The Warren Central High School show choirs are in the thick of their competition season, hoping that they can do even better than last year. They are already off to a successful start, with both Hi-Lites and Connection placing third at Franklin Community on Jan. 27 and at Edgewood on Feb. 3.
Hi-Lites is the group with all females, while Connection is the mixed group with both male and female.
Improvement from last year is their main focus. Last year there were some issues with learning the dances and everyone learning their part to the songs. Also, with Hi-Lites being such a small group with a lot of newcomers, they had a difficult time. Still, they pushed through, making everyone feel welcome, including sophomore Brizzeette Robleto who was a newcomer at the time.
“My first year was very welcoming, and it felt like I was part of a big family,” she said.
The group isn't just filled with singing and dancing, though. They each have their own goals they feel like they should work on, both individually and as a group.
The group has been preparing for one of their biggest competitions this season, ISSMA, which stands for Indiana State School Music Association. It is a sight-reading competition, so the performers will look at the solfege and have a few seconds to look over it without saying it out loud. It is the choirs’ first time doing the sight-reading part in a few years, so many of them find it difficult since they have never done it before.
“I’m kinda nervous and not really ready, and I could be better prepared,” sophomore Hi-Lites performer Saniah Combs said.
Show choir has been preparing for their season since school started. According to senior Connection member Imani Ruffin, this is seen as late for some people that have been in the group for a few years.
“Usually we would start at summer camp so we can be ahead,” she said.
According to Ruffin, starting earlier makes the most sense since the competition season begins in January, and it gives both choirs time to work the fall and winter concert.
Directors Kelsey Coram and Brian Long took a risk by doing shows they never had in the past, doing something more creative and upbeat, which puts them both in a situation where they have to clean more within both of the groups and be harder on them. This year they had both choirs learn the songs and dances in December.
“We tried to get all the songs and dances learned in December so when we come back in January we’re just cleaning and polishing,” Coram said.
With that being said the season has been off to a great start, placing third at both of their recent competitions, which is better than previous seasons when they would place last or wouldn't place at all.
Warren hosted its annual “ShoWCase” event on Feb. 24, and both the choirs will be competing in their last three competitions on March 2 at Lafayette Jefferson, March 9 at Lawrence Central and March 16 at the Indiana Show Choir Championships.