Glee, the new hit TV series, has been a hit since its premiere earlier this spring. Known generally for its fantastic music, such as its remixes of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Alone,” and “Somebody to Love,” Glee has also been recognized because of its focus on show choirs.
This has been leading many people to wonder why Neuqua Valley High School, a Grammy award winning school, does not have a show choir.
“A show choir is like a musical athletic team,” Ryan Rimington, one of the choir directors at Neuqua, said. “It’s physically demanding, it’s entertaining, and it’s often quite competitive in nature. [Our] Fine Arts program is characterized by opportunities that involve many students, have a direct tie to our curriculum, focuses on the fine arts as rigorous, creative, and academic, and reflects the inclusive, contemporary, and progressive nature of our school.”
Rimington also mentioned that show choirs are a high restrictive activity in and of itself. It requires a large time commitment and may limit the opportunities students have of being involved in many other musical activities.
With a school the size of Neuqua, limiting the opportunities a student can have is not only hurting the student, it is hurting the school too. It decreases the social interaction students have with other classmates in different grades which is often the case in other Fine Arts activities.
Although a show choir may seem appealing and entertaining, choreographed dance is extremely difficult and requires the students to master challenging dance moves.
This must all be done while singing as well. Challenges such as these are not found in rigorous activities such as Orchesis or WildScats. These groups are focused on only one main objective: either dancing or singing.
Having this focus allows the separate groups to flourish and the students to learn much more. Some of the reasons Neuqua has gotten so many Grammy awards and recognitions is because of its unique, diverse, and progressive extracurricular activities such as Wildscats, Jazz Bands, World Voices, Orchesis, Platinum, Musical Production, and more.
After winning the Kennedy Center award, Neuqua is at its all time high in its music, drama, and dance programs, proving that right now nothing needs to be changed. Sticking to tradition, and that which makes our school so great in the Arts, is the best thing Neuqua Valley can do.
Gretchen Andsager, Staff Writer
