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. Two groups of touring performers, Up with People and the Young Americans, toured heavily throughout the country, performing what could be called the show choir concept. When students and directors of the day saw these organizations, they would, in turn, start similar groups at their high schools.
Two collegiate groups which have influenced the show choir idiom are Indiana University's Singing Hoosiers and the University Singers of Ball State University. These groups are credited as being a catalyst for the proliferation of show choir groups in the Midwest during the 1970s. At the time, both groups took part in extended performance tours of the United States as well as international locations.
The first high school show choir invitational was held in 1974 at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The event, known as the "Luers Midwest Swing Choir Invitational", was regarded for nearly twenty years as one of the most prestigious competitions on the show choir circuit. On several occasions, the Bishop Luers invitational was taped by PBS and aired throughout the nation. Now known as the "Bishop Luers Midwest Show Choir Invitational", the competition continues to be held each spring; the 2008 event will be held on Saturday, March 8th.
Other competitions soon emerged, including those held at Watseka High School (IL), Onalaska High School (WI), Center Grove (IN), Pekin High School (IL), Delta High School (IN), and Mt. Zion (IL). Show choir events in the Southern California area were initiated at approximately the same point.
[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 such as Toronto, Canada with its only show choir (called the "Northern Lights"). 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 the Midwest and Great Lakes states (most notably Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota), but show choir has also found several homes in states, such as Nebraska, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, West Virginia, and California. 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. Show choir has also evolved into the college scene.
[edit] Technical aspect
Show Choirs can have a wide range of performers, but usually they contain between 30-60 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). Many larger show choirs include two or more costumes in their show, but Pacific choirs rarely change costumes multiple times. 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 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. The duties of caring for and distributing the props may be the responsibility of the "Technical crew". These are generally fellow students, and nearly always are clad in black so as to remain hidden. The 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 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 50 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, 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, 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 one single "show choir national" award exists.
[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 3 minutes of any one set be sung a capella (it is usually one song of the set), 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 they can range anywhere from two-part (harmony) singing to complex, 12- or 16-part polyphonic harmony. 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
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]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Reuters/Hollywood Reporter via Yahoo! (Oct. 4, 2006): "MTV to probe 'Underage' newlyweds, 'Show Choir'
- ^ WBOY.com (May 25, 2006) "Lights, Camera, Action at MHS!" by Lauren Hills
- ^ Monongalia County Schools (untitled article on Show Choir)
