GC. Totino-Grace "Company of Singers"
1RU. Waconia "Power Company"
2RU. Urbandale "Studio 2010"
3RU. Omaha Westside "Amazing Technicolor Show Choir"
4RU. Onalaska "Hilltopers"
5RU. Bloomington Kennedy "Rhythm in Gold"
I think it will be very close between Waconia and Urbandale. Totino will probably sweep, but Waconia has a chance for band and Urbandale has a chance for vocals. Should be a fantastic competition.
GC: Totino-Grace - Company of Singers
1RU: Waconia - Power Company
2RU: Omaha Westside - Amazing Technicolor Show Choir
3RU: Urbandale - Studio
4RU: Onalaska - Hilltoppers
5RU: Kennedy - Rhythm in Gold
Best Band: Totino-Grace
Best Vocals: Totino-Grace
Best Choreography: Totino-Grace
After seeing shows this weekend at Star Power and doing some more thinking, my opinions have changed, and because of the rule regarding prep show choirs that has been recently brought to my attention, my new predictions are listed below.
Waconia Sweep (Although I wouldn't put it past Watt to grab Best Band out from underneath them again.)
Best Male Soloist: Tucker from Totino (I'm laughing at the alliteration. )
Best Female Soloist: AnnMarie from Power Company (This one rhymes! And it's funny as well. What now, Max?!)
Prep Divison:
1ST: Vitality
2ND: La Voce Ballo
3RD: Jive
just sayin...but according to the schedule La Voce Ballo isnt even competing at Hastingss....haha
Best Male Soloist: Tucker from Totino (I'm laughing at the alliteration. )
Best Female Soloist: AnnMarie from Power Company (This one rhymes! And it's funny as well. What now, Max?!)
Best Male Soloist: Tucker from Totino (I'm laughing at the alliteration. )
Best Female Soloist: AnnMarie from Power Company (This one's got the alliteration at the end of the words? I don't know what that's called, but it's funny as well.)
Best Band: Waconia
Best Choreography: Totino
Best Vocals: Totino
Prep Division:
1ST: Vitality
2ND: The Current
3RD: Testostertones
Can't wait to see/hear how this one turns out.
After seeing shows this weekend at Star Power and doing some more thinking, my opinions have changed, and because of the rule regarding prep show choirs that has been recently brought to my attention, my new predictions are listed below.
Waconia Sweep (Although I wouldn't put it past Watt to grab Best Band out from underneath them again.)
Best Male Soloist: Tucker from Totino (I'm laughing at the alliteration. )
Best Female Soloist: AnnMarie from Power Company (This one rhymes! And it's funny as well. What now, Max?!)
Could we perhaps take the topic of prep groups vs varsity groups, etc to a separate forum and not on the Hastings forum? I want to read people's thoughts on the choirs competiting but I have to filter through all of this stuff. Just an idea.
I agree. If you're going to throw groups from different divisions together for finals, they may as well just all be competing against each other to begin with.
I actually think having single gender and prep groups competing in separate divisions then meeting the other division champs in finals makes more sense. I think it's awesome that choirs can compete against similar choirs of the same class, find out who's the best of that division, then go on to try and duke it out with the other top groups of other divisions. Even if some of the prep/single gender groups don't always come out on top, they know for sure that they're still an amazing choir in relation to their division.
If they were all competing in prelims without the separation of division, most prep/single gender groups wouldn't have a chance of making finals at all and would forget about the competitive spirit. The few prep/single gender groups that are truly at the same playing level as varsity mixed groups could hardly be called prep groups, because they would already be prepared for varsity class competition. That's not exactly a problem for single gender groups, because not all of them are in existence for the same reason as prep groups, but even so, the reason they compete in a lower class than varsity mixed is so they can grow as performers through the thrill of competition.
I agree, I think itd be a great idea to have seperate brackets or maybe even separate competitions? for all mixed groups, and all single gender groups.
I agree. If you're going to throw groups from different divisions together for finals, they may as well just all be competing against each other to begin with.
I agree, I think itd be a great idea to have seperate brackets or maybe even separate competitions? for all mixed groups, and all single gender groups.
This may be a regional difference, but in the Midwest single-gender groups are usually eligible to qualify for finals along with mixed groups. There they would compete for spots among the top six, or however many finalists there are.
You're correct. However, that's beginning to change in Indiana. Franklin Central, Pike, Ben Davis, and possibly a few others have started doing the top five mixed groups for finals, PLUS the top 3 ladies groups in a separate finals. It makes for a longer evening, but seems fair and equitable to me. The reason there are 5 versus 3 is simply because there are usually 10-13 mixed groups, while only 5-8 ladies groups.
This may be a regional difference, but in the Midwest single-gender groups are usually eligible to qualify for finals along with mixed groups. There they would compete for spots among the top six, or however many finalists there are.
It looks to me like they're competing in the preliminary division here together, not just finals.
Also, I'm aware that it happens. It's just my personal opinion that it shouldn't. Vocal structure and range are completely different between a SATB choir and a single-gender group, and the physical relationship between members onstage presents a completely different dynamic. They both have their place, but are not equal entities. To judge them in an equal setting, to me, is inappropriate.
That brings up another good point; my big problem with groups from different divisions making finals together (be it mixed, single-gender, or otherwise) is that in doing so, you are saying that you are judging them all across one level playing field. In other words, 800 points in the Advanced Mixed division is equal to 800 points in the prep division. We all know that isn't true. Judges don't want to score the more novice groups at 200/1000 (because it would be offensive, hurtful, demeaning, whatever), so they adjust their rubric to score the groups in the division against each other while normalizing the output (subconsciously or not). This would be fine if the divisions were isolated, but then you throw that all out the window when you start taking groups from different divisions into finals together. All of a sudden, the novice group that got 800 points edges out an advanced group from their finals spot who earned 790 points in their division. And, yes, I know that typically the scores in prep divisions are overall slightly lower than what the more advanced divisions receive, but not linearly so. Judges only use a small portion of their scoresheets to grade groups (yet another problem), so the margins become tight and unbalanced.
Also, single-gender groups shouldn't ever be competing against mixed groups, so your last sentence confuses me.
This may be a regional difference, but in the Midwest single-gender groups are usually eligible to qualify for finals along with mixed groups. There they would compete for spots among the top six, or however many finalists there are.
Hastings Swingin' on the River 2011
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If you're going to throw groups from different divisions together for finals, they may as well just all be competing against each other to begin with.
