Show choir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.
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[edit] History
Show choir began as an activity in the United States during the mid-1960s, though cultural historians have been unable to determine the true "first" show choir. Growth started heavily in the Midwest following the founding of Indiana University's Singing Hoosiers and the University Singers of Ball State University, and in Southern California after the 1962 founding of The Young Americans in Los Angeles. The first high school show choir invitational was held at Bishop Luers High School, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1974. Currently the Mundelein Sound and Lights are the reigning champions of this competition.
[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. Many middle schools and junior high schools have their own show choir as well, particularly throughout the American Midwest, especially throughout the Great Lakes states, Minnesota, and Iowa. 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. A few scattered show choirs exist internationally, most notably in Canada. Show choirs seldom have more than 50 singer/dancers.
[edit] Technical Aspect
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). Many larger show choirs include two or more costumes in their show. Participants typically wear stage makeup and shoes conducive to dancing (often called "character shoes" or "dance shoes"). Most costuming is brightly colored, often with sequins.
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 comprised of an entire rhythm section complete with bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, and several brass instruments. 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.
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 do not compete in their own competitions; it is considered inappropriate to do so. However, they will typically perform a non-competitive "exhibition show" for the audience at some point during the day.
Competitions can be as small as a showcase of 6 competing groups from the immediate geographic area or they can hold as many as a 80 competing groups from multiple states all across the country. Because of the vast difference in sizes of the competitions, they can last a single afternoon or span an entire weekend. Many of the larger events separate choirs into divisions of different skill levels with the younger/intermediate choirs going first and the advanced, more experienced groups finishing the evening. If Jr. High/Middle school choirs attend a high school level competition, they are often placed on a separate day previous to the high school performances.
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, but a 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.
In the last few decades, a crop of several "national competitions" have also begun to surface throughout the country. These events, typically held in a tourist destination such as Orlando, Florida, 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 true, standardized "show choir national" award exists. The show choir nationals of 2007, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee, resulted in the Mundelein Lights becoming champions in the all female division. The Enterprise Encores won the male and female division.
[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 of kids 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 specifically to showcase the ensemble's singing ability. In California, it is a requirement that at least one number be sung a capella, though this is not a standard in the rest of the country. More often than not, the a capella 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) singing. Songs are chosen, adapted, and arranged from a variety of sources including popular music, jazz standards, and Broadway musicals, but rarely making 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 fifteen minutes on the West Coast and twenty minutes in the other regions. Shows consist of approximately five songs.
[edit] In the Media
MTV is currently planning a new documentary series, "MTV Show Choir," scheduled to premiere in Spring 2007. The series, featuring the Morgantown High School "Images" in Morgantown, WV, is currently in production. The series will be produced by World of Wonder productions.
[edit] External links
- Show Choir Community
- Ball State University Archives Links to photographs and finding aids for related materials
- Show Choir Iowa
