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Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Obi Ron Kenobi on 4/13/2026, 1:01 pm

I was taught to use the default setting of "guide right." Then we change where to guide based on drill issues.

It's being argued to me that we should guide to the middle instead because "there's always a middle."

Your opinion?

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by WBB on 4/16/2026, 12:11 pm, in reply to "Guiding in marching drill"

I teach field markers to help "guide" for direction.
To the 50 for horizontal straight lines, to the middle and front or curvilinear, down the line for diagonals.

There is no right or wrong answer. The guide point is constantly changing based on drill design and form. The form is more important than dot.

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Yes on 4/17/2026, 12:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Guiding in marching drill"

I agree, I teach them to use the field markers as much as possible. I do agree that it depends on the drill. A horizontal line with the end point on the 50 yard line, then yeah we'll probably guide to them. But I also try to teach them to keep in mind the direction that they are moving and guiding to what they can see the most while on the move.

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Get On Your on 4/14/2026, 4:23 pm, in reply to "Guiding in marching drill"

Dot

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Try This on 4/14/2026, 3:50 pm, in reply to "Guiding in marching drill"

Guide in front! Your eyes should be moving side-to-side throughout the move, but your guide point should be the things that are in front of you - especially if they are always going to be in the same place (i.e. drum major podiums, sideline props, speakers, front ensemble instruments, other performers, etc.). This discourages students from turning their heads to see people next to them.

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Well... on 4/14/2026, 2:02 pm, in reply to "Guiding in marching drill"

...if there's a middle, there's going to be a right and/or left as well.

Do what works best.

Re: Guiding in marching drill

Posted by Other Dude on 4/14/2026, 1:51 pm, in reply to "Guiding in marching drill"

Where I grew up, we were always told to guide to our left because that was the first side to step off and they believed it would help the most as we were moving.

As I've started teaching, we just focus on the dots and that fixes most issues.

I'm not sure. To each his own!

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