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Rhea Choudhary

The Respira performers are in their starting formation with their heads down, each at their own labeled position on Tuesday. Respira’s directors and performers are working hard rehearsing during Tech Week for their annual fall show.

The combination of singing and dancing makes the Respira show choir stand out from the rest. After months of preparation, with planning beginning in June, Coppell High School Choir dives into its “Tech Week”- the week prior to the upcoming performance.

“As they get on stage, it should be second nature for them because of how much we’ve rehearsed.” Coppell choir assistant director Aaron Coronado said.  All we tell them is to trust the process, trust our preparation, and to enjoy the performance.” 

The special component about Respira is how freely the singers are able to sing pop music; it’s been made as an outlet for singers who enjoy performing show tunes. Respira is a treble show choir, displayed during fall, consisting of singers varying from freshman to seniors with strong backgrounds in vocals and dancing. The amount of dedication and commitment acquired from both the directors and performers, is phenomenal; everyone’s hard work is abundantly clear through each rehearsal.

Tech Week, the weekdays before the show, is beneficial and important for both Respira performers and directors. Throughout this week, the directors Bona Coogle and Coronado have made it a point for the students’ nerves to reduce, with their excitement growing,  its performances Saturday and Sunday. 

Respira performers are constantly taught to give it their  all, no matter if it’s show night or just another tiring, late-night rehearsal.

 “Every time you’re on stage, you are performing,” Coogle said. “Some new singers go into the mindset of how Tech Week is just rehearsals and how they’ll put on their 100% when it is show night. However, you have to train your body to know that every time you are on stage, you are performing. This is helpful especially during Tech Week so that when it comes to show night, none of the performers are freaking out.”

Performing in front of such a large audience can be extremely intimidating and not an accomplishment most high schoolers can be so confident executing. Each performer has their separate fears and worries for what could possibly go wrong or what they could mess up, only adding to their arising anxiety. 

“Tech Week ensures that each Respira member goes into ‘lockdown mode’ to perfect each and every detail, as Ms. Coogle and Mr. Coronado will make sure every person is ready to give it their all,” senior choir president Mihira Kada said.

Each member has to learn different choreography and many unique formations, definitely keeping the audience engaged with the performance. According to Kada, the most stressful bit about having so many formations is how noticeable it is, even if one person messes up. 

Respira’s choreographer Ashley Kimbrough enunciates how tremendously significant it is for each transformation from song to song to be nothing less than perfect. If anything is not up to par during Tech Week, performers will practice and redo each part to get it to the best level possible. Tech Week causes a whole rush of emotions combined, including excitement, instilled fear, and a rush of adrenaline, only resulting in the immaculate fall performance, clearly depicting the countless hours of hard work.

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