Show choir

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A show choir (sometimes called 'swing choir') is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.

A show choir performing (Monacan High School's 'Center Stage' from Richmond, Virginia, USA)

Contents

[edit] Location

Show choir is primarily a high school activity based in the United States, though it is a continually evolving art form that is regularly expanding to new areas including Toronto, Canada. Many middle schools and junior high schools have their own show choir as well, particularly throughout the American Midwest.

The main areas of focus include California and Great Lakes states (most notably Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota), but show choir has also found a home in various states, including as Nebraska, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, and West Virginia. Show choirs also exist at the collegiate level, albeit in far smaller numbers than their high-school counterparts, and in most cases adopting a slightly different format.

[edit] Technical aspect

While there is no standard requirement for the number of performers, show choirs typically contain between 30 and 60 singer/dancers.

Show choirs traditionally wear a costume, though the definition of what is considered a costume in show choir is very broad and ranges from jeans and a t-shirt to extravagant period clothing or flashy dance-wear. It can be very conservative (such as tuxedos and ball gowns) or very edgy (such as modern or revealing clothing). Additionally, many larger show choirs include two or more costumes in their show. Participants typically wear stage makeup and shoes conducive to dancing (often "character shoes").

The choir usually has a backup band (or "combo" if it includes horns) providing instrumental music to complement the voices. The band may be as small as a single pianist or be an entire rhythm section complete with bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, several brass instruments and occasionally strings.

The amount of props varies between choirs: some may have a large number to enhance the visual aspect of a show, while other groups use none at all. Similarly, some show choirs use basic theatrical lighting changes while others do not. The duties of caring for and distributing the props may be the responsibility of a technical crew. These are generally fellow students, and nearly always are clad in black so as to remain hidden. This technical (or "tech") crew may distribute the props while on or off stage, and may, if the music or choreography so dictate, include distributing the props as part of the show (examples: by acting as a character, dancing with the performers, or in an appropriate costume.)

Aside from choreographed dance movement, body language plays a key role in a show choir performance. Many show choir directors encourage the use of "facials", expressive movements of the face that assist in conveying the message of the song being performed. Facials may include dramatic representations of smiling, frowning, looks of surprise, or other emotive responses.

[edit] Competitions

Many show choirs participate in competitions, sometimes called "invitationals" (though most are not invitation-only events). These competitions are often held at the high school where the "host group" attends, though some events are held at auditoriums or other facilities that can accommodate larger crowds and provide better acoustic performance. Host schools usually do not compete in their own competitions as it is considered inappropriate to do so; most would consider this a conflict of interest. However, they will typically perform a non-competitive "exhibition show" for the audience before awards are announced.

Competitions can be as small as a showcase of a few groups from the immediate geographic area or they can hold as many as a 50 competing groups from multiple states. Because of the vast difference in sizes of the competitions, they can last a single afternoon or span an entire weekend. Competitions may separate competing choirs into different divisions. These divisions are often determined by age, skill level, size of school, and/or gender of the participants. The different divisions may take place at a different time, a different day, or at a different location, usually within the same school, or venue as the other competitions.

Some states' high school music associations require that a competition be sanctioned by their guidelines. In some states - most notably Iowa - if competitions are held without a sanction, the host school or district can lose privileges from the music association for a number of years. Due to the differences in rules between state music associations, controversies can arise stemming from rule violations that may not have been made clear.

Although competitions are a showcase for the arts, they also function as fundraising events for the group who hosts. Show choir competitions can bring in very large amounts of profit if well-planned, well-publicized, and well-attended by performing groups and spectators. Because many competitions can run an entire day or more, most competitions offer concessions for sale and take in profit from those sales as well. These profits go directly to support the group, while the events are run by volunteers from the host school. The largest of show choir competitions can draw between 3,000 and 7,000 spectators over the course of the event.

Whereas competitions reward groups based on their performances, another kind of show choir event exists called a "festival." Sometimes the term festival is used incorrectly when referencing a competition, because true festivals are not competitive events. More common in California than in the rest of the country, festivals bring together multiple choirs from many different schools and allow groups to perform solely for their own experience and for the entertainment of the spectators and other choirs. There is no scoring or rankings of any kind, though many times clinicians will be present to provide written and/or verbal critique to each show choir, suggesting things they did well and ways they can improve their performance.

For approximately the past 25 years, "National Competitions" have become a prized destination for many show choirs. These events, typically held in a tourist destination such as Orlando, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, Branson, Missouri, Chicago, Illinois, or New York City draw choirs from all over the nation and offer the opportunity for groups to compete against other choirs from outside their normal circuits. These competitions are hosted by for-profit companies (not affiliated with any high school) that sell complete trips and packages to the participating choirs. Some of these events do offer a performance from a designated "host choir" as well, though their duties are usually little more than an exhibition (non-competitive) performance for the other competing groups. Choirs who take home top honors at a "national competition" often like to declare that they are the "best in the nation," though no definitive national award truly exists.

In March 2005, Indiana became the first state to hold a high school show choir "State Championship" contest. The contest was held at Butler University's "Clowes Hall" in Indianapolis, IN. As a result, North Central High School was crowned the first Indiana "State Champion" show choir. In 2006, the contest was moved to Emens Auditorium at Ball State University in Muncie, and again in 2008 to Lawrence Central High School. The second change of venue was made by the Indiana State School Music Association in order to cut costs. This school was chosen due to its central location, and large auditorium. In 2009, the contest was split into two classes in an attempt to give smaller schools a chance at a state title, similar to the state's athletic championships. One class was for larger competing schools (Class A), and one class was for smaller competing schools (Class B). Since the contest began in 2005 only 3 different schools have earned a "State Champion title (North Central High School, Carmel High School, and Dekalb High School).

[edit] Eligibility requirements

Many show choir members are selected by audition where only students with reasonable singing and dancing ability can join. A fee is also usually involved to cover the high expenses of travel and wardrobe (see technical aspect). Show choirs may practice during school hours, outside of school hours, or a combination of the two depending on the level of support from the associated school. Show choirs, like any activity, require dedication and practice to improve performance.

In some places, there are also community show choirs which are not associated with any particular school. While these types of groups are much more rare, they follow many of the same patterns as their school counterparts. There is some controversy about community show choirs, however, as they are often accused of "draining" kids away from their own school programs, leaving both groups with a compromised roster both in number and in talent. In areas where it is difficult to get a large group of students to come together to rehearse, the presence of community show choirs compounds the problem even more. However, because community show choirs often do not have to adhere to the strict rules of a school district, they are often more free to push the creative envelope on stage.

[edit] Characteristics of a performance

Most show choir "shows" or "sets" consist of a variety of songs, often including several choreographed, fast-paced pieces and one slower piece performed with limited or no choreography. This slower number - usually a ballad - exists primarily to showcase the ensemble's singing ability. In California, it is a requirement that at least one minute of any one set be sung a cappella (it is usually one full song in the set), though this is not a standard in the rest of the country. More often than not, the a cappella selection is also the ballad, as it is much easier to sing unaccompanied while holding relatively still.

Within a song, vocal lines typically alternate between unison or octave singing, and two-or-more-part polyphonic harmony. Songs are chosen, adapted, and arranged from a variety of sources including popular music, jazz standards, and Broadway musicals, but rarely make use of classical music. Additionally, there is often at least one solo in each performance by a standout singer in the group.

Competitive performance sets range in length, but are usually timed to total just under seventeen minutes on the West Coast and twenty minutes in the other regions. Shows consist of approximately five songs.

[edit] In the media

The cable television network MTV announced in October 2006 that it would tape an eight-episode reality TV series, Show Choir, following Morgantown, West Virginia's Morgantown High School show choir. The show was scheduled to premiere Spring 2007.[1][2][3] It has yet to air, and no plans have been announced to reschedule that program.

In Nickelodeon's Spectacular!, the main character, Nikko, joins a show choir.

Show Choir! - The Musical by Mark McDaniels and Donald Garverick made its premiere at the 2007 New York International Fringe Festival. The original musical comedy was awarded two awards for Overall Excellence. After a very successful reading in November 2008, the musical is actively making its way to Broadway.

The plot line of the new television series Glee revolves around a fictional high school show choir.

[edit] Notable Former Show Choir Members

[edit] References

  1. ^ Reuters/Hollywood Reporter via Yahoo! (Oct. 4, 2006): "MTV to probe 'Underage' newlyweds, 'Show Choir'
  2. ^ WBOY.com (May 25, 2006) "Lights, Camera, Action at MHS!" by Lauren Hills
  3. ^ Monongalia County Schools (untitled article on Show Choir)
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