WGI is a professional performing arts organization for performers all over the world up to the age of 21. Now WGI stands for Winter Guard International where its color guard groups perform but also percussion, allowing different types of winter programs to compete for these organizations. Also, each WGI competition isn’t just held at one state; there have been competitions in one day all over the world allowing the high school groups and independent groups to showcase their show to the world.
So first of all the creation of WGI occurred on May 15 1977 with a group of six people having a meeting about whether this organization should be created where they all agreed to continue with this idea and see where it will take them. Now at first WGI wasn’t very huge when it was first created, hardly getting the word out about this organization. Now yes the popularity of WGI skyrocketed because after the DCI season, many just spent the rest of their year doing nothing until next year for another season of DCI in the fall. But since WGI was created there was more for the performers not having to worry about spending the rest of their year doing nothing, possibly losing some of their skill. But with the organization leading to huge success in the present time.
Now around 2 – 3 years ago Percussion techs Ethyn Corfield and Erin Blake decided to start a winter percussion program to try to get word about Agua Fria out there and also for the students to have more activities besides just Marching Band. Now the first indoor percussion ensemble Agua Fria had wasn’t as big as today but that ensemble was full of talented people who were dedicated to making a name for this newly made percussion ensemble.
So now the progress that this ensemble has made the past 2 years upgrading their score every year and placing 4th or 5th in the state each time. Now yes both years the group has yet to make it to the WGAZ finals cutting their season short by just a little bit. Now so far this season the group had an amazing start to the season having almost half of their show at the beginning of the season and scoring higher and higher each competition that goes by. Also last week the group went to the Campo Verde competition breaking 80 scoring 83 which set the highest score for Agua Fria ever since the band was created making history.
Now although 2024 champs are soon to come in about two or three weeks. Earlier in their season Agua Fria made their debut into WGI making their debut for the very first time and the ensemble had to make it through two rounds every group before and after performing amazingly but soon once the ensemble got the scores to see who made it to finals. Both North Peoria and Agua Fria had tied, WGI Phoenix was only supposed to take 9 groups but since we tied they took 10 groups. Giving us another shot and meaning we are getting recognized and making it to finals on our very first try. Soon with the second round, the group was pumped to be able to perform one more time for the comp ending the day with 9th out of 10. Give them courage and confidence the rest of the season and see how we will do in championships.