Treasuring the work behind Val-o-grams
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“L” is for the yearly awkward look on student faces as they get sung to by Something Dangerous on Valentines Day.
Val-o-grams is a McNary tradition in order to fundraise for the Choir program. A capella Choir Something Dangerous--Something Blue is the girl’s choir and Danger Tones is the boy choir--delivered singing telegrams to student, staff ,and friends on Valentines day. These few minute love song performances have hours of preparation and memories behind them.
“It’s probably the biggest thing Something Dangerous does all year,” said Choir Council Vice President, Bradley Fryman.
When purchasing a Valogram, there is an array of song choices people can choose from. This year, Something Blue performed songs Treasure by Bruno Mars, Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor, Baby I’m Yours, and Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. The Danger Tones performed songs What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole, and All My Loving by the Beatles.
Something Dangerous have been working on these songs since October, preparing for their long school day on the 14th.
“There is a lot of work that goes into them,” Fryman said. “Whether it be learning the actual notes, or the choreography, or the selling itself.”
When it comes to delivering the valograms, Choir Council President Jana Everitt says it’s important for them to maintain the same energy for each song.
“The biggest thing is giving everybody the same performance every time,” she said.
Everitt says the choir receives varying reactions from the people they sing to, and that making sure each performance is the same is a process.
Although it feels awkward to be sang to during class, Valograms can feel awkward for Something Dangerous as well. However, Everitt says they do their best to pretend it’s not.
Fryman remembers being nervous during Valograms in his first year of Something Dangerous. He says the strangest thing is how people request multiple songs for the same person, and visiting that person multiple times a day can be tiring.
“That realization hit where it’s more awkward for the person being sung to than it is for me,” Fryman said. He suggests that people being sung to just go with what’s happening and have a good time. Fryman also explained that Something Dangerous dosen’t mean to embarrass people.
“If it embarrassed people, then hey, that’s kind of a part of the gig,” he said.
This year Something Dangerous did not visit McNary’s filler middle schools on Valentines Day, but plans to still make the trip later in the year.
Everitt enjoys getting to visit Whiteaker and Clagget Creek Middle Schools. She says it’s fun to hear the students' reasons for being a part of choir.
“It’s fun going to middle schools and seeing little me’s in all of them,” Fryman said. “When I was at Whiteaker I always would listen to the Danger Tones when they came in for Valograms, and I was like wow I really want to do that when I’m older, so Im finally able to.”