Westside Show Choir recently wrapped up their season, with both Warrior Express and Simply Irresistible (SI) improving their shows one competition at a time.

Freshman Elena Rosenblatt, a Warrior Express member, said that the group had a great competition season especially since they finished undefeated.

“I’ve definitely grown as a person because it’s given me the opportunity to work very hard for something I care about,” Rosenblatt said.

Rosenblatt said she enjoys the feeling she gets from competing.

“It was so much fun,” Rosenblatt said. “It’s definitely an adrenaline rush, but I love it a lot.”

Rosenblatt said that she feels the members of Warrior Express become closer by working hard during their season.

“We spend a lot of time together so we all have a chance to get to know each other, and we all work really hard together to make something great happen,” Rosenblatt said.

Doran Johnson, Warrior Express and ATSC director, said show choir had a really successful year and made many improvements.

“[Warrior Express] won the prep division every time they entered, which is four times, and then they also qualified for finals twice, which is pretty tough for a prep group to do, so it was a very successful season for them,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he enjoys being able to watchish his students grow through the program.

“I like having Warrior Express and being able to watch them grow up and become members of ATSC, and just watch those skills develop and watch them change as young people is very fun,” Johnson said.

Sophomore Payton Kleidosty, member of Simply Irresistible, said they had a successful season and their close bond made them better during their performances. She also said she feels that her confidence on stage has improved throughout the year.

“I think SI did really good, we kind of came together as a family which made us perform better on stage because we were always just looking at each other and encouraging each other to do better,” Kleidosty said. “I think I improved with my confidence. At the beginning of the year, I had a solo that I was so scared to do on stage and now I feel more confident when doing it.”

Kleidosty also said that she enjoys being in an all girls show choir because it has caused the girls to form a close bond.

SI director Greg Woodin said it can be very helpful when more people are in a choir because it produces more sound. He also said that having good leadership within a group can help form clean, strong dances.

“We had more girls in the group this year which was beneficial, the more kids you can have on stage and quality of some of the members makes a big difference, and that did help with our overall sound I think,” Woodin said. “We also put in place some other leadership rules that we didn’t have last year that helped clean our choreography a little more, and so I think we are making really good steps in making sure SI continues to be one of the best girls group in the area, and possibly one of the best girls groups in the midwest.”

Woodin and Johnson said that both Warrior Express and Simply Irresistible have improved throughout the year and had a successful end to their competition season.