The ATSC retreat is a longstanding tradition for the varsity show choir group, formerly known as “Camp Kitaki”. It is a weeklong experience in which the Amazing Technicolor Show Choir members learn the choreography for the show they will be performing throughout the year from choreographer Stephen Todd.
This year, it started on Tuesday August 13, and lasted all day for 5 days. They stayed at the school all day, left late at night, and arrived early in the morning again for more choreo. It is a key event for the group, and for much of the team, it also acted as an opportunity to get to know each other.
“As a senior, I’m going to miss retreat the most because that’s where I get the closest with everybody.” Senior and dance captain Eva Hovorka said.
Even though much of the group is new, it is still full of talent.
“I was shocked to see the new people. I didn’t really know any of the people who came in this year at first. But when I got to know them and see their talent, I was like, ‘this is gonna be amazing. This group is just so talented.’” Hovorka said.
Majority of the team generally has a very positive experience with the retreat, despite the difficulty of learning and the amount of choreography.
“I think it can be an emotional roller coaster,” Show choir director Doran Johnson said. “Initially, when we start, and we’re learning or excited about all the stuff, with the amount of information grows and the amount of choreography, their brains get overloaded, and they get stressed. And then, when they push past that, and they start to get it and master it, then it becomes more fun.”
The retreat is filled with lots of fun activities as well. Johnson said that he gives them all meal groups, they do lots of bonding, and everyone has fun.
“My favorite part was probably when ATSD, the ATS-dads, cooked us barbecue dinner on Saturday, and it was very very good.” Junior ATSC member Jude O’Keefe saids. He said that with this being his first year on ATSC, he had lots of good examples to follow.
“I look forward to doing it again,” O’Keefe said.
For many of the members, this is their first impression of being a member of ATSC; O’Keefe said that it is a very good one.
Overall, while the retreat was short-lived, it was an amazing experience for ATSC. Johnson was asked if the retreat made him excited for the upcoming competition season.
“Yes, very much,” Johson said “You do a lot of planning, but this is the show really coming to life. I think they really like the music, I think they’re very emotionally connected to the lyrics, and it’s going to make them want to do show choir naturally. So I’m excited to see, as we keep adding, the emotional growth of the story play out.”
