What people dont realize is over half the group is brand new!!! Freshmen and Sophmores! This was a tough year but i think they did great!! I loved the show! And i am so proud of the way the performed! 6th place by 2 points! not bad really!! PS. as a former Varsity Singer I'd have to say "jason" "i never got the choreo you gave them" loved it!!!
Alright, So the first thing I would like to mention... Is that as you saw in my post above, i didn't have HN in my top 5 either. I wanted them to win this one so bad and I really think that if they had been given a run at finals they could have pulled together like Huntington North, and been top 3 here.
I think Huntington North has everything that they had last year. They have a great show, they have the Huntington North sound that we all know so well, and the choreography is fitting. I think what hurt HN today was their combo. I don't know why, but the entire show, the horns (which are usually so well balanced) were covering the choir immensely. I also noticed that during the entire show the bass guitar was pretty much muffling any sound from the men. There were moments when it was very clear that HN had what it took, but i think the sloppiness of the choreography, and the band covering their vocals just murdered them.
Since, no one seems to have a problem with posting books worth of worthless opinions... Here we go.
North Central - WOW! All i can say, is wow. Your show this year is SO unique. Outside the box in nearly every way i can think of, from the format to the vocal sound, to the choreo WHICH IS SO WICKED! Way to go Woody! This is your best stuff yet in my opinion. We all know i started the "Carmel best in the history of blah blah" right... Well they are going to have to Bring it a LOT harder this year if they're going to compete with that. If you ask me, North Central has completely altered the future of show choir with this set.
Warren Central - What a power house you guys are becoming! Every year the vocals get better and better. What i'm NOT too sure about, is the choreography. I loved the show, and think you performed it nearly to perfection, but i never saw anything WOW about your choreography, or your show. It was very pleasant, and very well performed... But the only thing other than your execution that could have been "WOW" was the "stepping" in the closer. I felt this was nearly identical to North Central's 2006 closer "stepping". Then it seemed to turn a little bit into a gimmick. You're Incredible without them! I kind of felt the tumbling was just in the way of the flow of your show.
FC - I think this year's show is really fantastic! The vocals are Very nice, you have a very subtle grace about you that really makes the show work. It was nice to hear a choir use dynamics to their full advantage today, it seemed everyone was trying to "out loud" each other tonight, and you came in very cool and with class and made it look easy! I think the choreo is REALLY effective this year, and you danced nearly the entire time... You were my pick for best choreo before i saw NC. 2nd for me in vocals Only to north central.
Dekalb - I LOVE the energy that you have every single year. Your shows are always so much fun to watch! You all look like you're having so much fun that it's really hard to say anything negative. The choreo is clean, and the energy is great. I worry a little bit that your vocals push to "shouty" sometimes though...
Pike - Wow! you've come really far! This year's show is a huge step from last years show and the pike that we competed with when i was around! Keep up the hard work!
So i just got back from prelims at Ben Davis and it was so much fun.
My results after prelims were as follows
GC: North Central by a huge margin. More on this later
1RU: Franklin Central/Warren Central
2RU: Warren Central/ Franklin Central (So close i can't even explain)
3RU: Dekalb
4RU: Pike
My friend at the comp called me to say how shocked he was that HN didn't make it, he had them in the top 4. He also said they weren't as strong as the last few years, but still shocked that they didn't make it. Tough break...
Honestly, I am just rooting for Huntington North. I love their shows and I would really love to see them excel at this competition.
From what I have heard, NC is a little behind in the sense of needing more rehearsal time, but they will always come through with strong vocals. I have also heard that the show concept is very different from last year's show. I do know they are excited to present this show and I can't wait to see them compete tomorrow.
I also can't wait to see Warren and Franklin Central this year.
No matter what happens, this is going to be a GREAT competition. I just wish I could be at the Center Grove competition at the same time!
Awesome! Well, i am "pianoman012688" on youtube that posted all of the HN Videos... So i obviously would LOVE to see them win a big comp like this again!
dont forget to take into consideration that no choir...not even an NC or Carmel...sounds as good on a video. especially a video off of a digital camera. And judges arent going to knock a choir because of simple arrangements...just HOW they SING the arrangements.
Actually there are most definitely point categories for difficulty... and where is the dancing?
Well good, I don't know though... You were really talkin up pike too but those videos don't really show anything too wonderful...
They're fairly clean, they're in tune, they have a solid sound... But i still think they sound and look very young...
The Choreo is pretty simplistic (jared voss) and the arrangements are pretty simple as well.
dont forget to take into consideration that no choir...not even an NC or Carmel...sounds as good on a video. especially a video off of a digital camera. And judges arent going to knock a choir because of simple arrangements...just HOW they SING the arrangements.
Oh you need to pm me right now and tell me what you know that i don't... haha!
I would LOVE to see HN win out over NC, but i'd think 4th is a REAAAAAALLY bold prediction unless you have info that the rest of us dont. I DO know that everyone thinks NC's 2006 show was the bomb, which it was... But in my opinion they kinda slipped in 2006. 2005 i think was technically one of their best shows ever, though 2006 had that showstopping energy we all love NC so much for. 2007 and 2008 to me were kind of like lafayette Jefferson's 2005 and 2006 shows... The show design and idea, the direction and choreography were all there, but i think they just graduated too many kids out the year before to keep it up. 2007's "The Color Purple" show really didn't do it for me though the vocals were there, i just didn't think it felt like a North Central show, and 2008 i thought was, to be honest, Nothing but a gimmick.
I guess if i really think about it, the trend does kind of put them low on the list.
Also, from what i've heard from a few of the few friends i still speak with at FC, they've made some big strides in the past week of rehearsals and are pretty pumped to show what they can do...
I think the results to this could go SO MANY WAYS
I could see all of these groups being in the top 3, and am excited to see how pike and Warren Central do.
They have always been 2 of my favorite underdogs and if Mr. Hawkins at Warren Central has kept the program progressing the way it has over the past 2 years, they could have a shot at GC.
Wow... i'm excited!
It's been a long time since things have been this tight in indy!
Honestly, I am just rooting for Huntington North. I love their shows and I would really love to see them excel at this competition.
From what I have heard, NC is a little behind in the sense of needing more rehearsal time, but they will always come through with strong vocals. I have also heard that the show concept is very different from last year's show. I do know they are excited to present this show and I can't wait to see them compete tomorrow.
I also can't wait to see Warren and Franklin Central this year.
No matter what happens, this is going to be a GREAT competition. I just wish I could be at the Center Grove competition at the same time!
1. North Central
2. Huntington North
3. Franklin Central
4. Pike
5. Warren Central
I am also, purely basing this off of past years. Last year North Central, in my opinion had an amazing show, as did FC. Huntington North is always VERY clean. I've seen Pike and Warren Cenral this year and Pike has potential for a great season. They had AMAZING energy at the Warren Central Competition. Warren Central also could do very well this year.
Grand Champions: North Central- Just purely based on reputation and the fact that "down years" don't really exist for them.
1st Runner-up: Franklin Central- I think that they will be "up there" they have losses to Marysville, Buffalo Grove, and Waubonsie Valley... those are tough group. They did win against Twinsburg. I think they will do well.
2nd Runner-up: Huntington North- One of my top 5 Indiana groups and they usually do well and I think they will do well again.
3rd Runner-up: Dekalb- Plain and simple... EXPERIENCE. They beat Olentangy this year and have a few competitions under their belt.
4th Runner-up: Warren Central- Vocals should carry them into finals.
Highland will have a tough time getting in performing before lunch.
Pike has an advantage performing so late but they better make it good.
The director at Warren Central is Dustin Podgorski now. and IMO, he has taken Warren to new heights. If you thought warren was improving b4, the next few years for them are going to be great.
Well good, I don't know though... You were really talkin up pike too but those videos don't really show anything too wonderful...
They're fairly clean, they're in tune, they have a solid sound... But i still think they sound and look very young...
The Choreo is pretty simplistic (jared voss) and the arrangements are pretty simple as well.
My new predictions:
GC: Huntington North
1RU: Warren Central
2RU: North Central
3RU: Franklin Central
4RU: Pike/Anderson Highland
Ben Davis Giant Spectacular 2009
