Broken Arrow Show Choir Prepares To Compete Nationally

Broken Arrow High School's show choir is preparing to take its talents on the road.

Director of Choral Activities, Justin Rosser, said the group is made up of 125 students in 9-12th grades. He said the school's varsity ensemble, known as Tiger Rhythm, travels all over the country competing and has become nationally recognized.

Show choir is a combination of singing and choreographed dance, often with an overarching theme.

Rosser said the students put in long hours rehearsing for various shows and competitions throughout the school year. Over spring break, Tiger Rhythm will travel to California to compete on a major stage. It is an experience Rosser said many of the students may not get otherwise.

"To give them a perspective that things are not always like where they are from is important and gives them a little more of a worldview which I think is really important as they are developing emotionally and mentally," he continued saying, "So, to offer these things for them is exciting and fun, but it is also something I feel really good about as an educator." 

Noah Lofton and Felicity Armagost are seniors in the show choir and said it is hard work.

"Not only do we learn dances and songs, but we also learn a lot of life lessons,” Felicity said. “I mean, I don't know where I would be if I had not moved here and come in to show choir." 

Noah agreed saying, “It is kind of like an outlet for us, so that we can express ourselves. When we are dealing with the stresses of life we can just go in there and perform to our hardest and just live out our passion."

The students said they are looking forward to the trip to California not only to see and experience a new place, but also to grow as performers.

"The talent diversity is just crazy," Noah said. "If you go to all these different places, you can learn new techniques, you can improve your choir, you can show off some of your techniques so other people can learn from it as well as having the fun competing."

Broken Arrow Show Choir is only able to take trips like this through fundraising and donations. Rosser said if you would like to donate, you can email him at jmrosser@baschools.org.