Well I'm sure they will be motivated. If it wasn't for 10th st. they would have won a few more competitions the last couple of years. After seeing both shows this past weekend I have a hard time seeing an upset but you never know.
they do!! both groups compete in the large mixed tier at johnston showzam! this upcoming weekend. both groups are phenomenal and i could really see it going either way
All around this weekend was just a bloodbath. Congrats to all that flourished, but be warned, there will be some upsets and a half this year if the entire season plays out like this weekend.
I am still so shocked that Johnston didn’t have a first placing in day. I thought Innovation was really amazing. Not taking anything away from Eos at all, they were also great and seeing both back-to-back was a treat.
Expect the unexpected. And it will change from week to week.
Here are some of the crazy things that happened in the first two weeks of Iowa show choir.
1. Sioux City East swept Lincoln SW, who swept Waukee Northwest, who swept Johnston.
2. Urbandale placed historically low at Waukee.
3. Indianola beat Urbandale and Valley at Waukee after losing to CR Washington the week before, who just missed finals this past week at Linn Mar.
4. Iowa City placed multiple spots below Prairie at Muscatine then came back the next week to beat them at Linn-mar.
Despite the crazy placements, every choir should be proud of themselves. The level of talent, dedication, and creativity in these shows so far is insane.
Indeed. Think most people pinned Chesterton as the place Linn-Mar would but their streak on the line, but they better be on their game. That Waukee competition was ridiculous.
Definitely an impressive start to the year for this area of the show choir world.
There is no doubt their show will be phenomenal by Chesterton. My main concern about that competition is that it is in Indiana which is a very big traditional show choir state. How are the judges going to score a show with dialogue, special effects and no jazz hands.
Johnston is phenomenal at what they do but I found watching traditional show choir show was very predictable. It's random solo then crank the music faster and big arm movements and their crowd goes crazy. Rinse and repeat. Their dancing is very clean and impressive for sure but also repetitive. Also they were definitely louder than eos but also I'm not sure louder is always better. Again they were great but I was definitely more entertained by eos. Just my 2 cents.
None of the judges are affiliated with Indiana (to my knowledge).
- Jeff Gemar (IL/SD) is retired director from Glenwood/MTZ/Mitchell, and all three schools he directed were traditional show choirs.
- Scott Thorne (AL) is a retired director from Homewood, and all of his shows were a hybrid between story and traditional.
- Susan Moninger, to my knowledge, is not affiliated with any particular group, state, or style and is primarily known for her contributions to music education literature.
- Tori Brindis (CT) is a choreographer for a bunch of groups. Notably, she choreographs for Franklin Central and North Central, both from Indy. However, she also choreographs with all groups at Waukee, plus Urbandale’s girls group and Johnston’s prep group, all three from Iowa.
- Brooke Smolder (WV) works primarily with groups in West Virginia and Ohio. Nothing shows a bias against the story shows.
I just watched Johnston’s show to see the choreography because I always love their shows. I can see how one would come up with “repetitive”, but I think you have to understand that that stems from your basic show choir moves being used in numerous different ways. Like step ball change, pas de bourree, and so on. I am so impressed by the layers within the choreo. Specifically seeing the beginning. Having the two colors separate and layered. They were doing and “repeating” the same choreo, but it was telling a story. Then there was a group in the center while all of the others were partnered up! DID YOU SEE THE AMOUNT OF TECHNIQUE USED IN THE CHOREO!! Wow!!!! I also noticed they often were even able to all be doing a separate move and then melt or move on to the next move. That is unique. Ive also never seen rope choreography. This comes from a good place, but just wanted to show that this is actually incredibly impressive choreography and not repetitive in my opinion at all.
I've said for a long time that they are the best at what they do. The singing and dancing are all phenomenal. What I find repetitive is the formula of traditional show choir or I sometimes call middle school show choir. I think the originality of story shows and different types of choreography are more the future and maybe the audience who might not have the knowledge of all the technical dance things you mentioned might find it more entertaining overall. It's just the same debate that happens whenever a more progressive show beats a traditional show. There also is the beauty of show choir to be so different yet competing against eachother.
As someone who really enjoys story based show choir, calling traditional show choir “middle school show choir” is pretty shortsighted. There’s a lot to be said about perfecting a show like that because it does lack all the bells and whistles other shows might have. Not to mention some of the greatest shows in the history are “traditional”. Watch Waubonsie Valley or Franklin Central shows and tell me those are middle school. I’d highly recommend expanding your taste in this sense, so many of the greatest shows are traditional.
I was afraid that comment might be misunderstood. Sorry about that. Just when my kids started show choir in middle school it was traditional and there was the very specific formula to it. Obviously the singing and dancing have gotten immensely better but it appears to me a much more advanced form of what most kids start out doing. Again no disrespect
You were so close to nailing this point but why are we comparing traditional show choir to “middle school” show choir… what are we even saying? Is the implication somehow that what Johnston does is less mature?
Sorry just answered it above. More the formula of traditional show choir. That is what my kids starting out doing in middle school and switched up to more story show choir. So from my perspective the traditional formula is what I remember from watching them in middle school. Obviously a much more advanced version but I can see the same formula. I won't use that term here anymore. Sorry no disrespect
I see the misunderstanding here, but consider this:
Many California middle schools and prep groups use story shows for their lower groups as well. Every single school has a formula that they use and occasionally change or break from , including Linn Mar, Waukee NW, John Burroughs, Los Alamitos, and all the other top story show schools. Some people feel the same way you do about those story show formulas. It all just comes down to perspective I suppose
Sure I can definitely see what you are saying. I really enjoy seeing both styles honestly and really appreciate seeing greatness regardless of style. Johnston is easily the best I have seen at traditional show choir in person. Their singing is powerful and dancing is always clean. Just a phemomal program from top to bottom. Looking forward to seeing them this weekend again and relieved not to be competing against them.????
