Show choir competition season is just around the corner and Xavier’s varsity group, Xhilaration, is working hard to start the season off strong. Xhilaration performed their show on Thursday, January 6 at the show choir Xhibition, an event where the show choirs got to perform for the first time for a parent and student audience. Xavier’s show choir director, Phil Schroetter, believes that Xhibition went exceptionally well for a first show. “Being my first Xhibition, I thought that the show went great!” Schroetter said. “I have received many comments from parents about how this is the best one that they have seen in recent years because of how put together it was, even for how fast we threw combo and everything else in there. Very proud of them.” Xhilaration’s theme for this year is titled “Live a New Day.” The show features five songs and four soloists. The first half of the show gives off a post-apocalyptic theme, with the performers donning dark dresses and hooded capes. Then, during the ballad, every performer is sent off-stage to change into brighter colored costumes. This change is to symbolize the transition out of darkness into a new hope. The second half of the show gives a more hopeful, brighter feel. The show choir will be attending four competitions which are located in Davenport on Saturday January 29, Mount Pleasant on Saturday February 5, Benton on Saturday February 26 and Marion on Saturday March 5. They will also be performing at the Xavier-hosted middle school competition, Xtravaganza. The members are excited to compete again for the first time in two years. “I’m really excited to actually be able to compete again, since last year didn’t really feel like an actual year,” senior show choir member Emily Armstrong said. “Competition days are my favorite part of show choir seasons, and once you’re done performing, you get to have the rest of the day to hang out with friends and watch other show choirs, which is an opportunity that we didn’t get to have last year.” Although they are excited to compete, there are still challenges the group has had to face, the biggest of these being coming out of the Covid-19 season and getting back into competition once again. “One thing I’m a little nervous about is being able to get back into the competition mindset,” senior Zach Douglas said. “Last year, we had no competitions and had to social distance, making this year the first in two years that we’re actually competing. I think it may be somewhat of a challenge to get back to basics and just figuring things out. Plus we still have a lot of choreography to learn for our fourth song. I’m hopeful that we will be able to do it.” Come watch Xhilaration compete for their first time on Saturday January 29 at Davenport North High School starting at 1:15 p.m.