Adapting To The Environment
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #155: Adapting To The Environment
It’s a reality for any artist who travels to perform live: you will encounter different stages, different auditoriums, different audiences. While it’s an easy choice (and, in some cases, the only choice) to maintain your act as originally planned and make it work within the space permitted, it can be all the more impressive to see a group demonstrate the adaptability, improvisational talent, or sheer research to come prepared to do something different with a different performance space.
One of my favorite examples of this is groups breaking the fourth wall and entering the audience—it can be a risky proposition with consideration to the house lighting and how sound is set up, but if the stars align, breaking free from a small stage and literally engaging with the audience can be a spectacular way of drawing the audience into the energy of a performance and making them feel like a part of the act.
I love it!