Explosive energy comes off of the sun in regular waves, and Avon High School took us straight to the blinding center of our solar system with their 2023 production titled “Solar Winds”. With constant bursts of power in their sound as the ensemble flurried through forms with ease, household fans were cleverly used to fly fabric across the floor and into the air to mimic actual energy bursts from the sun. The performers’ raw and unmatched power continued to command the floor as Avon shined brighter than the sun in the majestic and powerful “Solar Winds”.

Dayton Fashion Week hits the finals floor with Cleveland High School’s 2023 performance, “Runway”. As models strut down the runway in various styles and fashions, the ensemble showcases immense power in musical selections such as “Paparazzi” and “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga and “Vogue” by Madonna. Confidence radiated as performers moved through movements with the power of vogue. A smash hit of a show with the utmost conviction and pride, Cleveland HS took the WGI stage by storm in all the latest couture.

Welcome to Las Vegas with the Elvis Presley-inspired rockstars of Greenfield Central High School in “Viva!” Decked out with large dice, poker chips, and a backdrop of playing cards, the excited gamble of energy in the city of sin soared through Greenfield Central’s rendition of “Luck Be A Lady”. Large blue fabrics soared in the sky as the backdrop shifted into the iconic fountain outside of the Bellagio, creating a serene feature of one of Las Vegas’s greatest landmarks. Truly hitting big at the casino, “Viva!” closed with a stellar final blast of Elvis’ greatest hits from the talented showstoppers of Greenfield Central High School.

Lake Hamilton High School is prepared for doom and destruction with their 2023 show, “The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse”. As the ensemble brings forth their four horses, symbolizing conquest, war, famine, and death, a crowned dance soloist moves throughout the hordes of performers and ushers in each new horse and its plan of catastrophe. Fury rages through the ensemble with the entrance of the fourth and final horseman through a crescendoing final hit before meeting the dance soloist’s untimely end as the four horsemen take control of the floor in true apocalyptic fashion.

Exploring the thin crossing between life and death, STRYKE Wynds journeyed the audience “Beyond The Veil”. Impressive soloists of each instrument highlighted the all encompassing power of STRYKE’s cast, including a particularly gargantuan trumpet solo that could be heard from miles away. As performers traversed closer to the veil, they gained sheer fabric over their faces and a sense of levity only found in the ether. Large pillars of fabric stood stationary across the floor until the very end when the fabric was pulled to encase the entire ensemble, truly showcasing STRYKE’s magical sound “Beyond The Veil”.

Beginning with a powerful french horn solo of “You Are My Sunshine”, UTRGV Winds bared their soul in their program titled “Soulstice”. With a greyscale-stained glass backdrop, the formerly black floor was slowly revealed throughout the performance to become a colorful stained glass pattern. With the floor coming into color slowly as the ensemble connected more and more with the audience and themselves, a  powerful trumpet solo sparked a fluorescent final musical hit to bring color to the final corner still without. The emotional and impactful performance brought the entire finals crowd to their feet for UTRGV’s vulnerability and beauty of “Soulstice”.

Rich sound and vibrant culture emanated from Horizon Winds’ finals performance “Havana Dreams”. With colorful homes serving as the backdrop for this energetic show, Horizon dropped us straight into the Cuban capital city with a guitar and saxophone-heavy rendition of “Havana” by Camila Cabello. A stunning flute solo walked the streets alone before being joined by the community of other members to bring home the show with two powerful final hits. Truly emulating the latin spirit and featuring the fluorescent colors of Havana across their cobblestone floor, UD Arena basked in the sweet musical heat Horizon brought with “Havana Dreams”.

With large white fabrics draped over themselves and the ladders scattered across the floor, Elevate Winds fights to push onward and upward with their show “The Obstacle Is The Way”. Utilizing the ladders as both an obstacle and a goal, the performers created a litany of shapes with the props in their quest forward. A saxophone trio gave the ensemble a sense of lightness and breath, spurring on a group of dancers to surround a trumpet soloist on top of a ladder. As the closing movement grew in power, the ladders became one large obstacle for Elevate Winds to surmount with a bold final crescendo – proving that the obstacle is truly the way forward.

Legacy’s 2023 show brought the crowd back in time to California for the legend turned reality of the 1848 “Gold Rush”. As the quest for the expensive mineral began, the ensemble explored the cracked earth of the floor, looking for a place to start digging. A vibrant saxophone solo led the performers into a journey deep in the mines, complete with performers using their instruments as shovels and three minecarts moving around the floor. The legend is not a lost hope for Legacy, however, as they strike gold in finding a light-up brick of gold to claim the fabled riches. Strips of gold fabric ran forth from the earthy backdrop as Legacy floored into the conclusion of “Gold Rush” with rich sound and even greater riches from their newfound gold.