Iowa Choral Directors Association, Inc.

Greetings and welcome to the ICDA Show Choir R&S page!  My name is Sarah Ricks-Van Waardhuizen and I am starting my third year as Show Choir Repertoire and Standards Chair.

I am in my fourth year of teaching.  I am beginning my first year at Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa.  I will be directing the "varsity" show choir, Innovation, as well as the Chamber Choir and Concert Choir.  We will be doing a Madrigal Dinner and Showzam!, our Show Choir Competition held on January 19.  I am also looking forward to incorporating musical theater into the curriculum.  After teaching in the Ankeny school system for the last three years, I am very excited to be teaching about two minutes from our home in Johnston. 

I am originally from Hudson, Iowa where I was under the direction of Ms. Nancy Allen.  I proceeded to Drake University and worked with Leanne Freeman-Miller, Dr. Aimee Beckmann-Collier and Dr. Virginia Bennett.  I am hoping to continue to work on my graduate degree in choral pedagogy from KU. 

This year I am looking forward to my new job, a new baby and preparing my church choir to tour England in June of 2008.  I know this year promises to be very busy, but very rewarding, also!  I look forward to the ICDA Symposium each year where the R & S chairs have been given the opportunity to play a large role in the reading session arena.  Also, look for updated show choir information in the informational packet put together by all R & S chairs. 

Throughout the year I hope to provide articles of reference about new trends in Show Choir and how we as directors can make our Show Choir students excellent singers and dancers.  The art of Show Choir is a long process both for directors and students; please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions regarding any step along the way. 

If you have any questions regarding choreographers, arrangers, etc. please contact me!

Sarah Ricks-Van Waardhuizen
Show Choirs R&S Chair
show-chair@iowachoral.org