VERONICA PENOYER
Special to The Leader
“You just need to love to sing and dance and be willing to put in the hard work to make every performance the best it can be.”
These words of advice came from the president of Fredonia State’s Show Choir: Vocal Point, Allisa Butlak. Vocal Point performed its spring cabaret Wednesday, March 11, in the Tim Hortons on campus.
The group has been in existence for sixteen years. Formed for people who yearn to sing and dance, Vocal Point is the only show choir on campus, appealing to students with a dual passion for both singing and dancing.
Vocal Point plays throughout each semester, performing cabarets and other small shows; however, none of those performances compare to the main event at WCA, an assisted-living home.
“The ladies there are so sweet and are such a great audience,” Butlak said. “When we went there last semester, one of the songs we performed was ‘This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).’ We had such adorable choreography to go along with it, and you could see several ladies singing and dancing along. There’s always such great energy when we go there.”
Wednesday’s show was full of comedic scripts and harmonized cover songs. Each singer was introduced in a cheesy, theatrical way, showcasing the performers’ personalities before they even opened their mouths to sing. The musical talent varied from ballads to group songs dedicated to specific members. Cover songs were sung, such as: “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” originally sung by Deniece Williams in “Footloose,” “Edelweiss” from “The Sound of Music” and “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele.
“Make You Feel My Love” was sung by Liana Kaplan. It was joked by the hosts that Kaplan was the understudy of singer and songwriter, Adele. Dressed in a black-lace dress with red high heels and red lipstick, Kaplan’s style was comparable to Adele’s.
Despite challenges some singers had, others were flawless. As president, Butlak was a strong leader in most performances, as well as her own. She sang Florence and the Machine’s “Shake it Out” with her bright pink hair, wearing a black dress and blue scarf. This rendition was perfect for her range and sound. She hit every high note with no sign of distress and had the audience cheering at every high note she successfully hit.
As a group, Vocal Point’s harmony was energetic. They sang “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” with all girls and dedicated the song to a member. To incorporate the other key element of their group, they danced to this number, as well, synchronizing their choreography.
“I think we totally rocked it. It was a our first performance this semester, and with midterms we’re all a little frazzled, but I think we really came together to give a good show,” said Butlak.
The group does not discriminate and is very diverse. They welcome anyone who loves to sing and dance. For more information, Vocal Point can be found on Facebook and Twitter, posting updates about upcoming events and performances.