Center Grove.... you guys were AMAZING!!!! I loved hosting you! Let me tell you, performing at the night show with you guys RIGHT in front of me the whole time was AMAZING! I hope you all had a great time and good luck to you as well as EVERYONE else on the rest of their comp season.
Even though we left early, I was crying beacuse of my shoulder pain, and 2 of our crew guys were hurt(One is still on crutches), I still had a lot of fun. I didn't see many groups, but I did see Carroll, and I loved your show, and "Show Choir Lament" was the absolute best.
And our hosts were soooo nice. Miss ya already Shelby!!
Charisma was amazing also. I loooooved your opener. I'm a diehard Styx fan.
Thanks so much for the wonderful hospitality Northrop, it was a great competition! We don't hold any grudge about the mix-up at the awards ceremony I only wish that I would have seen more of the groups perform, being a chaperone...sometimes you don't get to see many of the groups plus, my daughter got sick after they performed in finals so I missed everything else " border="0" alt="ermm.gif" /> Hope to see more of the groups perform when we go to Carrol and Bishop Luers in March.
Oh, forgot a couple things. First of all, yes, Caroll bought the costumes and were donated the props by the folks at CR Kennedy. I guess that proves that everybody knew what was going on, huh! Lastly, that embarassing picture of me has been passed down from Franklin Central's "show choirchat.com" number from 2006, to CR Kennedy and now to Carroll. It even spent about 3 months in my garage at home, where my teenage daughters occassionally drew something new on it (true story) to make my "dumb" look even "dumber".
Lastly, if somebody takes choreography off of youtube and teaches it to their choir, that's a little thing we choreographers like to call "illegal". However, Vince, you're quite a sleuth, they did steal the costumes and props from youtube. Just reached right through the screen and got 'em! Kind of a matrix, mind warp thing. Amazing, huh!
I'm the choreographer for both groups, and yes, it's the same number. In fact, as I've detailed many times before I have a process I go through before a number is recycled.
-Both groups are aware of it.
-The kids from the new group are made fully aware of it (In fact, I showed them the video of CR Kennedy doing it the previous year.)
-Both directors give full approval
-Competitions are fully checked to ensure the groups do not compete anywhere against each other.
-While a number or two are sometimes recycled in a show, a complete show is never recycled.
-Absolutely NOTHING is ever done behind anyone's back or hidden.
This year's Carroll show features 3 new numbers and 2 recycled
1)"Get On The Boat" by Prince is a new number from about an 8-year old Prince album
2)"Healing Rain" was used last year by Urbandale. A number of alterations have been made to the choreography for 2 reasons. First, the size of the groups are different (36 versus 50), making alterations to movement necessary. Second, Jill Jeran (Carroll's director) had an excellent idea of implementing an African drumming section featuring 6 of the kids. A drumline person taught it, and the staging was added.
3)"Love Is Gonna Break Through" is a new ballad off a brand-new Chris Rice cd.
4)"Show Choir Lament" is a piece I wrote myself last year for Cedar Rapids Kennedy. It was originally entitled "Unhappiness" simply as a pun on the group's name "Happiness Inc". Very small changes were made, but for the most part, it's the same number. The number, in fact, will go onsale to the public for any group wishing to perform it next year by myself and collaborator Anita Cracauer at customarrangements.com (obviously, the "Damon" song will be replaced by your own choreographer's name!"
5)"The Charleston Mix" is a new arrangement of a number of old Charleston classics. I put the arrangement together for last year's FAME All-Stars, but because of unforeseen difficulties with airlines, it had to be cancelled. It's a bunch of very familiar Charleston pieces, that have simply been put together in a new way.
Carroll's been working very hard the last few weeks, and I'm proud of their progress. Enjoy the contest season everybody! God Bless, Damon Brown
Carroll's "Show Choir Lament" looked strikingly similar to Ceder Rapid Jeffersons "Unhappiness" in 2007... i have heard of choreographers recycleing moves and songs but this was identical even the same props and outfits... did they just learn it from youtube?
Hi Vince!
Never saw Ceder Rapids Jefferson do the same number, but I believe FC did one similar a few years back. The pratctice really isn't that unususal, especially with novelty numbers. In fact I saw a choir do the exact ballad and choreography for a song that Carroll did a few years back at this very same invitational Saturday night Don't know how long you have been watching show choir, but it happens all the time...especially with choreographers who have been sucessful enough to be around for more than few years.
At any rate, I thought that Carroll performed the number extreamly well. One of my favorite numbers of the day. .. and no, they didn't learn the number on U-Tube.
Carroll's "Show Choir Lament" looked strikingly similar to Ceder Rapid Jeffersons "Unhappiness" in 2007... i have heard of choreographers recycleing moves and songs but this was identical even the same props and outfits... did they just learn it from youtube?
So...pardon the pun.....but I'm so proud of FC Singers for defeating TWO Soundstystems in finals! ;-D
I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit at the sounds coming from those speakers...but I'm so proud our singers for keeping their faces on task, and singing their hearts out with NO MICS! It was truly something special to be a part of!
(Yes...I posted again. So, since I know you'll be reading it and giving me crap about it...BIG UPS to AS, TB, BH, ET, & D!)
QUOTE(huntingtonboi_17 @ Feb 3 2008, 05:05 PM) 416073
by finals... pretty much all of huntington was there watching... i loved CORY-RAWSON (the impressions)... they had such a great sound especially for only having 21 singer/dancers... the female solo for the song (im really bad with names...) that went... "but i always wake up... alone" had such beautiful eyes and sang really well... LOOOOVED IT!!!
me and a friend of mine drove up to see EVERYONE yesterday... 8am to midnight is a long time to watch show choir when you arent a part of the competition... but it was a fabulous day... im very glad to see that franklin central won they blew everyone out of the water with their vocals... and i was a bit worried to see if they were going to be able to beat centergrove out of their choreo award... but they did it... WAY TO GO FC SINGERS!!!!!.... even with the sound going poopy... you are so good
I also was planning on centergrove doing well as usual... but i was very suprised and a little bit upset to see that HAMILTON (Rhapsody in Blue) didnt get third... or even fourth... actually... i had them in second... beating FC SINGERS till i saw them in the finals... o well... i really hope to see them at a later comp though...
by finals... pretty much all of huntington was there watching... i loved CORY-RAWSON (the impressions)... they had such a great sound especially for only having 21 singer/dancers... the female solo for the song (im really bad with names...) that went... "but i always wake up... alone" had such beautiful eyes and sang really well... LOOOOVED IT!!!
Cant wait to kick butt next week at dekalb... hope everyone comes!!!
I worked back-stage crew for the Gym during the day and auditorium at night, so any groups I did see were from the side " border="0" alt="blink.gif" />
I liked at daytime awards how like 5 different groups did their own versions of a rollercoaster... they were interesting lol. But wow, I've never seen that many people in our gym, it was amazing to perform for you guys in there (even though I heard it wasnt quite our best show ) It was a great experience! And I felt really bad for Cory-Rawson for 5 minutes when they messed up the small-mixed awards.
I hope everyone enjoyed themselves, and congrats to Franklin Central, Cory-Rawson, and Center Grove Women for winning your divisions!!
A BIG thanks to Northrup for showing us such a great time yesterday! Our room hosts were very considerate and friendly. We saw so many awesome choirs and enjoyed getting to know everyone! Thanks Northrup!! Hope to see some of you at our Invitational: March 8th!
Mama B
Congrats to Franklin Central for having back to back GC weeks " border="0" alt="thumbsup.gif" /> and for not getting startled when the sound sytem blew during your ballad.
Northrop Classique 2008
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I only wish that I would have seen more of the groups perform, being a chaperone...sometimes you don't get to see many of the groups plus, my daughter got sick after they performed in finals so I missed everything else 
" border="0" alt="ermm.gif" /> Hope to see more of the groups perform when we go to Carrol and Bishop Luers in March.
Don't know how long you have been watching show choir, but it happens all the time...especially with choreographers who have been sucessful enough to be around for more than few years. 
o well... i really hope to see them at a later comp though...
" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> 
" border="0" alt="thumbsup.gif" /> and for not getting startled when the sound sytem blew