Landon Wood, a senior TESOL major and Spanish Education minor at UNI, was one of six students who had the brilliant idea of starting up a show choir at the university. Vocal AmmUNItion, which is among few college show choirs in the nation, has been taking the Midwest by storm and we are lucky enough to get the inside scoop on how it all began.
How long have you been singing?
I have been singing for some odd 18-19 years. When I was about 3 years old I used to go to “Old Timers” league softball games to watch my dad play and all of his friends would ask me to sing. I was shy at first, but then they started paying me one quarter for every song I sang… I was “professionally” paid in the process of being potty-trained musician.
Do you have a background in dancing as well?
I do not have a dance background. The only type of dancing I was ever exposed to in high school was the choreography from our annual fall musicals. This choreography was never very intense, but during my senior year, when we did Grease, I got the opportunity to learn how to swing dance, lifts and all.
Were you involved with show choir in high school?
Sadly, my high school did not have a show choir. My high school was known for putting on near professional status musicals and because of this, our choir director decided to cut the swing/show choir completely in order to receive more funds for our stellar musical theatre program.
What made you decide to start up a show choir group at UNI?
Myself and 5 others decided that it was about time for UNI to experience the thrill of jazz hands and sequins. We banded together and formed the group mainly because we missed performing or were never given the opportunity to perform in a show choir. Glee was also a huge motivator for forming this group.
How did you come up with the name of the group?
After creating our Facebook group to find out student body population interest we realized that our desire to create a collegiate level show choir was going to become a reality. This was due to the large amount of students who joined the group and surged with excitement over the notion of a collegiate level show choir. We posted a discussion on the Facebook group regarding the group’s name and one of the users eventually posted “Vocal AmmUNItion.” The name was favored by all of the group members. We submitted the name and student group proposal to NISG….and BAM, here we are, Vocal AmmUNItion— UNI’s Show Choir.
Has the group been everything you hoped it would be?
We are a very young group, but the tenacity that the current members have shown are living up to my expectations. Our first year was kind of a miss. We only had one semester to put together a show and no funds, but we had several dedicated members and we pulled off a stunning and heartfelt performance at Relay for Life. This year our group consists of twenty-one dedicated singers and dancers and four amazing band members. We received funding from NISG and were able to put together a full show in a little under a semester, whcih is quite a feat considering that we only rehearse one night a week.
Recently we have been the exhibition performance at two High School Show Choir Invitationals and we have more performances to come in the future. When we go to the high school invitationals those in attendance are in awe of our true passion for performance, our clean, innovative, and crisp choreography, and our professional demeanor. We are an amazing recruitment resource for this university because we are one of the only collegiate level institutions in the Midwest (if not the nation) to have a show choir. I have heard several prospective high school students say the following utterance after our performances: I AM GOING TO UNI! So to answer your question, yes, the group has been everything I hoped it would be times a million ba-gillion!
What has been your favorite part of being in Vocal AmmUNItion?
My favorite part of being in Vocal AmmUNItion has been the camaraderie that I share with my fellow VA-ers! Traveling with them to our shows is hilarious and rehearsal is one of the highlights of my week. We are more than just a show choir— we are a family.
What’s your favorite part about performing?
My favorite part about performing has to be the excitement and awe-inspired looks that I see when I look out into the audience. I know that what we are doing is impacting lives.
What do you hope to see in the future for the group?
I hope that this group will continue to put forth professional high energy shows, and my biggest hope for this group is that we could set up our own Spring show that draws crowds like the Men’s Glee Club does. Even if this dream does not come true, I know that the returning members will carry on the tradition of passionate performances and true dedication to this group and its mission.
What are your plans after graduating?
After graduating I plan to teach English as a Second Language abroad. I am hoping to find a teaching position somewhere where I can learn a new language…. but merely because I will be abroad does not mean that I will ever stop supporting and loving this truly amazing group! I will forever be a VA-er!
Want to be a part of the Vocal AmmUNItion Show Choir? Check out their website at www.wix.com/vocalammunition/index! Also, be sure to “like” them on Facebook!