Q Goes to World Championships

This was Q’s fifth time at the world championships. Photo Courtesy / Melissa Valentovic This was Q’s fifth time at the world championships. Photo Courtesy / Melissa Valentovic
This was Q’s fifth time at the world championships. Photo Courtesy / Melissa Valentovic
This was Q’s fifth time at the world championships.
Photo Courtesy / Melissa Valentovic

Melissa Valentovic
Staff Writer

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“Presenting their program, ‘Coming Home,’ WGI Sport of the Arts is proud to present…Q!”, echoed throughout the University of Dayton Arena on the morning of Saturday, Apr. 9, when Q, ESU’s indoor color guard, took the floor for their performance in the final round at the Winter Guard International world championships.

While this was Q’s fifth time competing at the world championships, it was the first year the team competed in the open class division.

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The Winter Guard International’s world championships are comprised of three different competitions: color guard, indoor drumlines and a newer indoor winds division, which is similar to outdoor marching band.

This is the second year that Q’s home has been ESU. The team’s roots are in Quakertown, Pa., where Q started out at Quakertown High School’s color guard.

In 2012, the team became independent and changed its name from Quakertown and shortening it to Q.

Having made the final round the past three years, they were promoted from A class to open class.

The show this year is entitled, “Coming Home.” The music that accompanies the performance is the soundtrack, “Coming Home” by John Legend and the folk song, “Danny Boy,” while cast members spin flags, sabres and rifles and incorporate modern dance choreography.

With vibrant red, white and blues on the flags, the members are spinning, while wearing army helmets and backpacks in the beginning of the show.

The story pays homage to American soldiers – both to the ones who do and sadly do not make it back home.

This year the team set out with the goal to make it to the final round, as that is extremely hard to make it into as the level of talent is so high at the world championships. Just making it into the top 15 is a feat within itself.

ESU junior psychology major Terry Eskow was on Q2 last year, the team which serves as training for Q.

She says the experience on Q this year “has truly been an amazing journey.”

Looking back on the hours of practice in preparation for the world championships, Eskow said while practicing her flag and dance work, “It took a lot of dedication, hours and hours of practice, and mental and physical strength.”

The moment the team found out that they made it to the final round the night before, she says, is truly a moment that she will never forget, and that is when she realized it had all been worth it.

With over forty teams in their class over the course of the three-day competition, Q placed 15th in the prestigious final round, an accomplishment Eskow says she will always remember.

Email Melissa at:
mvalentovi@live.esu.edu