The Carroll show choir, The SLC, will be showing off their skills this weekend at the Lone Star Show Choir Invitational on March 1. Members of this competitive performance group not only juggle impressive vocals, but complex choreography as well.
Show choir is a form of theatrical storytelling. Not only is it about singing well, but performing with energy and emotion to connect with the audience. The SLC has been under the direction of Mrs. Jen Randall for the past three years. Randall has made several additions to the choir department since taking over.
“When I first started teaching in Texas in 2005, I was at Keller Central,” Randall said. “I started the state’s first competitive show choir there, but there weren’t any available competitions. So in 2009, I started the first show choir competition, which is called the Lone Star Invitational.”
Now Randall’s newest show choir will compete at Lone Star in their second invitational of the season. The group first competed on Feb. 8 at the Cowtown Classic, placing sixth overall.
“In March, we’re hosting the Southlake Showdown which is the competition that we are starting from scratch this year,” Randall said. “We have 26 groups from four states over the course of two days who are coming here to compete.”
The SLC will perform at the Southlake Showdown on March 8, as hosts of the event, they will not compete. The entire competition as well as the exhibition performance by The SLC will be open to the public. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the program and is a great way to support Carroll Choirs.
Show choir is no easy task to direct. There are several moving parts, and many people pitch in to help the program function.
“We hire choreographers to teach the dancing and then our assistant director, Rachel Heizer, also does some of the choreography,” Randall said. “Stefan Benedetti, who is a music teacher in the district, runs the band for us. We have seven jazz band students who play our music for us, and forty-two ‘singer-dancers’, which are the kids on stage dancing.”
Junior Amelia Allen has been in choir for many years, but joined The SLC just this year. Her first competition experience was in the Cowtown Classic on Feb. 8.
“It is very fun and a hobby, but also a huge commitment,” Allen said.
Allen started show choir with no expectations but said she has now fallen in love with all aspects of the program.
“Finally seeing the results of the show with all the effort we put in is my favorite part,” she said. “Rewatching our set and seeing evidence of the time we put in makes it worth it.”
This program requires perfect choreography and rhythm, with choreography lessons starting back in November, which is no easy task.
“The hard preparation is worth it under Mrs. Randall’s teaching,” Allen said. “She values consistency because that is the key to winning the competitions.”
Heather Taber, a sophomore in Randall’s program, reiterated that a good work ethic is required to balance the demands of show choir.
“Our choreographer said you are either a microwave learner or a crock pot learner,” Taber said. “As a microwave learner, you pick up the material really fast, but lose quality as you go on. Crock pot learners take their time to perfect the small motions.”
Taber explains that this analogy has helped her understand the importance of the details, as she has become more of a “crock pot learner.”
“Randall is such a good teacher,” Taber said. “Even though we commit a lot of time to [show choir], it doesn’t feel like work most of the time. The environment is so rewarding, not just in practices, but especially in competitions. Everyone cheers and gets hyped for each other.”
Randall is hoping to establish four show choirs in the district within the next two years, counting on people becoming more and more involved. She encourages all students to consider joining the program.
“I just think that people get nervous when they consider this kind of performance because they think, ‘oh, I don’t dance very well’ or, ‘oh, I don’t know if I sing well enough,’” Randall said. “It’s important to remember that high school is for training you to do these things. So, if you have an interest at all, we can help you get ready. We want you to be a part of our program if it’s something you’re interested in. Don’t discount your abilities just because you feel like you don’t have much experience in it. We will give you the experience.”
