The chair step is a type of high step used by

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, ofte ...

s. This step is named because of the resemblance of the

leg A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ca ...

in action to a leg's position when sitting in a

chair A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...

. It is primarily used by bands that brand themselves as traditional-style bands. Nearly all bands in the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

use this style. It is also common in

Midwestern The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

high school marching bands, most of which are heavily influenced by Big Ten bands. The chair step is very visual and emphasizes leg movement with a slight pause in each step, during which the thigh of the action leg may raise to as high as parallel to the ground, with the lower part of the leg and foot remaining perpendicular to the ground. As with the ankle knee step, the toe is the last part of the foot to leave the ground and the first to reconnect. One element of chair step highlighted by many bands is a horn flip or swagger that is executed during the march.

Variances

Some bands, such as the

University of Minnesota Marching Band The University of Minnesota Marching Band (also known as UMMB, Minnesota Marching Band, and The Pride of Minnesota) is the marching band of the University of Minnesota and the flagship university band for the state of Minnesota. The Pride of Minne ...

, will bend the leg at the knee at a 90-degree angle during the game, and a 45-degree angle during parades. Others, such as the

Purdue All-American Marching Band The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band (or AAMB) is the marching band of Purdue University and the main source of auxiliary entertainment for Purdue Boilermakers football games. The AAMB is also the official band of the Indianapolis 500 race, hav ...

will use a combination of the two. The

University of Wisconsin Marching Band The University of Wisconsin Marching Band (also known as Badger Band, and The Wisconsin Band) is the marching band for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was formed in the fall of 1885 to support the university military battalion. Tod ...

uses a unique version where the leg is brought up extremely quickly and pauses at the height of the step. This is known as "stop at the top."

University Bands that use the chair step

* Bowling Green State University Marching Band (Bowling Green State University) *

(Purdue University) *

Penn State Blue Band The Pennsylvania State University Marching Blue Band, known generally as the Blue Band, is the marching band of Pennsylvania State University. Founded in 1899, it is the largest recognized student organization at the University Park campus o ...

(Pennsylvania State University) *

Marching Illini The Marching Illini (MI) is the marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 400 students enrolled in the University of Illinois. Part of the College of ...

(University of Illinois) * Indiana University Marching Hundred (Indiana University) * The Pride of Minnesota (University of Minnesota) *

The Ohio State University Marching Band The Ohio State University Marching Band (OSUMB) is a university marching band named for and a part of the Ohio State University. The band, popularly nicknamed The Best Damn Band in the Land (TBDBITL), performs at football games and other events d ...

(Ohio State University) * Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band (Michigan State University) *

Michigan Marching Band The Michigan Marching Band (also known as the University of Michigan Marching Band or simply MMB) is the official marching band of the University of Michigan. The band performs at all Michigan Wolverines football home games, select away games, and ...

(University of Michigan) * Northwestern Wildcat Marching Band (Northwestern University) * Iowa State University Cyclone Football "Varsity" Marching Band (Iowa State University) *

Hawkeye Marching Band The Hawkeye Marching Band (or HMB) is the marching band for the University of Iowa. The band performs at all home Hawkeye football games at Kinnick Stadium in addition to other events. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at t ...

(University of Iowa) * University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band (University of Nebraska) * Band of the Fighting Irish (The University of Notre Dame) *

Marching Chiefs The Florida State University Marching Chiefs is the official marching band of the Florida State University. The band has served in this capacity since the 1940s and continues to perform at all home football games as well as several away games eac ...

(Florida State University) *

University of California Marching Band The University of California Marching Band, usually shortened to Cal Band, is the marching band for the University of California, Berkeley. While it is administered under the auspices of the university, the Cal Band is student-run and represents C ...

(University of California, Berkeley) * University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band (University of Southern California) *

University of Washington Husky Marching Band The University of Washington Husky Marching Band (Husky Band, or HMB) is the marching band of the University of Washington. A 240-member ensemble, HMB is one of the few bands outside the Big Ten Conference to use the traditional chair step style ...

(University of Washington) * California Aggie Marching Band-uh (University of California, Davis) *

University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band The University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band, or Pitt Band, is the college marching band at the University of Pittsburgh. The band numbers over 300 students consisting of instrumentalists, a majorette squad known as the Golden Girls, a color ...

(University of Pittsburgh) * The Pride of Ohio (University of Akron) *

Kansas State University Marching Band The Kansas State University Marching Band, also known as "The Pride of Wildcat Land" or just The Pride, is a 400+ piece marching band consisting of woodwinds, brass, percussion, color guard, dancers, and twirlers. It is the official band of Kansa ...

(Kansas State University) *

Ohio University Marching 110 Ohio University Marching 110 is the official marching band of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, founded in 1923. The nickname ''Marching 110'' is a reference to the band's original number of members. The 2017 band consists of 240 members. It repre ...

(Ohio University) * CMU Marching Band (Central Michigan University) *

Goin' Band from Raiderland The Goin' Band from Raiderland is the 375-member marching band of Texas Tech University. History The Goin' Band from Raiderland, originally known as The Matador Band, is nearly as old as Texas Tech itself. Under the direction of W. Waghorne, it ...

(Texas Tech University) *

Southern Methodist University Mustang Band The Southern Methodist University Mustang Band, known as the "Best Dressed Band in the Land" because of its 32 unique uniforms,

(Southern Methodist University)

References

{{marching-band-stub Marching bands Military marching

Variances

University Bands that use the chair step

See also

References