What We Do
A Glee Club UK session is an Fun, exciting
and invigorating two hours where you can just let go!
Much is achieved during these sessions without you really realising it.
Our songs and dance routines are specially created for Glee Club UK. Nothing needs to be dumbed down. We like to keep things real and straightforward, but remember - THIS IS FUN! Most of us are unlikely to be concert platform singing soloists or members of a professional street dance troupe. Thus, we sound and look fantastic through music and movement that everybody can throw themselves into with confidence, flair and style!
When you first join Glee Club UK, you might be a little unsure of where you fit and of your personal contribution to the big picture – "I don’t know what notes to sing... I'm not sure if I'm any good in the first place". This is where the “safety in numbers” idea comes in. You will find yourself surrounded by other people singing the same parts and doing the same moves and before you know it, you will feel much more confident in giving it a really good go! The more you attend, the more you learn and the more confident you will become. With confidence and a little bit of practise, comes improvement – a happy cycle of events.
When learning songs, the individual melody and harmony lines are taught to you at a pace at which everyone finds comfortable. You will be singing some bits of the song in unison (all singing the same notes) and some bits in fantastic harmony (just a different tune). As sections of a song get put together, the power of the human voice quickly makes itself heard and the realisation that the amazing sounds being created are coming from you and those around you is deeply powerful.
You will be presented with sheet music. Don’t worry if you don’t understand the hieroglyphics that music appears to be at first. There are also words on the page and it is these words that are initially much more important to you! Over time, it actually becomes increasingly clear how the system of notes and rests works, and with gentle guidance from your Glee Captain and an open mind, it all starts to make total sense. You will begin to anticipate what your part might sound like just by looking at the music! In any case, as you learn the song and put moves to it, the bits of paper become totally redundant.
On the subject of moves… If you can tap your feet in time, you’ll manage just fine. We always have those who are happy to stand in the front row and strut their stuff as well as those who prefer relative safety within the ranks! The physical requirement and impact is low, and as you are moving in a group, the moves are also compact. You will never be asked to do hand-springs, back somersaults or wall-running!
Having put all your hard work in, at some point during a term, you will get the chance as a group to show off a little! It might be in the room where you normally meet, performing to a few friends and family. It may be at a school fete or local church bazaar. In any case, these purely voluntary performances are low key and are always very well received. If you don’t fancy the idea, there is no compulsion for you to take part and nobody will think badly of you.
Glee Club UK is not all about performance, and we don't sing at weddings or bar-mitzvahs. Nor do we take part in competitions. We know how good we are and how much fun we have at sessions. We don’t need to compare ourselves to other groups and certainly don’t need a sensationalist judge offering bitter and ill-considered words of criticism. Glee Club UK is about getting together and enjoying singing and dancing. It is about us and for us, and that is the most smiley thing about it! Everyone's a winner!