murillo (formerly Nurillo), a census-designated place in Hidalgo County, Texas, east of Edinburg, Texas, Edinburg.Kilgore College Kilgore College (KC) is a public community college in Kilgore, Texas. It has an annual enrollment in excess of 5,000 students and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate ...
, Dean B.E. Masters, contacted Gussie Nell Davis about coming to
Kilgore Kilgore may refer to: Places * Kilgore, Texas, the largest US city named Kilgore * Kilgore, Idaho * Kilgore, Nebraska * Kilgore, Ohio * Kilgore College Fictional characters * Kilgore Trout, a recurring character in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut ...
, Texas, to start a group that would "be interesting and keep the folks in their seats at half-time." They also needed to recruit women to the school since the enrollment was primarily made up of men who were seeking to learn more about the oil business. Dr. Masters was not quite sure what he wanted, but he knew he did not want a traditional drum and bugle corps. He wanted something new, something that did not yet exist, and left the decisions up to Miss Davis. Miss Davis created the " Rangerettes" to perform at Kilgore College football game halftimes. The Rangerettes almost immediately became the gold standard for all teams, both high school and college, and almost all Texas drill teams now consist of a line of performers with the officers in front of the team leading them in at every game. In Tyler, Texas, just 30 miles from Kilgore, the second college drill team to be created in Texas was th
Tyler Junior College Apache Belles
in 1947. A fierce but friendly rivalry between the Apache Belles and the Rangerettes developed quickly, and continues to this day. Much like Miss Davis, Barbara Tidwell, a former Kilgore College Rangerette, was recruited by Southwest Texas State University (now
Texas State University Texas State University (TXST) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas, United States, and another campus in Round Rock, Texas, Round Rock. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has ...
) in 1960 to create the "Strutters", the first drill team at a four-year college. There are over a thousand high school drill teams in the state of Texas today with over 30,000 students participating every year. The traditional uniform for these teams usually consists of a white hat with white boots. The officers of the teams also typically wear an all white uniform, while the line members wear school colors. Teams perform visual routines, usually in the style of kick, prop, military, or pom, at football games, both in the stands during the game, and on the field at halftime. During the spring, teams often perform at basketball game halftimes, and compete in many different dance styles at competitions sponsored by dance and drill team companies. Also in the Spring, teams put on a "Spring Show," similar to a recital, to showcase all of the dances they competed at competitions to the school and community. The finale consists of a traditional kick routine in their school uniforms. Traditionally, Texas high school drill teams have been all female, but males have auditioned and been selected to teams in recent years.


California

The first dance-drill teams in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
were school affiliated. Teams in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
now typically identify as either a pep squad, drill team, dance team, dance-drill team, or dance company. But these affiliations began to widen greatly as parks & recreation programs, independent performing arts programs, and dance studios opened across the state in the late 1980s and developed their own dance-related programs. More traditional drill teams march in parades with school marching bands during the fall/winter, perform field shows (halftime shows) at athletic events, and compete at indoor dance/drill competitions during the late-winter and/or spring seasons. After moving from
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
following her collegiate studies, drill team founder Dr.
Kay Teer Crawford Kay Teer Crawford (1914-2001) was an American choreographer known as the "mother of drill team". She was born Kay Waweehie Teer on August 16, 1914. She had Native American Cherokee and Comanche in her family lineage. She was raised in Grainger, T ...
eventually started the world's first national precision dance-drill team competition in 1967:
Miss Dance Drill Team USA Also known as U.S. Nationals & Pageant, this national dance competition for precision dance teams, dance-drill teams, and dance studios is recognized as the origin of the competitive dance industry. The event was trademarked under the name Miss Dril ...
(aka U.S. Nationals & Pageant, MDDTUSA). In 1981, Crawford also created the world's first international dance competition: Miss Dance Drill Team International. The U.S. National dance competition and world championships are now held annually in Southern
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. But there are now numerous drill team & dance team competition circuits in California (i.e.
Miss Dance Drill Team USA Also known as U.S. Nationals & Pageant, this national dance competition for precision dance teams, dance-drill teams, and dance studios is recognized as the origin of the competitive dance industry. The event was trademarked under the name Miss Dril ...
, Varsity/USA/UDA, CADTD, Sharp International, NRG etc.). And while most current school-affiliated teams do not compete on the festival level, those that do are consistently adjudicated in the following areas as developed by Dr.
Kay Teer Crawford Kay Teer Crawford (1914-2001) was an American choreographer known as the "mother of drill team". She was born Kay Waweehie Teer on August 16, 1914. She had Native American Cherokee and Comanche in her family lineage. She was raised in Grainger, T ...
(Different competition circuits place different point/percentage weight on the importance of each of the following three areas in determining a final score): *Routine choreography *Technical execution *Showmanship There are also quite a variety of categories in which a team can compete. Examples are as follows: *Jazz *Lyrical *Contemporary *Military *Kick *Hip Hop *Pom/songleader *Character *Novelty *Prop *Dance-drill *Co-ed dance *Show production Unlike other states where schools are placed in separate divisions based on their school attendance size (as associated with state-organized athletic organizations), no such affiliation currently exists in California because dance is not considered an athletic sport. As a result, competition divisions are sub-divided into size of the performance group in a given routine, with teams allowed to compete in as many sizes as they wish: *Small *Medium *Intermediate *Large All teams are adjudicated on a point system, with total points deciding ordinal rankings in determining winners.


Washington

In Washington state, the phrase "drill team" usually refers to high school performance/spirit teams that compete in the "drill" and/or "military" category at local, regional and statewide "dance/drill" competitions. Drill routines (sometimes referred to as "drills") typically entail (indeed some argue ''should'' entail): *highly regimented procedures for entering and exiting the stage; *precise symmetry and/or spacing in the team's formations (a.k.a. line straightness); *precise transitions between formations that do not compromise line straightness; *perfect or near-perfect synchronization and sharpness in the teams' marching and other bodily movements; and *interesting music selection. *(Many drill teams incorporate
kickline A kickline is a show dance figure consisting of a series of dancers who throw their legs synchronised up to eye level in the air, forming a straight line. The challenge in performing a kickline is not only the process of lifting the leg in a coor ...
s into their routines; many other successful drill routines have been accomplished without them.) Judging is currently known as ordinal judging and ratings categorized by superior, exceptional, excellent, and good. The WIAA Dance/Drill competition is the annual championship event for qualified dance and drill teams held annually in the last weekend of March.
A Washington drill team member, or "driller", is not a dancer, but a dancer can be a driller. Since the foci of drill are presentation and spatial precision, drillers do not necessarily need attributes typically ascribed to dancers, such as a high level of flexibility (although this is a large portion of what many teams exhibit in their routines and part of their score) or an aptitude for expressing emotions with the body. This generally allows for larger team sizes, with most teams having about 20 or more members.


Utah

In Utah, most 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A schools have a drill team. This sport is incredibly competitive in this state, probably due to the high number of dancers. Tryouts are normally held the school year before the performing season during the months of April and May, giving teams the entire summer to work on their technique. During this time, drill teams often attend a dance camp to learn small dances to perform at school events such as sports games and assemblies. Along with these shorter routines, teams also learn longer and more technical competition routines to compete at a few invitational competitions and later a regional competition. The teams that place at the top at region (usually the top 4) go to state to compete against other teams in other regions. Performed dance styles include military, kick, character, lyrical, hip hop, pom, jazz, and officer, among others. Every year at region and state competitions, teams compete in military and dance, and every other year, compete in kick or character. *Dance - Dance routines feature technique and performance above all. Teams are judged on their precision, flexibility, leaps, turns, kicks, and other skills such as projection, facials, vocals, and visuals. *Military - Military is a unique style and surprising at first. Military routines use intricate formations, walking patterns, arm sequences, kicks, and drop splits, and require the team to appear as one person, every move being incredibly precise and sharp. Facials are typically intense or neutral, and the music is usually instrumental. It is typically part of a marching ensemble, or marching band. *Kick - A kick routine is all about legs. The majority of the routine is kicking, either in a line, partnership, or alone. Scores are based on the number of kicks in the routine, how together they are, how high they are, and how straight and pointed the legs and feet are. *Character - Character is about becoming a certain person, thing, or idea and performing as such. Technique is still a priority like in other styles, but it must be done as the character. Teams are judged on how well they fit the persona, use any props, their technique, and their performance as a whole in the way of projection and facials.


See also

*
Ceremonial Guard A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
*
Dance squad A dance squad or dance team, sometimes called a pom squad or song team, is a team that participates in competitive dance. A dance squad can also include: a jazz squad, ballet squad, or any kind of religion dance squad. Dance squads are a type of ...
*
Equestrian drill team An equestrian drill team is a group of horses and riders performing choreographed maneuvers to music. Teams typically perform at rodeos, horse fairs, parades, benefits, and drill team competitions. Drill teams are intended to entertain, show ...
*
Pep flags Pep flags, also known as flaggies, short flags, small flags, or twirl flags, is the performing art of twirling one or two flag(s) as part of a choreographed routine. In the early 21st century, some school flag squads have implemented a third or ...
* Marching girls *
Foot drill Foot drill is a part of the training regimen of organized military and paramilitary elements worldwide. It is also practiced by other public services such as police forces, fire and ambulance services. "Foot drill" or "Drill" stems from time si ...
*
Military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...
*
Cadet Kelly ''Cadet Kelly'' is a 2002 American military comedy film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie and starring Hilary Duff and Christy Carlson Romano. The film premiered with 7.8 million viewers. It is Duff's second starring film role, her f ...
*
Exhibition Drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
*
Pershing Rifles The National Society of Pershing Rifles is a U.S. military-oriented honor society for college-level students founded in 1894 as a drill unit at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. It is the oldest continuously operating U.S. college organizatio ...
* Blue Ridge Rifles *
Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
*
Honor guard A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
* Broom brigade *
Majorette A majorette is a female performer who combines baton twirling with dance movements, primarily associated with marching bands during parades. Majorettes may alternatively spin flags, fire batons, maces, or rifles. Some performers incorporate c ...


Notes


External links

{{commons category, Drill teams
Official U.S. Army Old Guard websiteOfficial U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team websiteInternational Association of Exhibition Drillers
Competitions Military marching Cheerleading