Divisions
Percussion
Battery and front ensemble come together on the indoor floor — precision, musicianship, and design driving every performance.
Percussion in AIA
Greetings from the Percussion Coordinators for the Atlantic Indoor Association! Our role is to serve as a liaison between member units and the Governance Board for the circuit — anyone with questions or concerns about percussion in the circuit is welcome to reach out any time. We're also charged with furthering the development of the percussion side of the circuit, so if you have questions about procedures, best practices, or anything else, feel free to ask.
Look for this color and icon throughout the AIA site — anywhere you see them, you're looking at Percussion-specific information, from schedules and results to forms and resources.
Classifications
Classifying a unit is the responsibility of the instructional staff — AIA judges do not classify units. The Percussion Coordinator, Judging Coordinator, and Percussion Advisory Board are happy to help staffs think it through, but the initial decision belongs to unit instructors, based on an honest assessment of the unit's overall maturity: staffing and design experience, available instrumentation and equipment, performer experience level, and program history all factor in.
World Class
The elite units of the activity, setting national standards for performance and design. Very few World Class units exist nationally, and most compete at a WGI Regional and often WGI Championships.
Sound quality throughout the battery and pit is professional, amplification is expected, and floors/uniforms/props are professional and integral to show design. Technique is clearly defined in every section, with moments of technical virtuosity throughout and a strong sense of unit identity.
Open Class
Very experienced units that often compete at a WGI Regional and may compete at WGI Championships. Typically the upper echelon of the local circuit, without quite the professionalism or consistency of World Class.
Attention to detail in sound quality, training programs, and coordinated design is consistent. Defined performance techniques are demonstrated throughout, and most members show strong individual presence.
A Class
Units with varying levels of indoor experience, competing primarily within the local circuit. Sound quality and show cohesiveness can be inconsistent, and some performers may be new to their instruments.
Programs contain mostly basic skills with limited exposure to more advanced techniques. Group identity is often still developing and can fluctuate from year to year.
Regional A Class (PSRA)
For units less experienced in the indoor activity and/or working through a significant shift in staff or personnel — there's no time-based rule that determines this class, so a unit doesn't need to be brand-new to compete here.
Shows function primarily as training tools, emphasizing fundamental performance skills, logic, and clarity over production value. The Music and Visual composition subcaptions are weighted 25%, with performance quality weighted 75%, to reflect that focus.
Deciding on a classification? Staffs are encouraged to weigh things like: how many instructors are on staff, the staff's indoor design experience, available instrumentation and equipment quality, whether performers are on instruments they've played before, program longevity, and whether the unit/staff has attended or competed at a WGI Regional or Championships. Full classification guidance, including detailed skill-set descriptions for each class, is available in the Classification and PSRA Class educational articles below.
Judging Captions
Marching percussion ensembles are evaluated across four captions, each scored by its own judge (WGI events may run a "double panel" with two judges per caption).
30
Effect – Music
30
Music
20
Effect – Visual
20
Visual
Reclassification
WGI's guidance: if an ensemble displays skills used in the next higher class, WGI administration will meet with the instructional staff to discuss possible reclassification. If reclassified, the change happens immediately so the group can get input based on their current skill set. Ensembles displaying next-class skills are required to move up; ensembles in a higher class displaying lower-class skills are not forced down, but are encouraged to consider it.
AIA follows similar guidelines:
Units displaying skills competitive in the next higher class are referred by a judging panel to the AIA Percussion Advisory Board for potential reclassification.
Unit staffs provide a recent video to the Advisory Board, who then give feedback to the Percussion Judging Coordinator.
After deliberation, the region's Percussion Coordinator informs the unit staff of the Advisory Board's decision.
There is no cutoff date for percussion reclassification, and no single defined score that triggers it — high composition subcaption scores (high box 4–5) typically prompt a referral, while significantly low scores (mid-low box 2) may prompt a staff-initiated discussion about moving down.
A unit will never be forced to move down a class, but staffs can request reclassification to a lower class through the Governance Board, or request a second opinion from the Percussion Advisory Board.
Additional Resources
Percussion Timing Intervals
Reference document covering timing intervals for Percussion performances.
View DocumentWGI Copyright Requirements
WGI's guidance on copyright requirements for percussion performances.
View RequirementsClassification & PSRA Class Articles
Detailed educational articles covering classification guidance, the Regional A/PSRA class, and reclassification.
ClassificationPercussion Training
Shared training resources and materials for percussion staff and instructors.
View ResourcesWGI Rulebooks & Video Resources
WGI Percussion rulebooks are available under Resources in CompetitionSuite. WGI also offers educational video resources covering everything from show design to amplification.
Video ResourcesPercussion Coordinators
Questions about classification, reclassification, or anything else Percussion-related? Reach out to your regional coordinator via the Staff and Leadership page — for the fastest response, contact your regional coordinator directly.