Dos and Don'ts

Dos and Don'ts: Stage Entrance

By Mike Scalise on March 19, 2009 in Dos and Don'ts

On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON’T format.

DO: Make an entrance that the audience and judges will remember.
DON'T: Enter the stage in a mundane way.

During the past five years, I've been to a number of a cappella events, both competitive and non-competitive. After a while, it becomes difficult to remember which groups were at which shows. However, I find that many of the groups that I do remember were the ones which made memorable entrances on stage. In fact, from my very first competitive a cappella show at Cornell University in 2005, I can still recall The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers starting their set by running from the back of the chapel and hopping on stage. It was unique, memorable, and engaging. When planning out your next competitive show, think about how you want to introduce yourself to the audience.

Dos and Don'ts: Order of Songs

By Mike Scalise on March 5, 2009 in Dos and Don'ts

On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON’T format.

DO: Use a slow song in the middle of two livelier selections.
DON'T: Start or end your ICCA set with a slow song.

In competitive a cappella, groups normally sing three songs as part of their sets. It is important that they make the best use of their time, impress the audience and judges, and feel good about their performances. In my opinion, the best way to accomplish this is to begin the set with an upbeat song that encompasses strong vocals and creative choreography. Slower songs can also give groups the opportunity to showcase their talents, but they are best left for the middle piece, as it gives the audience a change of pace, and a chance to catch its breath. The last, and perhaps most important song, is the third one. Leaving the audience and judges the last impression of a dynamic, well-performed song will go a long way during deliberation. Song selection is an important part of competitive a cappella, but don't forget that the order of the songs can play a crucial role as well.

Dos and Don'ts: Song Selection

By Mike Scalise on February 12, 2009 in Dos and Don'ts

On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON’T format.

DO: Make song selections appropriate for your group.
DON'T: Sing songs of the opposite sex.

In competitive a cappella, you will often witness groups singing songs of all different types--fast and slow paced, covers, originals, etc. However, when an all-male or all-female group chooses to sing a song by an artist of the opposite sex, they often can't do it justice. The fact of the matter is that it can be extremely difficult for an all-female group to hit the notes, achieve the tonal quality or embody the aura that comes more naturally to men, singing men's songs. Likewise, men tend to have a difficult time reaching the higher octaves that women can, or capturing the essence of a distinctly feminine song. There are exceptions, of course. A recent Tuesday Tubin' showcased Brigham Young's Noteworthy, an all-female group, singing Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" in which their bold vocals, complemented by their innovative choreography, allowed them to pull this off seamlessly. Likewise, I recall Rochester's Midnight Ramblers drawing a tear or two through their stunning version of Sarah McLachlan's "When She Loved Me." These are exceptions, not the rule. So if you're a single-gendered group, choose your set wisely.

Dos and Don'ts: Talking between songs

By Mike Scalise on February 5, 2009 in Dos and Don'ts

On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON’T format.

DO: Focus on preparing for the following song.
DON'T: Talk excessively between songs.

Members of a cappella groups are performers. They entertain their audience using their vocal talents. However, as performers, many individuals choose to speak to the audience between songs to tell a story, a joke, or make introductions. While all of these have their place, perhaps at the beginning or end of the entire set, they don't belong excessively intermingled with the performance. What I would rather see is a group that either focuses on setting up mics and members efficiently so that they can nail the following song or creatively transition to the next piece using choreography and voice. Small talk is good, but I think it's best served at the beginning or end of a set.

Dos and Dont's: The use of signs in performances

By Mike Scalise on January 8, 2009 in Dos and Don'ts

On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON'T format.

DON'T: Use signs in performances to attract attention or to create humor.

DO: Focus on choreography as a mechanism to draw attention and enhance the visual presentation of a song.

One of the biggest turn-offs for me when watching a competitive a cappella performance is the presence of signs and banners on stage. They add very little, if any, merit to a performance as a whole, and rather only demonstrate a group's ability to hold something up. Not to mention, it just looks a little tacky. Unique choreography, on the other hand, can turn a good performance into a great one. The mixture of hand motions, steps, and synchronization gives groups endless possibilities. In addition, visual cohesiveness, creativity of movement, and appropriateness of movement are all criteria that comprise the Visual Performance category on the ICCA and ICHSA judge form. Therefore, stage presence should be emphasized whenever possible. Good groups don't need to use signs in order to look great--they need solid choreography and an effective presentation.

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