Really really really really excited for this competition. I've never see Mt. Zion live and am really looking forward to competing against them and enjoying their show. I've also never seen SC East or Neenah so not sure what to expect, but still excited none the less. We just got done with bringing Mike Weaver back for the second time this year. Really excited to perform our show to everyone and getting feedback. To sum this post up: I can't freaking wait.
GC: Mt. Zion (idk if they've ever lost to Hastings... that would be interesting to know)
1RU: Hastings
2RU: Cedar Rapids Prairie
3RU: Sioux City East
4RU: Sauk Prairie
5RU: Neenah
BV: Cedar Rapids Prairie
BC: Mt. Zion (i will never bet against MTZ)
BB: Sauk Prairie
wow that was really a crap shoot.... so hard to decide. I would mix up 2-4 depending on my mood.
Interesting line-up, even if it is a bit... shallow. Here's how I see it:
GC - Hastings (BC)
1RU - Mt. Zion (Interesting matchup; I have no idea how to call these first 2.)
2RU - CR Prairie (BV)
3RU - Sauk Prairie
4RU - SC East
5RU - Monona Grove (this is basically random)
OHS EXPRESS 10:15 A - 10:40 A
NORTH RIDGE 10:40 A - 11:05 A
MONONA GROVE 11:05 A - 11:30 A
SAUK PRAIRIE 11:30 A - 11:55 A
CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 11:55 A - 12:20 P
BREAK 60 MIN
MONONA GROVE 1:20 P - 1:45 P
NEENAH 1:45 P - 2:10 P
CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 2:10 P - 2:35 P
HASTINGS 2:35 P - 3:00 P
BREAK 20 MIN
SAUK PRAIRIE 3:20 P - 3:45 P
SIOUX CITY 3:45 P - 4:10 P
Mt. ZION 4:10 P - 4:35 P
OHS HILLTOPPER 4:35 P - 5:00 P
BREAK 15 MIN
Awards 5:15 P - 5:45 P
BREAK 45 MIN
Finalist F1 6:30 P - 6:55 P
Finalist F2 6:55 P - 7:20 P
Finalist F3 7:20 P - 7:45 P
Finalist F4 7:45 P - 8:10 P
Finalist F5 8:10 P - 8:35 P
Finalist F6 8:35 P - 9:00 P
Wow... this is kind of sad. From 28 Varsity groups in 2004... to 11 groups altogether in 2009.
OHS EXPRESS 10:15 A - 10:40 A
NORTH RIDGE 10:40 A - 11:05 A
MONONA GROVE 11:05 A - 11:30 A
SAUK PRAIRIE 11:30 A - 11:55 A
CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 11:55 A - 12:20 P
BREAK 60 MIN
MONONA GROVE 1:20 P - 1:45 P
NEENAH 1:45 P - 2:10 P
CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 2:10 P - 2:35 P
HASTINGS 2:35 P - 3:00 P
BREAK 20 MIN
SAUK PRAIRIE 3:20 P - 3:45 P
SIOUX CITY 3:45 P - 4:10 P
Mt. ZION 4:10 P - 4:35 P
OHS HILLTOPPER 4:35 P - 5:00 P
BREAK 15 MIN
Awards 5:15 P - 5:45 P
BREAK 45 MIN
Finalist F1 6:30 P - 6:55 P
Finalist F2 6:55 P - 7:20 P
Finalist F3 7:20 P - 7:45 P
Finalist F4 7:45 P - 8:10 P
Finalist F5 8:10 P - 8:35 P
Finalist F6 8:35 P - 9:00 P
Three and a half weeks. I am going as an observer for the first time to a competition (as an alumnus anyway) and I am so excited to be able to just sit and watch my show choir perform. It should be magical. But considering how close this competition is, is there a schedule...? I need to know how to plan my day. lol
Have you gotten a chance to go to Jefferson's since you graduated from Washington? What most distinguishes it from Mo Show? I've only been to Mo Show, so I only have experience with them.
Also, CR Washington's 2004 competition is the last time I've ever been outside of Wisconsin, for what it's worth. Think about that one for a second. And I don't mean it's the last time my choir traveled to an out of state competition, I mean it's the last time I personally have ever left the state. I guess that just shows you how awesome Wisconsin is, or something.
Yah, I competed in Jefferson's middle school competition as part of Linn-Mar Middle School's show choir back in 02. Then in 03 we took our freshman group, Vivace, over there to compete. Also, in 05, our jazz choir, Slice of Jazz, competed in the jazz choir competition. In 03 I also stayed to watch the middle school competition. So I've been to Jefferson's comp both as a spectator and as a competitor.
The big difference I noticed between Mo-Show and Jefferson's competition is the atmosphere. Mo-Show is an INCREDIBLY relaxed competition. I mean, the director goes around on roller blades all day. It's just all about everyone having a good time. There are dance parties, kids running around screaming, rock bands playing in the courtyard, Stupid Student Tricks (I'm sure you remember Ping Pong Matrix if you were at 04 Mo-Show)... etc.
Jefferson is a lot more serious of a competition if that makes sense. It just seems like everyone acts a little more grown up and is sort of more on edge. It definitely feels more about the competition.
However, judging wise Mo-Show and Jefferson are pretty similar. Both have an auditorium and a gym setting, with 3 judges and 2 critique judges at each place. In finals that means there are about 10-12 judges (sometimes extras are thrown in). I personally like having that many judges cuz that way it's harder for one judge to screw you over. I dont know if Jefferson has this, but at Mo-Show we also throw out the lowest and highest scores for each group during finals, again as a system of checks and balances with the judges. They both have jazz choir competitions, too.
Oh yah, and btw... since you last left your state, I've been to your high school twice haha. Thought that was funny.
Great thanks! I know Linn-Mar is closer, but I wanted to take kids to Onalaska for a couple reasons. First, it was the first competition I attended as a student, with still to this day one of the best finals I can remember seeing. We had some problems during the day and I think finished 10th, but stayed and watched the finals. I can still distinctly remember several of the shows I saw in those particular finals. Lacrosse Central doing Freedom, Buffalo Grove opening with Hold on, I'm comin, Sauk Prairie's Jesus Christ Superstar, Mitchell's Roll with the changes, Mt. Zion's show is escaping me at the moment, but I know they were amazing too. Plus I remember going back a couple years as a college student and seeing so many familiar faces. So I have somewhat of an emotional tie to the competition now as a director, wanting to pass on that excitement.
Secondly the date works best because our 1st competition is on the 23rd at Dallas-Center Grimes, so taking students to a competition two weeks before gives them time to get past the shock and awe of the whole thing and try to actually analyze what we can learn from watching that level of competition. My group is 24 singer/dancers, 13 girls/11guys, we got close to balancing it, but not quite. Out of this group I have 3 returning girls and 8 returning guys, all but a handful are sophomores and younger. I have shown them as many tapes as they can see before they need to see the real thing to understand. I also want them to see the logistics of getting on and off stage, setting up, costumes etc. I want to give them some time to process that information and apply it to our own show. They have the talent and the enthusiasm, so I am trying to accelerate the learning curve a little on the experience end.
QUOTE (juliofrommississippi @ Oct 11 2009, 12:30 AM)
Exactly. CR Washington and CR Jefferson have had competitions on the same day ever since 1997. This has never been a problem. In fact, the competitions thrive off of each other. Both have completely different atmospheres, which different groups thrive in. Some schools have even decided to compete at BOTH competitions on the same day.
Just like in the free market, choice and competition only make things better.
Have you gotten a chance to go to Jefferson's since you graduated from Washington? What most distinguishes it from Mo Show? I've only been to Mo Show, so I only have experience with them.
Also, CR Washington's 2004 competition is the last time I've ever been outside of Wisconsin, for what it's worth. Think about that one for a second. And I don't mean it's the last time my choir traveled to an out of state competition, I mean it's the last time I personally have ever left the state. I guess that just shows you how awesome Wisconsin is, or something.
I don't have the lineup, but what you are doing sounds like a great idea. On one hand they'll be even more excited for the first competition they actually get to participate in; on the other hand, they'll know what to expect.
I went to a bigger school where we had sort of a "varsity" and "JV" show choir and I wish that my director would have more strongly encouraged members of the JV group to accompany the varsity group to Onalaska.
Also, have you checked out the calendar feature on SCC yet? If you don't have a competition the following week, January 16th, Linn-Mar's competition is taking place that week (just north of Cedar Rapids). It would be a shorter drive than Onalaska.
Or you could come to ours on January 16th, but that wouldn't save you nearly as much driving time.
Viterbo and Onalaska are both wonderful compeititons, as i've attended both. It was a shame to see that they had to be on the same dates now. But both are wonderful and will thrive even while being on the same day. And makes it wonderful for spectators to watch a whole lot of show choir in a day
Exactly. CR Washington and CR Jefferson have had competitions on the same day ever since 1997. This has never been a problem. In fact, the competitions thrive off of each other. Both have completely different atmospheres, which different groups thrive in. Some schools have even decided to compete at BOTH competitions on the same day.
Just like in the free market, choice and competition only make things better.