Bishop Dwenger group knows the meaning of "GLEE"
By: Kristin Mazur
Updated: September 9, 2009
FOX's new show ‘GLEE’ features Will, a music teacher that'll do whatever it takes to save McKinley High's Glee Club. Bishop Dwenger's Show Choir knows that ‘song and dance’ all too well.
“In our own crazy little world...show choir…we fit in” says Dylan Simpson, a member of
Jennifer Van Antwerp and her husband Ryan run the group. She says they started it just 5 years ago with 12 girls. Now they have over 50 high schoolers involved.
“We are just not afraid to perform and show people who we are and I just think that ‘GLEE’ really hits on that” says member, April Weisman.
Weisman adds that rehearsing for a show is pretty intense saying “we have to get the songs and learn the music, and that's just the beginning.”
The group then must learn the choreography, perfect the choreography, perfect the singing, and then be able to put it all together.
“They're totally committed, they're focused, they're energetic” says Jennifer Van Antwerp.
The group practices nearly every weekday, for at least an hour each day in order to perfect each song and dance for their semi-annual performances and competitions.
Member Jim Miller says they practice “15 to 20 hours to perfect the dances for just a few minutes” on stage.
And like the show, these teens are just trying to do one thing: reach their star potential.
“It's just a bunch of crazy kids, being crazy, singing and dancing” adds Simpson.
‘GLEE’ airs every Wednesday at 9PM on FOX Fort Wayne. To watch all aired episodes online head to fox.com/glee.
