Seen At The Morris Comp…
Posted 12/18/24 11:45 pm
ALL THE 1A IN THE HOUSE, RAISE YOUR HANDS IN THE AY-ER
+ Comp Weekend 5 — the time every December where we’re strongly trending towards, “Just give them a gift card” territory.
+ Lots of dance options to choose from for Comp Weekend 5! I went with Morris because of the unique all-day-1A lineup, and not just of teams who we’re all looking at for Day 2 potential. Just like last year, we’ve got emerging programs, 1A royalty, teams striving for a state spot, and teams that don’t neatly fit into any of those groups. It’s a full day where you can really see what our state’s smalls schools can do with an IHSA dance rubric.
+ But with a huge comp at Belleville East, this wasn’t going to be a 1A mini-state (nor was it designed to be that, at least that’s my guess). Instead, it’s a rare chance to assemble a big 1A field of almost all-competitive teams and see how that kind of field shakes out. I’m also guessing it was a chance for those officials to get to know some of the leading 1A dances while getting accustomed to a full day of that usual 1A score range.
Welcome to the 1A Powerhouse’s House
+ I think it was a mid-2010s senior night when I got to discover, firsthand, just how cool the Morris gym is. Since then I’ve been super fortunate to have visited the program several times, but there was something special about that one Friday night years ago when I got to see one of the state’s most unique basketball gyms packed with fans and a palpable electricity floating through the air.
+ This’ll sound like a real estate listing, but the gym has legit vintage charm. Upper balcony, undersized, a broadcasting nook you have to climb into…I can easily imagine old-timey AM radio broadcasts of MCHS hoops like 75 years ago up there.
+ But I’ve known all about Morris poms since well before the IHSA era. For a few seasons, Morris and my flagship client at the time, Crystal Lake Central, would battle in the double-A pom category at weekly comps, the North Supersectional, and IDTA State in Champaign.
+ Then came more good years in TDI, and then a wildly successful IHSA era. I’ve actually been in the presence of a stack of sectional championship plaques in their dance room (I’m too lazy to dig up the photo at the moment). Of course you know all about the boatload of second-in-state IHSA trophies. Then came the big 1A championship they’d been working towards for so long.
+ And out of love and respect, I’ll recite the official abbreviations: MVP for Morris Varsity Poms (whether or not there’s a JV in a given season, it’s always “MVP”), dancing at MCHS (Morris Community High School).
+ Granted, cell reception was iffy. I had to go outside during the lunch break to catch up on story posts. Also I had to skip the usual live-streamed awards, plus I had to finish up the dance commentary story posts at home that night. BUT the insta reel still turned out fun!
+ Nice: $5 admission! I like this because with 27 dances plus a studio exhibition, the hosts could’ve charged more toward the now-standard ten bucks. I think the price is a nod to a lot of teams traveling far (expensive!), and / or from communities with less affluence than the flagship Chicago-area teams. Sure, the only-three trophies thing might have something to do with the low admission cost, but Morris comes out as wallet heroes during the holiday season.
+ One division, three placement trophies. The trophy / announcer’s table’s sparseness is actually kind of cool because it reinforces the idea that this is a 1A-only event — the class of schools that collectively share that “underdog” label just by virtue of being small.
NOTES, NUGGETS, IMPRESSIONS
+ Today’s competitors: 17 teams, 26 dances, plus a JV team. Shoutout to teams who drove a long way (and with some incoming weather on their way to Morris, and definitely on their way home).
+ I’m about to be guilty of patting myself on the back: a year ago, Rockridge came to this comp and I was shocked at how good of a jazz team they were. I’d never even heard of the school, but quickly looked them up (they’re in the Quad Cities metro area of western Illinois, officially from Taylor Ridge). And then they qualified for IHSA State.
+ Points-wise and placement-wise, it was a “somewhere in the middle” kind of day for this buzzworthy 1A group, but they definitely showed that sectionals potential once again. In the moment, I saw a spark in this performance:
+ Much closer to Morris but still with a pretty long drive was Putnam County’s four dancers. Geography nerds, here ya go: keep going west from Ottawa, past the dancers of LaSalle-Peru, and then southwest to Granville, Illinois’ Putnam County HS. But yeah, 4 dancers with the stage charisma to match their jazzy costumes. I’d love to see this program continue to grow.
+ A program with a huge catalog of state-level success is Mascoutah, and these dancers and fans drove a LONG way to dance at Morris (I’ll call it the far southeast suburbs of St. Louis). I’ve been to their home comp back when they used to have one, not that many years ago in the early IHSA era. Long-known for lyrical and contemporary, I’ve seen them expand to other styles in recent seasons, but today they were back in their well-known lyrical mode. They’ve got the eye-catching visuals nailed down in this piece, along with a roster that knows how to showcase their jazz skills.
+ If I’m Fieldcrest, I’m loving this Morris comp. Tough field but a doable drive (we often see Fieldcrest traveling to Chicago-area comps). I’m all about growth, and this dance has boldly advanced since I last had eyes on it at Andrew over a month ago. Incremental points gain, though, but the eye test would say otherwise.
+ Shifting to the Chicago area, let’s look at this Lisle program. Jazz and lyrical have long been the Lionettes’ thing — this time, it’s the fierce side of that genre. This definitely stood out for its visually-pleasing choreo, like a story I could follow along to using their body language, song expression, and faces — and of course, really nice choreo. Partner work is always a plus in my book!
+ A few different ways are available to ID the bold dancers from (what I’m calling) de la Cruz. Officially Acero: Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, I see that Google seems to be ok with Acero: Cruz (and that’s how they were announced — much credit to the Morris AD for asking each team how they wanted to be introduced). This program danced at this comp a year ago, and I remember them being a pleasant discovery. Still in the developing stage, the dancers from the Rogers Park neighborhood brought excellent fire and stage charisma to their fun hip hop piece. You’ll often see these dramatic, artsy, stage-worthy productions out of many Chicago teams. Try to watch them if you get the chance.
+ Side note: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a boring routine by a City team. Now you know!
+ You might remember me mentioning in another post that Fenwick is a program I can’t help but root for (historical 8CA reasons, yes, and recent tech session clients, sure — but also as a program that exemplifies the spirit of the sport). This one’s yet another routine where I just want to turn off the scoring and just appreciate its heartfelt beauty. Body placement and movement quality tells me that this crew spends plenty of time sharpening their choreo. A few weeks of cleaning and this very likable lyrical can hold its own in January.
+ I’m always down for watching an IMSA routine. These dances have been a good watch since their Comp Weekend 1 debut. Lots of credit goes to these dancers for taking the program to a new level this winter.
+ The crowd was treated to two routines by Mahomet-Seymour, who brought a strong (and nice!) fan section on the long trip to Morris. Quick note on Routine 1: music-wise, these dancers did a good job focusing on the soaring vocals instead of the very basic piano part.
+ Super interestingly, Mahomet’s second dance (an energetic and fun pom) adds some new data to the theory that when a team has two similarly-scoring routines, it’s a jazz and lyrical that *might be* (but probably are not) too similar. Instead, M-S has a lyrical and a pom, both within a point of each other on this floor.
+ The team that could stir a sectional pot is Tinley Park. I gave y’all a heads up on this stepped-up program well over a month ago. In this tough 1A field, TP was about mid-pack but, more significantly, a very solid 75.70. If the z-score theory is true (that a group of judges has a “feel” for a group of routines which plays *some* kind of role in the way a routine in that group is perceived and scored), then this run of their dance is a good sign for how things might play out in a month.
+ St Viator’s two dances have a more traditional points spread than, say, Mahomet-Seymour, though their routines are close enough where I think both would be capable of looking nice on a sectional floor. The musicality is a big plus in dance 1 (expressive, lyrical-tinged jazz). There’s something so angelic about their delivery in dance 2. In both cases, they show off the strength it takes to execute slower turns (high stakes where any timing variations are easily exposed). It’s a pretty look for one of the most enthusiastic, nicest teams out there.
+ Well ya’ll know I like the Streatorettes’ name (covered in a recent 8CA podcast episode) and program history, but this year’s IHSA dance is also rather fire. Going with a chill version of one of the more popular and stylish lyrical-contemporary song picks from over the past decade, these dancers load up on the skills…but the quality of movement is what screams out in this one. Their song expression sells it!
+ JCA had a great day at Oswego last week and, when you factor-out penalties, had a top-tier dance on the Morris floor. The Angels dancers went with, yes, THAT mid-‘70s classic rock song that’s been so en vogue among jazz teams in the 2020s. They do their own thing with it! I keep recommending certain teams and routines to all the songwriters and singers out there, but these Joliet Catholic Dancers are so good at hits that accent the so-important drums in this song. Every single count has polish.
+ But man, their 2nd dance is a treat. JCA in hip hop mode definitely reveals some jazz hearts beating underneath the fun costumes. Their “fun” dance is actually pretty formidable and one of the cooler surprises of the winter across divisions.
+ They’re back, they’re making sure you know it, they’re ACC! Obviously I was pretty captivated when this debuted at Oak Forest on Comp Weekend 3. Two weeks later: sharper, bigger, and about a +4 in points. Strong Day 2 potential here for Aurora Central Catholic’s talented dancers.
+ Making the long drive *worth it by workin’ it* was the M-Squad from Clinton. Watching that cool Dance 1 intro from the side was an unexpected bonus. In a song where most teams thrive on musicality (whether in a jazz or a hip hop dance), Clinton also cranks out some amazing turns. And yeah, they hit the musicality, too!
+ But it was during Clinton’s second dance where I was like, “This could go top 2 today…” They’ve got the sharpness down, and the choreo stands out. If you liked their Dance 1 turns, you get even more of the good stuff in this lyrical. Could be the sneaky candidate in a Day 2 showdown.
+ Providence Catholic could be the most rock-solid team in 1A with consistent performances each weekend. This is where a cumulative points system would really highlight Providance’s achievements since mid-November. For today they just had their jazz (usually run as Routine 2), and I have a whole new level of appreciation having watched it from the side. I mentioned last week that this version of the song starts acapella (voice-only), and then the band comes in; the first instrument to join the song is a piano arpeggio and this team picked the perfect skill to accent that moment. Obviously that comment is a high five to the choreographer, but it takes special dancers to execute it so convincingly.
+ Impressively, this team was back at it 24 hours later in a very different setting at Lincoln-Way Central, with both of their dances! On both days certain team members danced their way into the highlight reel during the pre-awards dance party…and I don’t think they were, like, trying to. Just the good vibes flowin’.
+ Jacksonville brought 3 routines!
+ Other teams that have come to IHSA comps with 3 routines in recent memory are Ottawa and Glenbrook South. In the pre-IHSA days, most teams would bring 2, 3, or sometimes 4 routines in different categories. Somehow, and unofficially, we’ve gotten used to an imaginary maximum of 2 IHSA dances per competition event. I don’t think there’s an actual limit.
+ I love the idea of 3! It gets back to not merely the category vibe of IDTA, TDI, and Halftime Illinois, but also it celebrates the concept that great dance teams have RANGE. IHSA competitive dance, much like pitching roles in baseball, has become ultra-specialized. Surely this will blossom into its own blog post during the offseason…
+ Oh, so anyhow: They brought 3 dances! And a loud fan section. The defending double-champ J’ettes made the long trip from Jacksonville to go up against their frequent top-spot rivals Morris, plus a whole slew of Day 2 contenders. Their pom work was spiffy as always, but when this team does jazz, it’s sleek and crisp. A little scary for the 1A world: these dances are still in the developing stage, and with high points ceilings. It’s chilling to watch them at work because every count has a tangy boldness to it.
+ For Routine 1, the Jacksonville intro is among the best for jazz routines across divisions this winter. In 20 seconds and before any drums start, they scoop up visual, staging, skills, execution, musicality, and showmanship points (note that this is the casual 8CA rubric that I’m using, LOL). Dance 2 was, fittingly, the meat in the sandwich of their 3 dances — fitting because pom is firmly in the program’s historic roots. Dance 3 was especially impressive and not just because there’s tons of points yet to be earned. It’s a classic ‘80s ballad that has a lot of space between the musical phrases, but smart choreographers know that that’s not a license to just go off and do whatever. There’s always musicality to build around, and that’s exactly what the J’ettes showed throughout the song. Plus: tricky, tricky timing for the wrap-up! They rise to that challenge with alacrity!
+ If you’ve seen the 8CA highlight reel, you’ll know that Morris was pretty lit about their second dance coming out on top. I still think of this program as a deep-down-inside pom team, not just because of the name and historic achievements but also their always-on showmanship. Don’t skip out on their pom routine — this is one of the most fun couple minutes in Illinois Dance this winter. I mean, it’s the theme of their team merch!
+ OK, musicality-history comment time. So let me boldly claim that for about 20-ish years, pop music has gone without much in the way of syncopated beats. In other words, a strong focus on the “and” of a count. Something like this one from Britney circa 1999-2000, where the strong hits in the intro are on count 1 and then the AND of count 2 (you have to scroll to :44 to avoid the ridiculous intro story):
+ Not that that song is in this pom routine (and honestly, this song should never ever be in any routine…it’s just a good example of syncopation). But the pom mix celebrates that last era of pop music where musicality was just a natural must-have when writing and producing a track. Hence every other dance team giving MJ’s “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Dangerous” a try.
+ So that’s my long-winded way of saying that Morris does a fantastic job of grabbing onto the musicality of their old-school song mix! In a pom routine, the visual effect of that approach really pops off the floor. Marry that with their stamina, clean execution, and jazzy pom skills, and they pick up a 3rd at their home comp against some amazing teams.
+ But it was Dance 2 that earned top honors. The sauce that’s slathered on this dish is not just quality of movement, but their range of that (and the dynamic contrast of flexible, arcing movements and sharp, crisp hits, all depending on what’s going on in the song right then). Those advanced skills are going to pay dividends every weekend right through state. But definitely take a moment to appreciate their expressive motion before the chorus — during the vocals-only section — when the singer has a series of sharp triplets, and their upper bodies perfectly portray that. It’s about athleticism and artistry and feeling, and also their ability to shift right into super-technique mode in the next 8 count.
+ I had to check and recheck my arithmetic on the penalty points: this field lost a combined 17 points. Season debuts, less experienced teams (though they didn’t account for much of the penalties), *aggressive choreo elements*— all possible reasons for a hefty penalty points total for the entire field. I’m guessing most of these won’t repeat themselves when these routines hit the floor again. (???)
+ The Interstate 8 is a pretty good dance conference:
+ I gave in: bought a Nothing Bundt Cake. Walked away…then drifted back to the table and bought a second one as they were packing up the display after the comp. Something to look forward to after a long, rainy drive home!