Small choruses have particular challenges, which we brainstorm:
- enough people in each part, and balance between parts
- individual voices sticking out
- confidence and morale
- lack of unity
- more jobs than people
- hard to recruit and absorb new members
- interpersonal conflict
- less money
- more chiefs than indians
- sickness has bigger impact
- availability for performance
- pressure to participate
- skill levels
1. Focus on the task, not yourself, to make it easier for yourself
2. Be well rehearsed - the better rehearsed, the more confident on stage
3. Choreo must support vocal production (this is a challenge, not a problem)
TIPS:
- unison moves are generally stronger than section or wave moves in a small chorus (but some small choruses can do them well)
- moves should be connected - something is always going on, you never stand still
- no large trunk moves
- props can sometimes be helpful but they must be connected to character
Open your minds to different ways of doing things - ask what if? and say let's try
Gina shows videos of small choruses competing
Chorus 1: a small chorus doing wave moves. Notice that bodies are always upright and erect; the wave across is done individually not in wedges and is very clear; their wave up is not as good as the wave across because it's not so welll synchronised; they used their costume to make a side move effective; they have no front row moves
(Question: is it a problem to repeat moves? No, but for more points repeat them with some difference)
Chorus 2: 26 members. They're wearing what looks like a voluminous flowered dressing gown which doesn't seem to relate to their ballad. But their uptune is a parody (Second Hand Clothes) and they're all wearing different costumes from other choruses in their Region. They didn't need a lot of moves, and they had a lot of animation and fun and energy.
Gina notes that their hemlines were uneven which is usually a bad sign (if a judge is so bored she notices hemlines) but she didn't notice that they were all wearing different shoes! Judges only have 6 minutes to evaluate everything so they do miss things like shoes.
Chorus 3 has 20 members. They wear a red sequinned jacket which works for them but could be overwhelming in a larger chorus. they sing Hard Hearted Hannah. Their character work is good, their plan is specific to the song and tells the story. Their moves support good vocal production and their moves are connected. The character of Hannah has lots of facets, she's not just one dimensional.
Someone asks about whether judges deduct points for things. Gina says they give points for what you have, they don't take off points for what's not there. Visual distraction means you don't get points. It's always good to get a unit look on details so the judge isn't distracted.
Chorus 4 is Karen's chorus, some years ago. Their moves were designed to support vocal production (they don't move the trunk of their body). They are all holding large white phone handpieces and their choreo moves are beautifully synchronised. Props require more precision.
They do something similar in another song with baby dolls and bombed. It's a bad idea to put happy words to sad music, but we learn by taking chances. You can't go against the musical story.
Someone asked about comedy. Gina says they always worked to sing well, but wanted to prove you could also do comedy well at the same time.
In summary:
- don't do generic choreo, go for characters and look for all facets of a character
- make sure you have a strong unit visually and make sure the chorus knows where moves start and end
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