Mission
Students in the state of Iowa have the opportunity to be a part of a show choir experience on a state-level. The opportunity focuses on the collaborative, communicative, and foundational music ideas involved in show choir. Master teachers and choreographers will share their passion for the art of show choir with the students selected through a comprehensive audition process. All forms of choral art need to be celebrated and highlighted for the next generation of music educators. Promotion of the art of show choir at the state level helps to illustrate the educational value in the extra-curricular or co-curricular music ensembles in Iowa high schools.
Iowa All-State Show Choir 2022 Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead to 2023
Submitted by the Iowa All-State Show Choir Chair 2022,
Dr. Sarah Van Waardhuizen, Central College
The Iowa All-State Show Choir 2022 was comprised of 51 students from every quadrant of the state and from every size school district across the state of Iowa. The students had pitches and rhythms learned before arriving on Friday afternoon at 4:30 pm on July 22. All choreography and vocal finesse began to come alive at 6:30 pm on Friday. Lexi Robson Buglewicz illustrated her creativity in every well thought out aspect of choreography. Robyn Starks Holcomb added the inspiration for the vocal delivery of each piece. A huge thank you goes out to all choral directors of students who participated, Central College staff, Chris Reed for his work with the show band, and Gage Fenton for helping with organizing logistics. The show represented the empowerment and strength the students continue to display on a daily basis in their own special ways. The overarching theme of the show focused on a quote from the ballad titled “Light” from the musical “Next to Normal.”
AND WHEN THE NIGHT HAS FINALLY GONE,
AND WHEN WE SEE THE NEW DAY DAWN,
WE’LL WONDER HOW WE WANDERED FOR SO LONG, SO BLIND.
THE WASTED WORLD WE THOUGHT WE KNEW,
THE LIGHT WILL MAKE IT LOOK BRAND NEW,
SO LET IT SHINE!
Dr. Sarah VanWaardhuizen
All-State Show Choir Chair, ICDA
Sarah Van Waardhuizen is a native of Northeast Iowa and serves the Central College faculty as Assistant Professor of Music Education. She teaches music education methods courses including elementary general music methods, secondary music methods, show choir and jazz choir techniques, and is the current Co-Director for Intersections - a common experience course for first year students. Dr. VW is excited to pilot a new course during the spring of 2022 titled, “Rap, Hip-Hop, and Decolonizing the Classroom” where she empowers students to examine systemic racism in education through the lens of Hip-Hop. Van Waardhuizen earned her undergraduate degree from Drake University (B.M.E.), master’s degree from The University of Kansas (M.M.E. in choral pedagogy), and her Ph.D. from The University of Iowa. Her research interests include motivation in music education and relevance in the current music education classroom. Dr. Van Waardhuizen grew up in the Iowa show choir realm - performing, choreographing, and directing. In 2019, Dr. VW created the Iowa All-State Show Choir and is excited to serve as Iowa All-State Show Choir Chair for the Iowa Choral Directors Association in 2022. Dr. VW serves Iowa Music Educators Association as the Iowa Collegiate NAfME Chair. In their spare time, you may find Dr. VW playing the ukulele, cheering for one of her four busy children, or enjoying a hot cup of coffee.
Looking Ahead to 2023
We are excited to announce our clinicians for 2023! Two fabulous educators with significant
Iowa connections. . .
Nancy Allen
Director
Nancy Allen is a Professor of Music at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She teaches
Music Theory I & II, Choral Methods and served as the Music Director for Viterbo music theatre
productions from 2012-2021. Recent shows include A Chorus Line, Cats, Oklahoma, Westside
Story, Merrily We Roll Along, Altar Boys, Shout, Little Women, Avenue Q, Into the Woods, and 9
to 5.
Nancy is the founder and director of “Platinum Edition,” a collegiate show choir that has 44
members. In March 2017 they performed at the American Choral Directors National Convention
in Minneapolis. Platinum Edition enjoys hosting the annual Viterbo 101 High School Show Choir
Competition each January. Platinum Edition has performed at and hosted high school show
choir competitions in New York City, Orlando, Branson, Los Angeles, Chicago and Nashville.
Nancy recently founded Diamond Edition a treble voiced group with 28 members. Platinum and
Diamond Edition members perform a show for the public every semester.
Originally from La Crosse, Nancy received her Bachelor of Music degree from Viterbo College in
1984, where she majored in piano performance and K-12 vocal music education. She has fond
memories of teaching K-12 music in New Hartford, IA and 7-12 music in Hudson, IA. She
received her Master of Music in Choral Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa in
1988.
Nancy enjoys working as a professional accompanist and has played over 100 musicals and
operas. She founded and directs a summer community cabaret show featuring twelve singers of
all ages. She also serves as director of the sanctuary choir at the First Congregational in La
Crosse and is enjoying her thirteenth year as organist. Favorite hobbies include golf, traveling
and playing cards!
Kevin Chase
Choreographer
Kevin Chase is a freelance choreographer based in Des Moines, IA. He started his show choir career as a director and choreographer at Bemidji High School in Bemidji, MN. Kevin currently choreographs around 25 groups a year ranging from the middle school, high school, and college levels and travels all over the country as a guest clinician and adjudicator. In 2011, Kevin was awarded ‘Best New Choreographer’ at the FAME Aspire Awards, and is a 4 time recipient of the FAME Aspire ‘Visual Vanguard’ award. He is honored to work with so many show choir programs around the country and looks forward to being the choreographer for the 2023 Iowa All State Show Choir!