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Legacy Show Choir returns with another entertaining show

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MFL MarMac’s Legacy Show Choir kicked off its competition season in late January, with a division one rating at state. The group will perform multiple times in February and March, including the MFL MarMac Pops Concert on Thursday, Feb. 23, and the Legacy Home Show on Sunday, March 26. (Submitted photo)

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

A year removed from its most successful season yet, MFL MarMac’s Legacy Show Choir feels a bit of pressure to live up to the bar set by previous classes.

“Us seniors, especially, feel a lot of pressure,” said Hailee Corlett. “We all want to make those past seniors proud.”

“Last year, we had a lot of really talented individuals in the group,” added Micheal Balster. “Not that we don’t this year. But we have to live up to that standard.”

The 25-member group hopes its show, which chronicles moving from darkness into light, will wow audiences.

The opening song is “Live Like the World is Going to End,” followed by Adele’s “Skyfall” and the ballad “Gravity/Rocket Man.” Tunes “Unstoppable” and “Save the World/Don’t You Worry Child,” a Pentatonix medley, wrap up the performance. According to Corlett, the theme was inspired by the ballad “Gravity/Rocket Man.”

“It starts with the world is going to end, and we evolve throughout our show into we’re going to save the world and we’re unstoppable and we’re going to push past this,” she explained.

Seniors Balster, Corlett and Jonah Wille, as well as junior Ruby Koeller and sophomore Maria Stavroplus, are featured soloists. Senior Savannah Schaller will also perform a dance solo during the opening number—a program first.

“It’s kind of nerve racking because everyone is watching me. I feel pressure just like the soloists feel when they’re singing,” admitted Schaller, who has 15 years of dance experience. “It’s a nice addition. Not everyone is a singing soloist, but can still bring great attributes to the team, so I’d like to see that continue in future years.”

This year’s show has been over six months in the making. As soon as the previous season ended last spring, the students and director Jaydeane Berns began bouncing song and theme ideas off the group’s choreographer. Legacy held its first choreography camp in August, the weekend before school started, and learned the show’s first two songs. Members tackled the other three during a second choreography camp in November. “Cleaning camps” in December and January helped refine choreography and vocals for the competition season, which started in late January at the state competition and continues through the Legacy Home Show in March.

Throw in regular practice every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from August to March, and “it’s so many more hours than any other season,” said junior Mindy Keehner.

Similar to sports, Legacy members watch video of themselves to evaluate their performance.

“Our managers film our dances so we can look back and see where we need to improve and what we’re doing well,” Balster said. “And then it’s not like we’re done practicing when we leave. Most people go home and put in time after school to better themselves so we can do just as well,” noted Stavroplus.

One of the most exciting points of the season is the addition of the band. It’s a record seven members strong, plus Jaron Wille on trap set and accompanist Karen Suddendorf on piano. This marks the first year for senior Codie Luse, who plays trumpet music on the clarinet.

“I came from a different school, so I didn’t know about this until I got here last year, but it’s been a nice experience,” she shared. “We work in the band room until we mix the choir and band together. It’s fun.”

Berns said tweaking is sometimes in order, “but it brings a lot more energy to the entire show, to rehearsals, because you have live music. The band is just as important.”

“It feels more complete,” added senior Frankie Mezera.

Legacy members acknowledged the addition of a large group of freshmen—which includes four of the seven male members—has made for a bit of an overall learning curve this year. The upperclassmen are willing to help them to learn, though, and they’re proud of the strides newer members have made.

“All the freshmen work really hard and have a lot of potential to be successful in the future,” said Keehner.

Koeller, a junior, agreed: “Some of our strongest dancers are freshmen.”

Less experience doesn’t mean expectations are any less, however.

“We all strive to have a successful season. Even though we are still trying to teach and learn ourselves, we want to do our best at these competitions and hopefully come home with some awards,” stated Wille.

Preparation is also difficult when Legacy members are involved in a variety of other activities, from sports to speech. Those extra-curriculars compete for time and brain space, especially when it comes to memorizing words and choreography.

Members said the experience is building them up for life after high school.

“Every time you’re in front of a crowd of people or an audience, they all build off each other,” Berns shared.

“And this isn’t something that’s going to stop in high school,” Wille noted. “We’re going to carry the confidence and the experience of public performance and being in front of people into the future.”

Legacy members are also learning work ethic, according to Koeller.

“This group especially works really hard to put out the show we do, and that will definitely carry over,” she said.

“There’s always something we can improve on and make better. We keep pushing and give it all our effort to make sure we have a good show,” added senior Chloe Filyaw.

The competition season is where it pays off, stressed Corlett.

“It’s all so worth it in the end, being able to show all the hard work,” she said.

“It’s our last chance to leave our legacy,” quipped senior Emme Schroeder.

Check out Legacy Show Choir this Thursday, Feb. 23, at the MFL MarMac Pops Concert. The event will start at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium in Monona and include a variety of vocal and instrumental performances.

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