Bloomington show choir raises over $30,000 for trip to national competition
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- An excited group of Bloomington teenagers are at the top when it comes to show choir. Kennedy High School's Rhythm in Gold is attaining accolades, but as their season ends, they're facing one final challenge.
The captains this year are seniors Oliver Bauch, Davauaghn Lane, and Ellie Denysenko.
"I would say show choir is like singing and dancing simultaneously," Denysenko said.
Devaughn came from basketball, Ellie from volleyball and Oliver from theater. They all found their way to this growing genre.
"I feel like show choir is more like a family," Devaughn said.
Oliver adds, "I am my happiest on stage when I am doing a dance break. I love doing a dance break -- it's just the energy, I can feel the people around me."
Devaughn says it's emotional too.
"Being in show choir in general I feel an escape from the world, I feel like my head isn't clouded, its just free when I am in show choir," Devaughn said.
Nikki Goulet Jordan is the director of Kennedy's Rhythm and Gold Show Choir.
"There is nothing entitled about them, where they come from, why wanna work hard and they wanna be good," Goulet Jordan said.
And they are good -- for the first time in 15 years, the team qualified for Nationals in Branson Missouri on April 1.
"To spring on our families oh we qualified for National and oh by the way we need a thousand dollars, that's just not reality for the kids we serve," Goulet Jordan said.
They need $60,000 total -- they have already raised $35,000.
"They've earned it. They are such a good group of kids, and a lot of them come from very little. And so to see their faces when they have success is just..." Goulet Jordan said, crying.
The Kennedy Rhythm in Gold Show Choir is raising money on its website.
They also are raising money with their grand finale show this Friday and Saturday. Tickets for the show are still available here.