Get Into the GrooVe!
Posted on November 7, 2017
This week, in our first installment of the Student Organization Showcase, we (figuratively) sat down with Tommy Anglim of GrooVe!, one of Grand Valley’s student-run a capella groups. Find out what makes up this passionate group of singers and friends! In our first Student Organization Showcase, we chose to shine a bright light on GrooVe! They have been around since 2009, making them one of the longer standing organizations at GVSU. They perform on campus, in Grand Rapids, and all over Michigan, singing and jamming their way around the state. Their goal is to always do their best, but at their core, they describe themselves as a group focused on doing what they love: making music.
When asked to describe the group, Tommy Anglim, the president of the club, said:
“Grand Valley has a few a cappella groups, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of a cappella groups around the world. That being said, GrooVe! is a totally unique group in so many ways! Each member of GrooVe! has such a unique personality that, when combined, we create one giant conglomerate of goofiness that spreads smiles everywhere we go. With all that goofiness, however, comes the need for structure so that we can keep being the best we can be and spread the joy of music as much as we can. Somehow GrooVe! finds a way to be structured so that everyone knows what's going on at all times without taking away any of the goofy quality that makes our group so lovable. The last founding characteristic that makes GrooVe! so great is that we are completely democratic. Although we do have an executive board, [they’re] the organizers of the group, while the actual decision-makers are all the group members."
Tommy’s favorite memories of the organization are when the group is performing in front of an audience. He says that he loves watching people’s faces light up, looking at his friends in the organization, and realizing that they’re all having the time of their lives. He ties this in with some of the benefits of joining GrooVe! which are “love, joy, laughs, music, friendship, [and] family.” What else do you need?
GrooVe! also takes pride in some of their more competitive accomplishments. While they do differentiate themselves as a “performance-based” group rather than a “competition-based” group, they have placed in a couple competitions in the past three years. They are driven to give their all on a set that they think showcases who they are instead of what they think the judges are going to look for. GrooVe! is sure to create the music that they as a group want to create, not solely focus on the competition. They always have a blast at these competitions and even build relationships with other a capella groups that they meet along the way.
Tommy chose to be in a leadership position because this group has been a huge part of his life during his time here at Grand Valley, and he wanted to give back to the organization and new members that come in. He wants to be sure that they have the same great experiences that he has had over the past couple of years.
Upcoming Events
If anyone is interested in joining GrooVe!, they have auditions early in the fall semester every year. Although tryouts have already passed for 2017, they are always open to new fans or potential members showing them some love! Don’t miss their upcoming performances:
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A Night of A Capella: November 11 at 7 p.m. in the Cook-Dewitt Center.
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Ugly Sweater Concert: December 2 at 7 p.m. in the Grand River Room in Kirkhof Center.
Email [email protected] if you want your organization to be part of our Student Organization Showcase.