The Finals Spirit

In any Show choir event there are lots of important moments: an effective warm up, a great first show, cheer for your fellow groups. But of all of the moments that are important, it is the performance in the finals round that is the most important. There is a lot of work that goes into creating the perfect finals show but in the end, you have no control over what really happens. Your fate doesn’t land in your hand but in the hand of the people across the auditorium in the light of their lamps: the judges.
The preparation begins with the results of your day round performance. The group forms a circle, excitement pulsing throughout the room. Members file in, the nerves getting more and more forceful with every person who enters that isn’t the director. And finally, he passes through the threshold and into the room, the results in the manila envelope under his arm. People beg at his feet, the wait for the results killing them slowly as they silently pray that what happens is positive. He draws out the papers, and time seems to slow down until he finally announces your place. The place is almost irrelevant. Whether it is good, bad, or indifferent the finals round is a clean slate and you have to earn your position all over again. No matter what level of show you achieved during the day round.
The director tells you the time you must be dressed and ready to perform at and releases you to do as you please until that point. This is when you individually get ready for the show. You cope with any negative things that may have happened during the day round and become mentally sound enough to leave everything you have on the stage even if you will need help to get off the stage afterwards. When the time arrives, you put on your costume and you are no longer yourself but a member of the group ready to do what is best for the whole.
That is when the next step comes: Guy Time. As a group, we, the guys, like to converse about our strengths and weaknesses and how we can achieve our best possible performance as a sex. These conversations never leave the room so we can freely word our speech to create the most influential and moving address possible. Comments such as: “It’s like the last part of a time trial on Mario Kart and you can see the ghost right next to you. So you have to mushroom ahead with all you have.” As humorous as we can get, the things we discuss always have a purpose. The finals are like a race; everyone can see the prize but only one can reach it first. If you don’t try to be the first then there is no point in getting on the stage so do what you can to succeed and, “if someone comes off the stage injured you know you performed your best.” As a wise fortune cookie said, “If you believe, then you will succeed.” With a resounding cheer of “Penis Power,” the men march to the homeroom ready for the next step in the finals preparation.
Upon arrival at the homeroom, the group forms lines two by two with their opener partner. And the journey begins. Through the halls we walk, past the homerooms of those who we are competing with. Critical eyes stare us down the whole way and, no matter what they say as you walk by, everyone wishes we would make some terrible mistake to give them the edge they need to overtake us and be closer to the win. It becomes a mental battle from then on and the question is: do you have the drive to win? As the walk comes to a close, you end at the final destination: The Warm up Room.
This is truly the moment where you realize everything has to come together. All the things that you were told to improve upon in your critique must be practiced and the final mental setting created. For the first time, you can realize the full potential of your group. For the first time, everyone is actually giving one hundred and ten percent as they prepare to give the best show of their lives. As the areas containing wrinkles are ironed out, the group forms a circle, each person holding the hand of the member next to them. All hearts beat as one as the director steps forward to give the final words of encouragement. He says what the true feeling that the group has which is: trophies are great but what truly matters is that we perform to the best of our abilities. And even more important is remembering that show choir is meant to be performed for the audience and for the fun of performing not to impress the judges and win trophies for it. And with that, the circle rushes in to the center. Everyone puts their hand in the mix whether be it on someone’s shoulder or directly in the center of the mass. “Alright, alright, alright. Alright, alright, alright. Okay, okay, okay. Okay, okay, okay. Alright. Alright. Okay. Okay. Get down Happiness,” is the cheer that rises from the group and with a massive cheer the group moves towards the stage to show what they have got.
And as the stage opens ahead of you, you see the light of the judges lamps, hear the roar of the adoring fans, and you know this is why you do what you do. And in an instant it is just like the lyrics to one of the best Eminem songs. You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime. So take your shot and “Shine like the Sun.”

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