Q: What is High School Show Choir?
A: It’s a daily class of students that sing and dance. It’s really fun! The High School group is called Vocal Rush. There are some rehearsals that are held on Friday and Saturdays to prepare for our competition show.
Q: Can I do Show Choir and other sports / clubs / activities?
A: YES! We have many students that do multiple activities in high school and show choir. You will need to be present for the competitions and for the majority of the Friday/Saturday rehearsals.
Q: Does Vocal Rush compete?
A: YES! Competitions are in the spring, and we typically attend 3-4 competitions. Last year,we competed at Danville, Manteno, Lafayette, and Glenwood.
Q. What can I expect at a competition?
A. Competitions are usually on Saturdays and are all day long. Usually, we will compete one time and then the host school will hold preliminary results/awards of all the groups in our category. At these preliminary awards, we are sometimes announced as a finalist and will perform again in the evening. These can be very long days, but are very rewarding and fun!
Q: Are there any other performances for Vocal Rush?
A: Yes! We host a Fall Showcase, typically in October, which is a fundraiser for Show Choir. Parent and student involvement is essential. Vocal Rush also performs at the Fine Arts Festival in March and Jazz & Java at the end of the school year.
Q: Do you have to be in Choir to be in Show Choir?
A: No! You don’t have to be in Choir to be in Show Choir. They are two separate classes. You can take either or both!
Q: Should I attend Ms. Kensek’s in-house Show Choir Camp this summer?
A: YES! This is a GREAT way to decide if you like Show Choir. It is a low cost camp that introduces you to Show Choir and will give you confidence. Also, we will be using some of these songs for the Fall Showcase. Going to the camp is not mandatory, just fun and a confidence builder.
Q: What if I am not good at dancing?
A. You can learn! A choreographer is hired and comes to show the whole group all the dances for the competition show. We also have dance captains (typically upperclassman students) who are selected by the director. These dance captains ensure that everyone is learning the choreography correctly and will sometimes make changes as needed for the good of the show. We have multiple rehearsals and you will learn the dancing. Pretty soon you will be doing it in your sleep!
Q: What do my parents have to do?
A:. There are times that we will ask for help from parents for fundraisers. Fundraisers are used to pay for the music for Show Choir. The fundraisers also pay for things like new risers to perform on, costumes, new microphones, sound systems, etc. We also need parents to help as stage crew at our competitions. This includes moving set pieces and lights and transporting the items from the high school to the competitions.
Q: What kind of music do we sing to?
A: It depends on the performance. Musical tracks are usually played for Fall Showcase and Jazz & Java. For our competition season, we have a Show Choir Band (made up of high school students) that travels and plays with us.
Q: Is there a cost to be in Vocal Rush?
A: Students are typically asked to help contribute to the cost of the costumes that are purchased for competitions. We are fortunate that Ms. Kensek has done her best to keep this cost as minimal as possible. This past year it was $300 per student, which included two costumes. There is a payment plan that parents can utilize to pay for the costumes. First year students will have some additional costs (character shoes, tights, etc). There will be a Show Choir parent meeting before school begins to discuss the costs in detail for the school year.
