Past Performances
During a performance at Abingdon-Avon High School on August 24, 2015 MWAH! troupe member Jon Chambers, age 13, refers to a photo of him and his brother with their dad taken 11 years earlier when they lived in Florida. Jon tells the audience that times were better back then before drugs took over, which caused a drastic downward spiral involving both his parents, ending in the death of his dad in November 2014. His message to Abingdon-Avon students was that drugs destroyed his family, but not him. He told the audience that he's never done drugs and never will, and he added, "If I can make it, so can you, no matter what kind of stuff you've been going through."
(photos by Scott Harrington)
Kaylee Larkin, a senior at Abingdon-Avon High School, is a highly competitive focus for three MWAH! troupe members - Justin Smusz, Chad Sype, and Landon Ballard - on August 24, 2015 in the high school auditorium in Abingdon, located about 10 miles south of Galesburg in western Illinois. Slightly more than 600 students in grades 6-12 attended the issues-oriented presentation.
(photo by Scott Harrington)
MWAH! troupe members following their performance on May 18, 2015 for an audience of more than one thousand students and staff at Flinn Middle School in Rockford, Illinois.
A discussion session of the troupe with about 30 Flinn students in the school library followed the 90-minute issues-oriented presentation.
(photo by Stephanie Willcox)
MWAH! artists Landon Ballard and Taylor Oechsel portray an abusive relationship as part of an issues–oriented performance during the Wheeling High School Operation Snowball retreat on April 11, 2015. Assisting in trying to calm Landon is troupe member Zori Schiffman. Wheeling High Snowball adult staff also assisted in trying to diffuse the volatile situation featuring Landon as a jealous and controlling boyfriend. Landon told the Snowball audience that his character was in total contrast as to how he personally handles his emotions. He emphasized that violence is never an acceptable option.
(photos by Scott Harrington)
Justin Smusz, Jack Romero, & Landon Ballard of the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe serenade a Central School student from Muscatine, Iowa during a Keynote presentation on February 24, 2016 during the 31st
Quad Cities Youth Conference at the River Center in Davenport.
(photo by Stephanie Willcox)
After Assistant Principal Sue Baldus commented about some students recognized for personal achievements and challenges at Monroe Middle School in Wheaton, Illinois on October 19, 2015, MWAH! troupe members sang to them the song 'Hero.'
(photos by Scott Harrington)
Serenading Lexi McClendon during the all–school assembly at Monroe Middle School in Wheaton, Illinois on October 19, 2015 is Rob Delgado an alumnus of the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe. Rob, who lives in Yorkville, is a second–year student at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove and plans to transfer to Iowa State University in Ames beginning in the fall of 2016. About 900 students and staff attended the morning assembly, which was followed in the evening by a performance for about 800 students, parents, and school staff members from throughout the Wheaton–Warrenville Community Unit School District 200.
(photo by Bill Ackerman of Shaw Media and the My Suburban Life newspaper)
From negative to positive in the wording on their clothing, MWAH! troupe members convey through dance important messages which are hopeful! The MWAH! dancers were joined by students in grades 6-9 from the Central Community School District of Clinton County in the auditorium of Central High School in DeWitt, Iowa on February 9, 2015. (photos by Scott Harrington of Photography by Harrington)
MWAH! troupe members Landon Ballard, Chad Sype, and Jacob Metoyer serenade Geneseo Middle School seventh grader Kiersten Cathelyn with the Richie Valens song 'We Belong Together' during an appearance by the troupe at her school in Geneseo, Illinois on April 7, 2014. Prior to the song, Landon had spoken about Kiersten's strong faith in guiding her in whatever choices she makes each day and about her goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others – traits which he felt Kiersten and he shared. Hence, his lead-in to the song, which led to a healthy competition among the three vocalists for Kiersten's attention and a surprised reaction from audience members.
(photos by Scott Harrington of Photography by Harrington)
Their passion for singing seems to work for five MWAH! troupe artists – Jacob Metoyer, Rob Delgado, Landon Ballard, Jillian Gomez, and Leah Ballard – at Williamsfield High School, near Galesburg in western Illinois, on April 28, 2014.
(Photography by Scott Harrington)
Get ‘em up, get ‘em up, get ‘em up. Hands Up! The rousing Black Eyed Peas finale of a hip hop dance mix involving Bryan Middle School students as part of a MWAH! performance at their school in Elmhurst.
Shown in front from left are troupe members Lexi Parr, Sarah Saltiel, Shealeigh Volti & Taylor Oechsel. Some of the 36 Bryan dancers, who rehearsed with the troupe before the performance, appear in the background.
MWAH! artist Rob Delgado (right), a senior at Yorkville High School, has chosen Destiny Burnett, a Churchville Middle School eighth grader, for a special song during the all-school assembly on December 2. Jacob Metoyer (left), a senior at Lake Park High School in Roselle, is about to make a move on Destiny as he, Rob, and a third MWAH! vocalist, Landon Ballard, compete for Destiny's attention. Luke Ballard, a guitarist from Rockford, actually comes up the winner, walking away with Destiny, to the dismay of the three MWAH! vocalists. Destiny, who has hosted a Churchville talent show, hopes to become a fashion designer.
(photo by Dan Williams of Lifeworks Photography in Roselle, Illinois)