Out of This World

by Jeannine Gage

At the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships, Oviedo High School’s Varsity Winter Guard proved it is a force to be reckoned with.

Part of Oviedo’s Band and Guard program, the team earned a score of 98.15 – the highest in its history – and won the WGI Scholastic Open Class World Championship this past spring in Dayton, Ohio. 

The victory not only made Oviedo the No. 1 Winter Guard team in its division, it also secured the program’s promotion to Scholastic World Class. Scholastic World is the highest level of competition offered through WGI (Winter Guard International) Sport of the Arts, a nonprofit organization that produces indoor color guard, percussion, and winds competitions.

Oviedo’s Winter Guard is a visual and dance ensemble that performs independently of the band in the winter and spring seasons. The team’s routines, set to recorded music, combine dance, theatrical performance, and equipment work using flags, rifles, and sabres.

Making His Voice Heard

Leading Oviedo’s Winter Guard program is co-director Michael James. A former professional dancer who performed at Walt Disney World and with modern dance companies in New York and Utah, Michael has spent more than four decades choreographing and designing guard performances for numerous schools.

Michael was in his high-school drum and bugle corps and was a drum major his senior year, but what he really loved was the way color guard infuses dance into its performances. After graduating, he pursued dancing as a career and began coaching color and winter guard teams.

“Dance was my first love,” says Michael. “And I enjoy creating. I enjoy having a particular voice in this activity.”

That voice has helped transform Oviedo’s Winter Guard into a national powerhouse. Michael, who arrived at the school in 2016, also credits co-director Stevenson Lumapas and technician Madison Sheib with the team’s success. Oviedo has steadily climbed the WGI rankings, reaching the top 15 at World Championships multiple times before claiming first place this year.

The team’s history-making performance this past spring featured a blend of contemporary dance, expressive storytelling, and intricate equipment work. But the most important element, Michael says, was dedication.

“What makes a good winter guard member is someone who’s dedicated, understands the process, and practices outside of rehearsal,” he says. “Practice is for you. Rehearsal is for the ensemble.”

Don’t Stop Believin’

Zoe Lapsley, a rising senior on the team, says that while Michael can be demanding, his high expectations come from a belief in his performers.

“He enjoys seeing what we are capable of and is always pushing us to do better,” says Zoe. “When someone on the team is doubting themselves, he always gives us a pep talk. He reminds us that if we weren’t capable of doing it, he wouldn’t have given it to us.”

Michael is also known for teaching lessons about perseverance, commitment, and delayed gratification – values he believes are increasingly important for today’s young people. After their championship performance, Michael reminded the Oviedo performers that their win was not luck.

“If you put the work in, you will start reaping the benefits,” he says. “All the blood, sweat, and tears – it will make sense.”

Zachary Chowning, Oviedo’s director of bands, believes Michael’s impact reaches far beyond this year’s title.

“Michael is one of the most prolific figures in the color guard world,” says Zachary. “He challenges students to achieve more than they think is possible and creates an environment where excellence becomes the standard.”