By J1 reporter Isabella Raczynski

Extracurricular activities and sports at Marian have always gotten lots of support, but there are some that seem to go a bit unnoticed, such as Marian’s show choir: Momentum. Show choir is dancing and singing at the same time, which is why it’s called “show choir.” Team members are putting on a show while singing as a choir. It’s not as easy as it seems, dancing and singing for 15 minutes requires a lot of stamina with great energy.  

Practices are usually three times a week, “every Monday after school and every Wednesday and Thursday before school. We work on our choreography, vocals, performance skills, and most importantly, stamina,” senior officer and dance captain Josie Golka said. 

However, because the team doesn’t practice every day, “practicing outside of normal rehearsals is critical,” sophomore Abi Howard said.

“We won’t have a good show if we don’t put in as much work at home as we do in rehearsals together.” Golka says that “practicing at home allows you to connect to the show and have more fun onstage, which results in better placing at competitions!” 

Not only are practices three days a week a struggle sometimes, but the size of the group can also affect the team. Most varsity show choirs have between 45-60 members, while Momentum has 18 this year. 

“Not many people know Marian even has performing arts programs, let alone show choir,” Golka said. Another challenge is the lack of support. Golka has been in show choir at Marian for four years, and “not once have I seen a large group of students come out to support us. Even while one of our competitions is a boss point event, I never see Marian girls attend. And that’s not only a let down for the girls who put in so much effort for show choir, it’s also hindering our performances.” Most schools usually bring “hype squads” with them, which is a group of students from the school to cheer them on.

While most sports have a seasonal season, Momentum has a year-long season, beginning from August all the way until March. Howard says that “It’s fun, but it’s also a lot of hard work.”

Golka says that “You have to sacrifice a large amount of your time all year to practice and attend rehearsals.”

Despite all the challenges and sacrifices Momentum girls make for their team, the bond and experiences make up for it. Singing and dancing are some of the favorite things to do of the girls on the team, but the reason they keep coming back is because the team really becomes a family. The team has group leaders, which Golka says “are the most important thing for a group dynamic.” Her freshman and sophomore year, Golka said she didn’t feel very connected to the group, but “in the last two years, I think that the leadership team has done a great job at pumping up the group, organizing bonding activities, and making the team feel like a family.” 

Howard agrees with this, and says that Golka was the one who encouraged her to join show choir at Marian. “She encouraged me to do it and be involved with whatever music I could be at Marian.” She continues, saying that the bond is “like none other. I feel like even if you leave show choir, you are still part of the family. We all just love each other so much and want the best for each other.” 

If you want to come out and support Momentum, they have three competitions left until the end of their season. At their last competition at Burke Bonanza, Momentum placed 1st in the treble division, the all-women’s division, and ended up making it to finals. Momentum performed at 8:40 that night, and ended up placing 6th in runner ups at the final awards ceremony. Most of the competitions are on Saturdays starting with Westside on Jan. 29, Skutt on Feb. 21, and finally, Lincoln Northeast on March 5.