Kennise McGertt captured a State Championship and Winter Guard International World Championship Glory

Kennise McGertt continues to ascend. 

The superstar Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community member has achieved yet another milestone, securing a spot on the Oasis Ensembles World Class Winter Guard team. 

Winter Guard is an international organization that produces competitions in indoor color guard, percussion and winds musical performances. Oasis Ensembles was founded in 2016 when the organization was a small Winter Guard team based out of Mesa High School. Over time, Oasis Ensembles has grown and expanded its community outreach to include the entertainment ensemble DareVite Entertainment Group, in addition to hosting several classes and training programs, like summer spin, the trainee program and superstition dance. 

The ensemble collective houses three specific groups of performers: the World Team, National A Team and Local A Team. 

Last September, McGertt auditioned and was selected to join the Oasis Ensembles World Team. The prestigious performance collective currently lists McGertt on their 2026 cast member roster on their website.

The audition process was fierce, but McGertt rose to the occasion, an attribute she has shown time after time, whether in and out of the classroom or now on the stage. 

“This is my first year being on Oasis Ensemble,” McGertt said. “I decided to audition because I wanted to start spinning again.” 

With nearly a decade of performing experience, McGertt expressed how she experienced moments of stress and nervousness at the beginning of her career when she was a freshman in high school. However, when her big brother Bryce taught her tips and tricks on how to successfully perform a routine, that proved to be a crucial turning point for her. 

“With [him helping me], he helped me find my confidence in spinning,” she said. 

She continued, “When I was 19, I was on the Oasis A Class. Now being 21 on the World Team, it was a big stepping stone,” she said. Her audition for the World Team was a two-day process, she said. 

McGertt said that it was the support of her family that helped ease her mind and helped her understand and refine her talents during that time. “I didn’t know if I was going to catch on fast enough. But, hearing encouraging words from my family telling me, ‘You were born for this’ and ‘You’re okay,’ that really helped me,” said McGertt with a smile. 

The World Team practices for most of the day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, putting in more than 30 hours of training over those three days. McGertt said she was able to juggle the long hours of practice by learning that “[Performing] is more of mental game, instead of a physical one. Having to be locked in during rehearsals is a need.”

Those long hours of rehearsal, combined with her motivation and drive to succeed, were well on display in March when her Oasis World Team won the 2026 Winter Guard Arizona State Championship.

What was the first thought she had when it was announced that her team had won the state title? A shock, followed by validation. “It took my breath away,” she admitted. “Just the amount of hard work we put in, it was very rewarding to win.” In fact, McGertt’s team didn’t only win the state championship, they etched their names into the history books too, as it was the first time Oasis Ensemble had ever won a state title. 

“Our show was called ‘Live, Breathe, Meditate.’ Our show that we put out there was to replicate what goes on in our brains,” she said. 

However, heavy is the head that wears the crown. The day after winning the first-ever state championship, McGertt and her team went to practice, reviewing film and learning how they could get better. 

The winning ways continued the following month as well. 

Traveling to Dayton, Ohio, in April, McGertt and her team performed at the Winter Guard International World Championship. “It was 30 or 40 degrees there. Everyone told me there, ‘It’s so nice outside,’ but I was freezing.”

Her mom Sonya and brother joined her in Dayton, supporting her along the way as her team advanced to the semifinals in the World Class division, another first for the ensemble group. 

So, what’s next for McGertt? More performances, more routines, as well as potentially auditioning for two out-of-state ensemble teams.

“I want to go out to California,” she said. “There is a team out in San Diego called Vox Artium. I really enjoy their shows. One of my dreams is to go and audition for them. I just want to experience what their teaching is like. That’s the biggest thing for me, learning from different people.”

McGertt said that there is also a performance group in New Jersey that she would like to audition for. 

With the world still at her fingertips, McGertt remains committed to her goals as she works on turning her dreams into reality. 

What would she say to those looking to start working toward accomplishing their dreams like she has? “Don’t limit yourself,” she said. “As long as you know what you want, go chase it. Your family will also be your biggest supporters.” 

For more information related to upcoming Oasis Ensemble performances, check out their website at www.oasisensembles.org/winterguard. 

Stay tuned for an upcoming OAN Podcast with Kennise McGertt.