Multiple-Take Virtual Performances Gone: Live Entertainment Returns
Choir director Jeffery Fahey conducts Prestige, or production choir, as they rehearse “Feed the Birds” for their Fall concert. Photo by Elias Robles.
Staging shows, preparing for concerts, and rehearsing material is a challenge within itself; now the performing arts department must do this while transitioning students from Zoom to in-person performing.
Following a year behind Zoom screens, student performers are rediscovering or learning how to perform amongst other people. Various skills that can only be fully understood in-person, from hyper-awareness of one’s surroundings to having stage presence, are returning and posing new challenges to performance groups.
“People have lost social abilities that are necessary in a group setting,” Senior Prestige president and dance team captain Jueliza Mainit said. “Also, in choir and dance there are simple techniques we must relearn in order to get back where we last left off.”
The performing arts programs rehearse material during classes and additional rehearsals to showcase and compete with at statewide competitions. During distance learning, both dance and choir were forced to screen pre-recorded shows, eliminating all social interactions down to one-night-only drive through showings.
“Students in performing arts love connection and being in a group with other people and that is part of our art, but on zoom we lost all of that,” said Mainit.
“For choir and dance, it was difficult to find motivation and inspiration to do what we love when we’re not with other people.”
As the students readjust to campus life, various bonding opportunities have been implemented to ease the hectic transition back to in-person school and performance classes.
“A major thing that has been helpful in class are simple icebreakers that allow us to reconnect and get to know one another again,” said Mainit. “Having a bond within our groups is very important to see our performing arts prosper.”
All programs aim to take the stage as soon as possible, with band already marching through the football season, drama preparing for Improv Night on September 28, choir rehearsing for their fall concert on October 6, and dance beginning their work for a show in December.
