On Saturday Feb. 9, RBHS show choirs City Lights and Satin n’ Lace headed to Troy, MO for their first competition of the season. After weather complications cancelled the first two festivals, both performing groups only had a few shows in front of audiences to prepare for a true competition. A mix of inexperience with competition and a wave of sickness made the Troy Invitational competition tougher than it would be otherwise, junior Lindsey Smith said.
“Having the first [two] competitions cancelled was not ideal for the people who are new to show choir,” Smith said. “At every [competition] you learn something new and you get to see who you’re going up against. Not only that, but you lose another opportunity to make friends.”
Likewise, sophomore Wyatt Logan said the first two competitions were going to help the team atmosphere and spending time together improved the groups tremendously since they first began rehearsing in August. Before competition season, both City Lights and Satin n’ Lace rehearsed before school until the first week of February, and after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Really the way we prepare for a competition is just hours of practice,” Logan said. “We get up in the morning and get to work and sometimes after school when we have rehearsal we are either working or watching videos [of] us and on how we can improve.”
Knowing the Troy Invitational would be a tough competition, Smith said both groups took the rehearsals very seriously. Despite their hard work, neither groups placed in the Troy festival. Only six groups made it into finals and both Satin n’ Lace and City Lights competed against many groups that went to nationals last year, Smith said. Additionally, Logan said the experience from a competition can impact them for the rest of the year.
“I think one of the main things I learned from this competition is that we aren’t just a team, we are a family,” Logan said. “We have our ups and [downs], but when we come together [on] that stage and we are all in the same boat, we can accomplish amazing things, things that could win us the grand championship.”
With this attitude in mind, Logan said his number one hope for the next competition is that City Lights wins grand champion because of all their hard work and dedication. Agreeing, Smith said her hope is also to win first or grand champion, especially since both show choirs’ next competition is in Carthage, where City Lights took home grand champion last year. Looking back on the Troy competition, however, Smith said this year’s show is “10 times better” compared to last year’s.
“I gained a lot from this competition. Yes we didn’t place but that was because we were simply outnumbered,” Smith said. “We went against choirs with 60 people on stage when we only have about 30 people. I think this was also our best performance so far in the year. We put all of our hearts into this performance and I was proud of our show in the end. Getting a trophy is nice, but being proud of your show and your performance is a whole lot better.”