Energy Talent Commitment (ETC), a local community-based show choir organization, is gearing up for competition season this winter. Following their fall show, the organization’s largest annual performance, the performers excitedly await what the rest of the year will bring—and numerous students at Revere High School (RHS) are at the heart of it all.
ETC offers two high school level groups: Rouge and All Americans. Rouge is an all female group, while All Americans hosts both male and female students. Throughout late January to early March, the groups travel to various competitions among multiple states, performing against other local show choirs and competing for individual and group-based awards. Rehearsals, however, start long before this, as the groups begin preparing their show in the summer, and continue rehearsing throughout the fall.
Reese Patton, a junior at RHS, is currently spending her first year in ETC as a member of Rouge. She explained what drew her in to ETC, noting influence from her peers at RHS.
“I have a couple friends here at Revere . . . [and] they always told me how fun it was,” Patton said.
Miah Palmer is a junior at RHS and has worked with every group offered at ETC. Outside of ETC, Palmer is a member of Revere Players, Reverse A Cappella, band, and choir. Palmer explained some of the technical and performance skills that she gained from ETC that have translated into her other performances.
“[I’ve learned] how to manage my breaths well. [And] my facials and everything . . . it kind of just comes naturally. It’s been drilled in for years, and I think [that] stage presence, looking confident on stage and embodying that is definitely something that I’ve really picked up,” Palmer said.
In addition to ETC, Patton is a member of the colorguard in the RHS marching band, she explained how the foundational dance skills she obtained with colorguard prepared her for the intense dancing she does in Rouge.
“I’m in the color guard in marching band, and in ETC I’m learning a lot about how to dance and move better. With color guard we start with a lot more fundamental stuff, like pointing feet and getting into good motions of regular dance moves, and that’s helped a lot with ETC to improve my form,” Patton said.
All Americans rehearse every Sunday, with additional or extended rehearsals often occuring closer to performances or competitions. Competition season itself consumes entire weekends, and further practice outside of rehearsal time is highly encouraged. With such an involved rehearsal schedule, sufficient time management becomes yet another skill that members of ETC must excel at.
“I try to eat dinner right after I get home and still get to sleep on time. It’s helping me learn time management, and find the best ways to use my time. If I have a free period it’s definitely smart to do my work then,” Patton said.
Rehearsals are long and productive. Attendance is crucial to learn and digest new music, dances, and blocking. Palmer noted that organizing her schedule to accommodate ETC rehearsal time is often difficult, but worth it in the long run. Leila Gardner, an RHS junior in Rouge and All Americans, explained the fast pace taken in rehearsals.
”We learn a lot each day, and if you miss a day you will have to watch the videos and see the whole song they learned,” Gardner said.
Gardner, Palmer, and Patton all regarded successful performances as a rewarding aspect of membership in ETC. While Patton has yet to compete with ETC, she mentioned the fulfillment that accompanies a good performance, and the pride and confidence that is elicited from engaging in her craft well. Last year, Rouge was ranked first in the nation and All Americans achieved an undefeated competition season, and, for Gardner and Palmer, the thrill of victory characterizes the experience overall.
“We always talk about in practice, ‘We’re a winning group, this is what we do, and we’re good at what we do, we’re gonna win this,’ and then we do,” Gardner said.
A flawless record does not come easily, though. Palmer explained the process of preparing for competitions, and how the group achieves a focused and confident mentality before their performances.
“We always have a little zen sesh before we get into the warm-up room, and once we get into the warm-up room, its game face. We’re not thinking about anything else, we’re focusing solely on the show, and what we can do to make it better in that performance,” Palmer said.
The opportunities provided by ETC do not end with vocal and dance performance. In addition to her membership in All Americans, Palmer plays trumpet in the band for Rouge. Additionally, as a community organization, ETC hosts students from multiple local schools, providing a unique chance to meet new people—something Palmer values highly about her membership in the program.
“Getting to know people that I wouldn’t have known [is rewarding]. ETC is a group of kids that go to all different schools, and I wouldn’t have known those people if I hadn’t joined,” Palmer said.
ETC hosted its annual fall show on November 11. The event showcased every group, and included band and soloist performances amongst the choirs. Looking forward, the RHS students involved in ETC are enthusiastic about the upcoming competition season.
