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Show choir improving, finds success
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · February 22, 2018
West Branch school’s three show choir groups brought back nine honors from its trip to Pella, and the director said the groups continue to improve.
Competition remains tough for West Branch show choirs, Director Chris Reed said, yet the three groups continue to find success this season.
“The best is yet to come,” Reed said.
At Pella’s Dutch Masters show, West Branch High School’s co-ed group Christopher Jive and the Uptown 45 made the evening finals and took third place overall, won first place in Class 2A and won awards for Best Vocals and Best Choreography. The judges named Jacob Arruda CJU45’s Star Performer.
EnerJive, the high school’s all-girls prep squad, finished second in the prep division and won Best Band in the prep division. Judges selected Rylee Wiles-Miller as Star Performer.
JiveWired, West Branch Middle School’s group, did not place, but judges selected Raegan Borland-Moon as Star Performer. As a side note, two of the Star Performers, Borland-Moon and Arruda, are cousins.
Reed said he was “so proud” of the groups’ efforts and accomplishments from the past weekend.
The show choir season is coming up on its final competitions: The high school groups compete once more this weekend at Central Lee; the middle school group travels next weekend to Cedar Rapids-Jefferson.
Reed said the growing popularity of competitive fine arts shows schools working harder to impress judges in everything from singing to choreography to the sound of the band and even crew support.
Reed said all aspects of the three groups — Christopher Jive and the Uptown 45, EnerJive and JiveWired — “are pretty equal right now.”
CJU45 performed “exceptionally well” so far, he said, noting the group took first place in Class 2A in now four competitions, better than last year. Vocal scores are the highest in six years and soloist Cassie Scheer won Best Female Soloist at Dallas Center-Grimes on Jan. 20.
The co-ed group earned a Superior I rating at the Jan. 29 State Show Choir Festival from all three judges, and Reed noted that two West Liberty Stars On Stage judges said they were “impressed,” one said the group “is the best he has ever seen them,” and the other said the performers “have never sung better.”
EnerJive, the all-girl prep group, “has grown exponentially” during the season with one senior, one junior and 53 freshmen and sophomores.
The group took in second and third place in women’s divisions and “are beginning to gain confidence and perform to the potential they possess,” Reed said.
“I am so proud of these young ladies because they continue to push themselves to meet my expectations,” adding that he expects to see them “polish” the show in the final competitions.
JiveWired’s first competition came later in the season, and Reed said they used it as a means to get “nerves out.”
“It’s time to clean (up the show) and grow as performers,” the director said.
Some of the schools to beat include Emmetsburg, “considered the best 2A show choir in the state,” and Des Moines Christian, “who is right there with (Emmetsburg).” West Branch beat Emmetsburg when they met at Dallas Center-Grimes, the only time the two schools crossed paths, and beat Des Moines Christian twice.
A total of 107 high school students and 59 middle school students — 166 altogether — participate in some way, meaning the school district administration must work harder to fit the classes in with Kirkwood Community Regional Center’s morning and afternoon classes, and, new this year, an 11-day January Term.
J-Term fell during the start of the show choir and jazz competition seasons. With Reed as the only vocal instructor, he only met with CJU45 as a class.
The longer rehearsals benefited the co-ed group, he said.
“It has paid dividends as we are at the highest level than we have ever been,” he said.
Singers and dancers add up to 75 high school and 55 middle school pupils, and the high school has 14 on crew.
CJU45’s theme is “hope in a world that seems to have lost hope,” EnerJive has a spy theme, and JiveWired’s show celebrates “equality across our world.”
CJU45 is choreographed by Ben Schrank and sings “Our Time is Now,” “It’s On,” “This is My Now,” “I’m On a Roll” and “Eye On It.”
EnerJive is choreographed by Ann Chapman and sings “Keep it Under Cover,” “Back In Business,” “Writings On the Wall” and “The Heat is On.”
JiveWired’s choreographer is West Branch High School show choir alumni Tyler Haub, who returns again to help with this year’s set of “Set It Off,” “Under One Sky,” “Rise,” and “Speaking Louder Than Before.”
Reed said he faces two challenges with each group: motivating students to “strive for perfection,” and not allowing success to breed complacency.
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