SCC: Diamond Bar Spectacular 2005

In reference to the comments that were and will be made about In Sync not being in the auditorium the entire evening:

Our "Out of the Blue" was the first group to go, scheduled to go into warm-up at 6:15pm. They are mostly freshmen and it was their first competition, so you can imagine how much prep they needed. The "In Sync" kids helped them get ready and, of course, wanted to be there to support their sister choir during their first performance.

Due to an emergency yesterday, we did not get to leave Burbank ON TIME earlier in the day. Most of you know how bad traffic can be....so needless to say "our plan" did not get a chance to work (and it was VERY tight schedule for us anyway.)

Thus, In Sync was not dressed and ready when it came time for the evening to begin....but rather than have "Out of the Blue" not get help from the older kids to prep (and so that they could be there during their younger choir's performance) we had to miss performances.

And contrary to popular myth, we were not gone having some "super-rehearsal" that gave us the magic ability to win the competition. I am constantly amazed at some directors and choirs on this circuit who are so bent on winning that they look for any way they can to try and prove that somebody else has an "advantage" that is "illegal". I would suggest that those people look more at their own performance and their preparation in the days before if they are looking to do better. I know that I was not completely happy with our performance last night, but that doesn't mean that I am going to look somewhere else to place blame on our not placing higher vocally.

For those people who were miffed last night, I apologize. Sincerely. Though, there WAS a Burbank group in the auditorium seated the ENTIRE evening since we had two groups there. And for those groups "In Sync" missed watching last night while they were getting dressed, I know you were great and we WILL get to see you MANY times this season. I think the only real complainers were those people (directors) thinking we were gaining a "leg up" on them, which is quite silly. You know what? I will never be a director who tries to stir up trouble on rumors or try to get someone disqualified EVEN if they are not following the rules. (By the way, the rules that I had from Diamond Bar did not have any listed penalty for not being in the auditorium for EVERY group's performance.) I don't want to compete if my winning is so important that I want to bring others down to get there. I want all of you to bring your best #1 show to the table however you think is best. If it takes directing in the auditorium or on the stage, using sequenced synthesizers in your band, using risers or not using risers, using props or not using props, strategically deciding who is close to what microphone onstage to keep good balance, only performing your best three songs because the others aren't ready, copying past choirs/songs and concepts, talking to the judges after the competition to learn what they "want" to see and hear, taking time to get dressed and supporting your sister choirs....ETC. Whatever it takes, I want ALL the choirs to get a shot to be comfortable, not be rushed, and to perform the BEST SHOW they have ever done.

Can you believe that there are directors/students/parents who actually are sitting there in the audience WAITING for your choir to "mess up" so that they will score and look better. Why does their success depend on somebody else not doing their BEST SHOW. This is an EDUCATIONAL experience not the Super Bowl. As Mr. Willert said last night, everyone is a winner. You ALL took time out of your life to learn music, to practice choreography, and to learn a show. That alone is a monumental task. And THEN you get up on stage in front of 5000 people and show us what you have worked on.... WHY can't we be happy for everybody who is there?? I thrill in getting to hear Burroughs sing Earthsong, I have a blast getting into Chula's entertaining shows, I sit in awe that Arcadia has the ability to sing with such an incredible blend, and I can't get enough of Hart's breakdancers! I don't sit there hoping I can find a way to discredit or discount what they did that night. How petty some have become. It is a sad commentary on where we place importance in our lives when our success depends on the misfortune of other.

I WILL make a constructive comment here that I shared with Mr. Willert last night after this topic came up. This is in reference to the warm-up room at Citrus and how the time is handled. I feel like everyone should have a separate dance warm-up rehearsal before the assigned warm-up slot due to the lack of space and time to properly warm up the performers main instrument: their body! Stretching muscles and preparing the body for dance is important. Many dancers and choreographers would call it careless and DANGEROUS to attempt to go out on a stage and dance the way many of our groups do without an adequate chance to stretch out and prepare yourself. This is a serious and unhealthy flaw in our system.

Burbank DID NOT have that opportunity last night, thus: I had a student last night who had a serious asthma attack after our group's performance. He would have been in better shape if we had been able to do a proper physical warm-up before the performance. This would have prepared his system to get ready for a very physical show. BUT, all we had was the 15 min. or so warm-up where I had to get the singers ready with final instructions and also had to clear up a few problems with my band together with the singers. They had no time to really get physically prepared to put on a show.

It saddens me that I feel like I have to discuss this situation..... But people run with rumors. Before you know it, we will be accused of using psychic mediums to influence the judges decision last night. (uh...yeah....that's where we were last night.....around a crystal ball...) ;) Maybe those mediums could make everyone, but us, sound like they are singing "out of tune". OR MAYBE I COULD PLACE A LITTLE MORE EMPHASIS ON WORKING ON MY OWN GROUPS and decide to quit attacking and accusing other groups...

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