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T.C.S.C. Adding Visuals to Your Performance! VISUAL TEAM MISSION STATEMENT:
to TRANSCEND THE FOOTLIGHTS via a total and consistent visual performance!
THIS PAGE: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
dancersWHY ADD CHOREOGRAPHY TO OUR PERFORMANCES?

When you join the Twin Cities Chorus you join more than "just" a singing organization. You give yourself the opportunity to become a well rounded performer through the exploration of emotional impact achieved by adding visual expression and movement to your musical performance.

In the Barbershop Style, to enhance our musical performance, we create a series of planned or staged movements -- not necessarily dance, but called "choreography" -- to go with the words and rhythms and to help tell the story of our songs. This enables the chorus to make eye contact at the appropriate time with the director or audience. It also gives a more exciting, entertaining quality to our music.

A Performer Who is Ready Knows All the Planned Moves ... And More!
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GAIN STAGE PRESENCE!

Choreography should not be thought of as only the planned moves taught to you by the choreography committee, but it is a combination of your face, posture, attitude and planned moves (when needed). Every song has "choreography" and the mood and story of the song is communicated through your visual performance. This choreography helps you to present an energized performance everytime and everywhere (even at rehearsal).

Choreography needs to be consistent throughout the chorus; thereby, creating a "unit look". The plan is to create a large visual effect by combining your moves with the persons around you - not to "oversell" or make your own performance standout.

The chorus works as a team to create a harmonious experience visually and vocally. The front row is a part of the chorus team that happens to be positioned closer to the audience. Note that the chorus as a whole moves uniformly; although, the front row may be used as an extension of the main chorus, moving to enhance the performance.

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THE VISUAL TEAM WILL HELP YOU CATCH UP AND BECOME PERFORMANCE-READY

We will give instruction, and provide chorus performance tapes, to update you on choreography that has been taught prior to your joining us. There are regular early choreography sessions with a member of the team for review and catchup. New members need to be approved by a team member for each song before they may perform it with the chorus.

Choreography is usually presented as soon as is possible after the music is learned. Occasionally, planned moves are changed after we have been performing the song for a while. This is done to strengthen the visual impact of the piece or correct a move that does not work visually or does not allow proper breath support for the singer. Problem areas are not always identified when the choreography is first taught and may arise as the performance of the piece improves with practice.

In addition, there are videos of past show and competition performances (both regional and international) for you to watch and study. These are available in the Twin Cities Chorus library (ask the Music Chm). Check these out and enjoy a total performance!!

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WHAT THE VISUAL TEAM DOES TO GET THE CHORUS VISUALLY READY:
  • Providing instructional choreography tapes for "Rookies" and chorus members on a "check out" basis
  • Holding separate Choreography/Visual sessions on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:30 in the rehearsal hall (as needed)
  • Having Row-by-row Visual Checks weekly on a random basis; i.e. all rows becoming the front row for rehearsal of a particular number
  • Providing video opportunities and visual checks for total chorus and each row in front row position.
  • Qualifying Choreography/and Visuals at least 8-10 weeks prior to a Regional or International competition and chorus shows
  • Providing one-on-one sessions for Choregraphy/Visual specifics, if needed

Transcend the Footlights! Individual members may be asked to attend "special sessions" for specific assistance. The goal of the Visual Team is for each member to perform "wearing the visuals as a second skin".

The Visual Team recommends that the entire body (tip of the toes to top of the head) must be involved in order to "sell" the message of the music to the audience.

When each performer involves herself 110% consistently,
Twin Cities Show Chorus wins!
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EACH MEMBER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER OWN VISUAL PERFORMANCE! Be aware of what YOU are doing to help enhance the overall visual performance of the chorus ... thus giving our audiences a total entertainment package!
  1. TOTAL face and body involvement throughout the entire song. TOTAL involvement with the Director and audience from the instant the curtain is pulled, stepping onto the stage, when a quartet or Emcee is performing, etc. until lights are turned down , the curtain is closed or the backstage area is reached.
  2. Eyes focused upon the Director at all times (unless otherwise instructed, Director is not on stage, or has back toward the chorus). Eyes sparkling at the audience with "we are ready to entertain you & can't wait" attitude. Learn how to make use of your peripheral vision to keep your focus on the Director while "playing" to the audience.
  3. Continual practice of vowel/first word formation upon pitch blowing (it is ridiculous that after weeks of Director's emphasis, this is not done by many).
  4. Facial involvement with emphasis on dynamic changes.
  5. Restating techniques. (Reset of body)
  6. Head & voice to the audience unless there is a quick turn or specific instructions to do otherwise.
  7. Execution of moves crisply &/or smooth transitions carried out with finesse.
  8. The ability to stay focused on the "here & now". Being a major "part of the play".
  9. Practice correct performance entrances and exits - with & without curtain.
  10. Miss a move - continual urge to "catch us". How to fit into continuation without drawing attention to oneself. Don't become the audience "target" (also known as "stealing the show" -- unintentionally!).
  11. Knowing the difference between "free" choreographed move in an individual style and the type of move that requires the UNIT look.
  12. Correct body position for a well sung performance - relaxed knees, chest up, relaxed jaw, etc.
  13. Correct position of arms and hands and fingers. Use of safety pins for "Savannah/flipper" hands and waving wrists.
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FACES! TRANSCEND THE FOOTLIGHTS! Putting on Your Stage Face
The "EYES" Have It! It takes only four (4) muscles to smile, but thirteen (13) to frown.

In any case, it does take muscles to make the face do anything but just hang there in a blank expression. Most of us spend our lives in an environment where showing emotion is regarded as a lack of control. As a result, we have allowed those facial muscles to waste away to such an extent that when we think we are showing some extreme emotion, all of the inner feelings may be there, but the external expression is pretty blank.

The performance of barbershop music allows us to take off the "mask" (or put it on) and get the facial muscles in shape along with the vocal muscles.

Try expressing the emotions pictured here in front of the bathroom mirror ... with the door closed. Discover just how much PHYSICAL SENSATION it takes to produce a VISUAL RESULT to compliment the EMOTIONAL FEELINGS needed. Then in rehearsals and performances, try to reproduce the same intensity of physical sensation to go with the emotional feelings we need to express the mm mood of every song we sing.

THEN ... try putting the mirror across the room to see if your expression will make it ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS!
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If you have questions and/or concerns, feel free to contact anyone on the visual team.
We're so excited you are with us!
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