Ahhhhhh There once was an East Coast Powerhouse............
Broughtan High School's 'Carolina Spirit'
Kraig McBroom- Director
Andy Haines- Choreographer
Greece Athena and Manchester are perhaps the closest- without any real comparing.
Carolina Spirit won 6- i think- Showstoppers in a row- when Showstoppers was IT!
Greece Athena has a Showstoppers or Fame title trophy tucked away some where.
Manchester's closest is 1st Runner up- but on numerous occasions at National Contest and does well in making finals and winning a few from here to there in Ohio and West Virginia.
Ryan, They were like the FIRST group that came to mind for some reason, so I just put them in there. I think it's mainly because I always see them trying to mock Pascagoula mainly with Shawn Eck choreography.
Nationalwise, there's no Powerhouse group on the East Coast lol. Oliver Ames Rian... really?
The top east coast groups are Manchester, Greece Athena, Hanover, James River and Lee Davis. Students tend to like Cosby for their awesome performances and edgy choices (ex. My Chemical Romance) but scorewise they've never even won a GC at a VA competition... B division winners yes, but not in the A, they are on their way though And CLover Hill just hasn't been up there since Phil Lawson and Damon Brown left. Things could all change this year though!!!
Powerhouse groups would be Clinton Attache, Burbank InSync, JOhn Burroughs Powerhouse, Spanish Fork Ambassadors... check them out on youtube. Those kids pay $$$$$ to be in show choir, VA groups just won't do that.
Having only ever been in the VA area, I've considered Manchester to be the powerhouse, but now it seems like there are several up-and-coming groups that could soon vie for the title.
Clover Hill and Cosby come to mind... and as far as I know, they use custom arrangements, have strong combos, and they have the numbers. At what point can you be considered a "powerhouse"?
First time poster.... Ryan, you've been doing magic things over here on the EC. Keep it up, dude!
The innovation in this area is definitely an ongoing process... but it gets better every year!
I'm over at Powhatan High School with "Revv'd Up!", and we've gotten two choreographers this year. Joy Garrett and Jennifer Ripley, to be precise.
Virginia has a wide range of groups, from tiny, budget-conscious stock-arrangement karaoke groups, to huge, flashy, custom-everything powerhouse groups. I assume it's the same everywhere else... What is it that makes the Midwest seem so "magical" and different?
I did check them Costumes are a little different, but i don't see a HUGE difference. They're pretty good, though. That one group. The tap group. (Their name escapes me)
Well, It's hard to describe becuse just like the midwest, there are so many different styles in VA. VA judging can be way different in the fact that most competitions judge way more on the vocals than the choreo, so you dont always see the best choreo in VA, but year after year VA groups get more and more like the midwest. Take James River... they still wear white pants and colored Vests. Manchester is your classic Andy Haines group and Thomas Dale is much like the old manchester pre-andy with an edge. Hanover sings very classically like all the time, even during rock songs lol, and I think Clover Hill doesnt use Damon anymore, so I can't really comment on them... It's hrd to describe, but definitley more West VA/Iowa in styles (without any April or Dwight style groups)
They do differ. There are a few groups here pushing a more midwest style. Manchester hired Andy Haines in 2003. They were the first group in the area to make trips to Grove City, Twinsburg and Farifield, making finals each time and taking GC at grove city and twinsburg once in 2004. Matoaca's groups now frequent FAME and an ohio comp or two. Atlee made the trip to indiana once but didnt fare well. Hanover, Cosby and Clover Hill have now all followed suit in the push to the midwest. Hiring choreographers and arrangers from the midwest and uping the intensity, time and effort in thier shows.
This is why we created The River City Invitational- to attract groups from out of the area- to bring the local and state choirs up to speed on what is going on outside of our small bubble.
Here is a link to Manchesters Capital Swing in 2004. We took GC at Twinsburg, Martinsburg and 1st Runner up behind Burbank at FAME NYC- the year there were 18 mixed groups in that AMAZING performance venue.- Something i will never forget!!!
Manchester Central Virginia Show Choir Invitational 2009
Costumes are a little different, but i don't see a HUGE difference. They're pretty good, though. That one group. The tap group. (Their name escapes me)