Just singing for you...

In light of the sensation that is GLEE some of my other friends have written about their high school show choir experiences.  Tonight's season finale inspired me to write about mine; not because it was better than anyone else's, but vastly different.

You see, my mom was our showchoir director.  From the time I was born, I sat at her feet and watched her direct a choir.  When I was 7, she began directing the showchoir at Laurel High School (R.H. Watkins).  I watched intently as she corrected students, "cleaned up" choreography, and taught harmonies and vocal techniques.  I absorbed it all.  I studied other directors as well.  Their techniques, their ways of motivating students.  If a stranger were to ever wander into one of my mom's rehearsals they might have asked themselves, "What's the big deal?"  But it was a big deal.  My mom knew that if her students were excited about what they were doing, then their parents would be too.  She knew that if the students and parents were excited, they would start talking to others in the community and soon the auditorium at Laurel High would be full of people waiting to see what those kids had been rehearsing all this time.  When I was in Jr. High, my mom's showchoirs decided they wanted to compete.  We traveled to Nashville, San Antonio, and New Orleans and won each competition.  Just watching them perform was mesmerizing and watching the passion they all exhibited was inspiring.  I couldn't wait for my turn to wear a sequin dress, the required red fingernail polish, the dangle-y rhinestone earrings, and the big curly hair.  I couldn't wait.

When I was 14 I went to my first Showchoir Camps of America camp (SCA) at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.  My mom had gone for years and I was so excited to finally be able to go.  My excitement was short-lived.  I stayed in an un-air-conditioned dorm and rehearsed in un-air-conditioned dance studios during the hottest summer the Land of Lincoln had seen in quite some time.  On top of the heat, was the level of difficulty.  I had taken dance lessons since I was 3.  I was NEVER on the back row and was certainly never hidden in the middle of the group.  This was a first.  These routines were hard!  The choreographer was from Illinois.  He taught fast and talked faster.  We only had a week to learn a full show-- 3 songs with choreography and a ballad.  I cried everyday.  The choreographer was Mike Weaver, a brilliant man whom I would have the pleasure of working with many times again and am now proud to call my friend.  I would continue attending SCA for one week out of every summer for the next 6 years.  Several others and I were also selected for the All-State Honor Showchoir each year, another opportunity to learn from the best teachers and students around.  I carefully studied the teaching techniques of each choreographer I worked with.  I studied the vocal techniques of every vocal director I worked with.  I was a sponge.  Each year became a little easier.  Each year, I challenged myself a little more though, by auditioning for the select dance ensemble (which rehearsed after the day's regular rehearsals were finished... just when you thought you couldn't dance another step...), and by being placed in  groups with increasingly challenging choreographers and musical directors.  I would take what I learned each summer and incorporate it into our shows at home.  You see, since my mom was the director, I didn't get the summers off from showchoir.  We spent our summers dreaming up shows, costumes, and choreography.  I didn't just enjoy it, I LOVED  it.  I was the ultimate showchoir geek.

My junior year of high school, my mom announced that it would be the last year for her to direct the showchoirs at Laurel High.  When she began teaching at LHS, there were barely enough people to make up a showchoir and a concert choir.  Ten years later, there was a male/female showchoir, two all girl groups, a gospel choir, and a concert choir.  We put on the traditional "Red and Gold Revue" every year and also produced a full-length musical complete with orchestra.  We were one of the first choirs outside the state of Florida to be invited to perform at the Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional, a Christmas concert in Epcot Center.  We were asked to perform in schools and at civic functions.  We thought we were rock stars. 

We, the select few who went to SCA and spent our summers dreaming up fabulous shows, decided that because of all her hard work, she should go out with a bang.  We planned an over-the-top Red and Gold Revue.  I had 14 costume changes.  We included music from several decades.  There was something for everyone and the auditorium at LHS was filled to capacity for three nights and for the Sunday matinee.  We, the students, took enormous pride in what we did because we all had a hand in it.  My mom made sure that anyone who wanted to be involved, was.  If you haven't figured it out by now, my mom was an AWESOME teacher.

After the success of the Red and Gold Revue, we decided that we wanted to compete in the annual showchoir competition held at Pearl River Community College.  Our showchoirs had not competed in some time.  We didn't have the money for a live band, custom musical arrangements, or a big name choreographer.  We did it all ourselves.  To continue the theme of "going out with a bang" we decided we should do a medley from the Broadway musical "Rent."  Not exactly appropriate content for a high school showchoir, but it was heavily watered down.  To keep costumes simple, we decided to dress like characters from the show.  Most of us had seen it on Broadway or on tour and the images of such a revolutionary show were seared into our memories.  We borrowed choreography from routines we had learned at SCA and what we couldn't steal, we made up ourselves.  Everyone had a part in making this the best show we could possibly put together.  We rehearsed during school, after school, and at night.  Many of us skipped "non-essential" classes (like algebra and health) to go to the choral room and practice some more.  We knew we probably wouldn't win, but we were there to show everyone that we could be competitive too.

The day of the competition arrived.  We were nervous.  We knew we'd be doing something that had never been done at this competition before.  We were performing an edgy, contemporary show, wearing street clothes and sneakers.  We did not have on red lipstick, our hair was not all pouffed and pulled back into matching rhinestone barrettes.  We got some strange looks when we changed into our costumes.  When we took our place on the risers, you could hear a pin drop.  Our hearts were pumping, probably in unison.  There were no whoops and cheers that usually precede a showchoir competition performance.  When the music started off with loud electric guitars, I thought the judges were going to jump out of their seats.  We sang and danced our hearts out.  The looks of confusion and shock on the faces of the audience turned to joy as they caught on to our act.  They realized that we were a bunch of high school kids, singing our hearts out and having the time of our lives and they (to their surprise) were having just as much fun watching us as we were performing for them.   When it was over, we were shaking from the adrenaline.  On their critique sheets, the judges complimented our originality, our vocal performance, and our spirit.  We did not win.  I don't remember what our rank was.  Third maybe?  It wasn't important.  For a few minutes, we did not have differences, we all belonged, and we were all stars.