CHS offers many interesting curriculums that many other schools don’t. Among said curriculums is show choir, which acts as a co-curricular. Concert choirs just stand and sing, expressing the emotions of the song through tones and facial expressions. In show choir, you express your emotions through dancing as well as singing. The Chesterton Show Choirs are divided into two groups. Drifters, the all-girls group, and Sandpipers, the mixed group. Every year, the choirs meet at the beginning of July to begin summer camp. Summer camp is where the freshman kids are introduced to a taste of show choir and begin team-bonding activities to learn more about their new teammates. 

During summer camp, each show choir figures out their theme for the season. Ms. Morris gives them the setlist and they begin working on one number during the remainder of summer camp. “The show choir show ideas come to me in many different ways each year,” Morris says, “Sometimes I get a show idea from a costume idea or sometimes I hear a song

on the radio and think – we need to use this. Every year I stress about coming up with two ideas that I think will be successful for our groups, but I am surrounded by an incredible team of

choreographers and arrangers who help to fill in any of the gaps. Sometimes, these people also come to me with ideas. The great thing about music is that there is so much out there to choose from so the ideas are truly endless!” 

Once school starts, during class and rehearsals is when the practicing for the upcoming shows, which begins in January and ends in March. In the middle of January, Winter Showcase is put on for the parents and family members of the Pipers and Drifters. Once a month, the choirs will meet all over Indiana and even leaving the state to participate in competitions. The scoring for each competition is different, some focusing on vocals and others focusing on dancing, though vocal scoresheets tend to carry more points. Each comp has at least 4 judges, two for vocals, two for dancing. The group with the highest score is given first place, then second place is given to the team with the second-highest score, and so on. 

At the most recent competition at Pendleton, both show choirs placed 3rd runner up with outstanding performers. 

The outstanding performers were as follows: 

Drifters – Kayla Szymanski

Sandpipers – John Koch

Best Female Soloist in a Show:

Julia Larson

Solo Competition:

Grand Champ: Julia Larson

1st Runner Up: Hannah Geiser

Senior Drifter, Kayla Szymanski, offered some words of wisdom about the performance and also about being in show choir specifically.

 “I love to sing, dance, and perform, so when I am on stage I simply have fun and the energy comes along with that. I have always been a fast learner when it comes to music, so choreo has always come very quickly to me. I also make sure to watch any choreo videos that are recorded to help myself improve. I am proud of what we have been doing in Pipers and Drifters, it is not easy dancing and singing, and expressing in masks. I make sure I try to practice at least 30 minutes a day, just to go over things that we might have changed or things that I personally have been struggling with. The best advice I can give someone that wants to join show choir or wants to be a great dancer is that you have to keep trying and you can’t just give up after you mess up or after it starts to get difficult. If I gave up after I messed up once, then I would not be the dancer or performer that I am today.” Szymanski stated. 

Show choir is a fun group activity where everyone is enjoying themselves. Sophomore Drifter, Claire Jerome, agrees.

“Yes, I love show choir! It takes a lot of time and dedication but I don’t know what my life would be like without it.” 

Being apart of such a select group gives you a sense of accomplishment and knowing that you’re putting your all into singing and dancing, whether you see that as only a hobby or a possible career. You’ll find more like-minded people like yourself or maybe expand the horizons of how you perceive the world, everyone in both show choirs is so unique yet connected by one thing, their love to sing and dance. Strongly consider trying out if dancing and singing interest you.