SCC: Twinsburg Northcoast Invitational 2007

Twinsburg provided a great finals show and my best spectating experience of the 2007 season. i've only been to three competitions this year, but Northcoast definitely stands out amongst those competitions as the one where the greatest number of choirs really felt hungry for a finals spot, and untimately, the GC. because of a dress rehearsal, i couldn't make it to Twinsburg till the start of daytime awards. however i intently watched all of finals and do have some comments regarding all of the competing groups.

Garfield Heights - i have to say that i was more than a little disappointed after watching your show. in no way is the choir bad, but after reading a multitude of posts praising your show this season, i was expecting more than was shown. while it's very true that your group has shown vast improvement since last season, there are still signs of a young program. the high energy level is admirable, but some of the performers take it to the extreme and have more of a frightening, rather than inviting and exciting, prescence. also, i'm just not a fan of the choreography in general. there were too many moments that could've had double the momentum if the choreography didn't consist of standing in place with an outstretched arm.

Teays Valley - i was glad to see you in the night show, though watching your show again actually gave me opportunity to like it less. your singer/dancers on the floor are incredible performers, that's a Teays trademark that i hope never changes regardless of whoever the director may be, but that energy unfortunately does not transfer to the entire group. i'm just less visually engaged by the group than i have been in the past. as for the design of your show, everything worked very well for me until the closer. i know "Who Loves You" is a popular choice this year due to the success of Jersey Boys, but i don't find it to be a great song selection for show choir. it could have a lot to do with the choreography, anything Andy Haines not done in a floor length gown has always seemed at least slightly awkward to me, but the closer had no build to it.

Piqua - i love your show design! Mr. Westfall always does a remarkable job in creating a unique show choir experience with both costuming and song selection, but this year is particularly impressive. though you did not have the same level of cleanliness or projection that Manchester did, i was very disappointed to see Piqua place behind them. i think originality, while a difficult concept to judge, deserves a much larger role on scoresheets. if that were the case at more competitions, and if more vocal moments were enriched outside of the ballad, i think you would be having an even better season.

Manchester - in terms of technical quality, the show this year was better than the Manchester of last year. unfortunately, i found this year's show no more entertaining, if not less so. an undeniable feeling of depression pervades me when i see a group like yours perform, a group that is not on a nationally-recognized, and probably over-worked, choreographer's highest set of priorities. i don't mean to be cruel, and this comment can only really be applied towards the directors of such groups, but why put on a show that any other _____ ______ (Andy Haines, Mike Weaver...) group could just copy and paste and perform the next year? where is the challenge? the respect for your own group? isn't there enough talent within Manchester to hew out something of your own, something unique to your strengths? it would certainly seem so to me. this is more of a philosophical question about show choir in general than something that can be addressed within a group's practice, but i feel it is applicable in Manchester's case and it is something that i felt needed to be expressed.

Hurricane - i dislike what i perceive as typical Hurricane show design. i've only seen three Hurricane shows (2005-2007), but they all seem to follow a general blueprint that i don't enjoy. placing personal preference aside though, i still find this year's show to be weaker than last year's. i can certainly understand why you won the vocal caption - there are wonderful vocal moments featuring your striking natural tone throughout the show - but in every other way, this show didn't hit as hard as last year's. there was never a song with the intensity that made your 2006 opener. looking at choreography, i was diappointed to find that many of the tics that annoyed me last year were still in place. though the singer/dancers on the floor often perform difficult ballet-inspired choreography during dance breaks, those blocked on the risers are often found standing in place performing arm ripples, or even just walking back and forth on the risers while holding blocking. it's easy to miss when 4-5 couples are spinning and twirling like madmen, which might be the point, but i wish the entire choir would get a chance to perform during dance breaks.

Marysville - i was very glad to see you pull out the win here. this competition was significantly more difficult than any other i've had opportunity to attend this year, and i was nervous about the group's ability to perform under that kind of pressure, but you delivered an appropriately accomplished performance during finals. the energy level between performances at Teays Valley and Twinsburg really is incomparable, and though i could still stand to hear more projection from both the singer/dancers and combo in the opener, the whole show popped more than when i've ever seen it before. i especially love the newer transition into "Home," the "Feeling Good" homage is both more exciting and dryly humorous. my one hope for you as you prepare for one of the biggest competitions in the nation this year is that you practice smartly. Fairfield features an amazing line-up with wonderful choirs of many contrasting styles, and i think you can best serve yourselves and your chances of impressing audiences and judges alike by putting on the best Marysville show you can. there are groups that sing better, there are groups that dance better, but there is no group with your show that can perform in the manner which you do. go out there and leave an impression that is wholly yours.