Lights, Camera, Action: Show Choir Amps Up for 2016-2017 Season

Senior+Thomas+Ferro+performs+with+Sound+FX.

Rosie Gomez

Senior Thomas Ferro performs with Sound FX.

Kylie Carrier, Staff Reporter

Show Choir is ready to breakout the costumes and zoom into the 2016-2017 season. They are prepared to dance and sing for whoever is willing to listen.

Senior Thomas Ferro, one of the Show Choir dance captains, said he enjoys Show Choir because “[he] gets a lot of really positive singing notes and dancing notes.”

He also enjoys “learning how to dance differently than [he] thought [he] really could before.”

For these Show Choir students, dancing, singing and performing are some of their favorite activities to do, and they aim to show this energy to their audience in their performances.

“A lot of commitment pays off. I also learned how to adapt to change when our Show Choir director left my junior year and was replaced by our current choir director. It was a really tough change for everyone involved, but we all love our new choir director,” said Annie McGrath, senior.

No matter what the circumstances are, Show Choir allows students to express their talents and rhythm in the performing arts, and it also allows many who have aspired to be performers to live out this dream.

“The basic purpose is to have a place for people to grow as performers, dancers and singers. Not all of Show Choir alumni go on to become musicians, but there is a fair number that do,” said McGrath.

Show Choir at MHS is made up of three different groups– Lights, Sound FX and Sound.

Lights is the all-girls group known for their fancy performance costumes, usually with sequins and popping pinks. They also bring sass and affection to their stage performances.

This year, Lights has chosen a theme called “The Elements,” which includes songs called “Skyfall/Set Fire to the Rain” melody, “Bottom of the River”, “Flight” and “Chasing the Sunrise”.  The songs represent the natural elements of water, earth, wind and fire.

They are also including different kinds of dance moves than usual.

“This year’s show is unique because there are more elements of modern-type dance, which is not usually presented in a Show Choir show,” mentioned one of the choir directors Stevee Bellas.

The dance moves incorporated in the show also have a jazz element to them in order to show excitement as well as the talent students are capable of. The dance moves consist of repetitive arm movements, spins and emotion through their bodies.

“We incorporate all types of dance in Show Choir, including modern, tap and jazz, but a majority of the dance style used in the show is musical theatre,” said McGrath.

Members said they work hard to get into the performance with great feeling.

“Having a good work ethic and helping other team members pays off especially at competitions,” said McGrath.

Friendships, work ethic and dedication have become known among the members as the key parts of the Show Choir program.

“This gives the students a great opportunity to work together to build strong relationships, which assists in the process of preparing a Show Choir show,” said Bellas.

Known for their fun and enjoyable performances, Sound FX started its twelfth season this year and continues to grow in their success each year.  Last year they brought home several awards, as did the other Show Choir groups.

At the 2015-16 Chocolate City showcase, Sound FX won fifth runner up (Competition Class), Lights member Bella Canela, junior, won best female vocalist (Prep Division), and Sound FX earned the title of grand champions (Prep Division) and the award of First Runner Up (Competition Class). Sound FX member Dominic Cappuccilli was named Best Male Vocalist (Prep Division).

To accomplish such feats, all the groups work to find their talents and to improve on their weaknesses, but the all-male group, which usually performances dressed in black suits and ties, has one key advantage.

“It is really unique because there aren’t a lot of guy groups in the country,” said Ferro.

This season, the group has developed the theme “Sing” with the word “sing” in all of their songs.

The first song they chose is called “Sing” by Pentatonix. They also will be singing a Broadway piece called “Singing in the Rain.” The final song is called “Sing Sing Sing”, a jazzy, upbeat performance with fun dance moves involving turns, jumps and partner work.

Finally, the last group is Sound– a mixture of male and female students. The men wear the black polished suits and ties while the ladies wear different light pink dresses to contrast against the black.

The theme given to this group this year revolves around the concept of finding love. They are incorporating songs, such as “That’s How You Know” and “Just Haven’t Met You Yet”.

Show Choir is the type of group that wants others to join in on the fun.

“The Show Choir program at MHS is an energetic and fun place to learn about singing and dancing and to apply those new skills during competition season,” said Bellas.

Those interested in joining can audition in May for the following school year.  Students who join Show Choir also must participate in another “concert” ensemble, such as band or choir.

“My experience in Show Choir taught me a lot about work ethic and teamwork,” said McGrath. “Since freshman year, I have been dedicated to rehearsing at least three times a week, and in sophomore year, I joined Sound which turned that into five times a week.”

The three Show Choir groups continue to share their organization with the community in order to show the positives of the program.

Ferro said, “My Show Choir experience has had an extremely positive impact on me. It has taught me how to work in a group and has given me good connections with the teachers.”