At Jacksonville State University, there is a small ensemble made up of only 20-25 students who are multi-talented to say the least. These students sing, dance and can perform both of these talents simultaneously, entertaining all who come to watch their shows. This ensemble, known formally as “Encore!” is JSU’s very own show choir, which has officially been a part of the JSU campus for twenty years now.

Dr. Renée Baptiste joined JSU’s faculty in 2005 as an associate professor of music, also taking on the role of show choir director.

Dr. Baptiste grew up loving music, and started playing piano at a young age, learning from her mother. As she grew older, she became a member of the show choir in high school, and when Dr. Baptiste graduated from college and began to teach at both the middle and high school levels, she naturally taught show choir.

“To be in show choir, a person has to have much dedication,” Dr. Baptiste says. “They also have to have enthusiasm for this type of music and be very energetic. It’s like an aerobics class to the nth degree.”

A show choir sings contemporary music and adds choreography to accompany the songs. At JSU, much of the dancing is choreographed for partners, so there is an even number of male and female students.

Kate Trammell is a junior majoring in art. She has been in show choir for two years, but has been singing and dancing all of her life. This past year, she also acted as one of the choreographers for the group, as well as singing and performing in the concerts. When trying to choreograph a routine for a song, she likes to listen to the song on her iPod and do whatever comes naturally.

“I really enjoy being a choreographer,” Trammell says. “It is stressful, but it’s a lot of fun being able to come up with your own dance moves and putting it all together with the music.”

Baptiste says that a new theme for “Encore!” is chosen each year. Since she has served as director, the themes have included: Jazz, Motown, Broadway and in honor of 2008’s political process, the choir performed a theme embodying the word “change,” where every song included that word. This year, the theme is Rock n’ Roll. It includes famous favorites such as “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “We Will Rock You,” “Rock This Town,” “Rockin’ Robin,” “Thriller” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” among others.

To prepare for performances, “Encore!” meets as a class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:15 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. On Mondays, the choir practices singing as an entire group. On Wednesdays, the singers break into sectionals with a section leader to oversee progress and accuracy. On Fridays, the choir dances non-stop from the beginning of class to the end.

“The challenge with show choir is learning that much material, the singing separate from the dancing, and then putting it all together,” Baptiste says.

Since there are only 20 -25 spots available in the JSU show choir, tryouts are competitive. Baptiste says that there are usually two audition days during the spring semester, which begin at 8:00 a.m. and last all day. During auditions, students are taught a dance sequence and will then dance in partners or groups of four and rotate out.

“Everyone learns the dance on the spot that morning,” Baptiste says. “That teaches me about how quickly they can learn the dance steps, and then I look at their presentation and make sure their personality comes across, too.”

Students are also judged on their singing ability through a prepared vocal solo, and, for those who make it, a scholarship is awarded. Musicians interested in playing in the instrumental combo with “Encore!” also try out the same day. They usually include an accompanist pianist, a drummer, a bass player and this year, Baptiste added a guitar player.

“Encore!” performs not only at JSU, but also for community groups or social and civic clubs who request a performance. As a recruitment tool, “Encore!” also performs at local high schools.

Jason Wright participated as a member in “Encore!” for five years, and feels that it is effective in helping to recruit high school students to attend JSU.

“Students love to be a part of something,” Wright says. “Music is meant to be performed, and show choir is one of the ultimate ways to perform music, because it gets your whole body involved.”

JSU’s “Encore!” will perform at 7:30 p.m. on April 16 at the Mason Hall Performance Center. If you enjoy music, dancing and singing along to classics, this is a show for you. Come see what’s been the rage on JSU’s campus for twenty years now, and why the excitement of show choir doesn’t seem to be fading any time soon.

“People have been making music together and participating in watching other people make music since the beginning of time,” Wright says. “Evidently in the human experience and in the human culture, it is important for us to have spectacle, to experience beauty and just general fun. This type of thing does that. It is a way for us to rejoice in the fact that we have this type of music and that it is something we can experience together and make memories.”

Julie Skinner, a student worker in the Office of Public Relations, contributed to this article.