Blue Heat, the Saugus High School show choir team, ended its competition season on April 12 with a first-place finish in the mixed division Tier IV at John Burroughs Music Showcase 2024 held in Burbank. The team also won the awards for Best Musicianship and Best Showmanship.

Each year Blue Heat performs a singing and dancing routine to a specific theme, time and music. The 2024 set was “centered around a star named Lucky who isn’t sure the attention she’s getting is really what she wants.”

Senior Taylor McDougle, who stepped up at the last minute, played the lead role of Lucky.

It was choreographed by Jamie McMahon, who has worked with the team the past two years. The music was arranged by Steven Schmidt to Britney Spears’ hits.

“The familiar music and choreography were so fun and portraying Britney herself was a blast,” said Ivy Motschenbacher, a sophomore in her second year with the choir.

Ava Gonzales, show choir representative and coach, said that the set this year was her favorite in all the four years she’s been involved.

“Show choir has become such a large part of my life,” Gonzales said. “I am thankful to be part of it.”

Show choir is a class offered at the high school throughout the school year and the competition season takes place annually in the spring.

Freshman Hanna Panman said she saw growth in the team through the season.

“I think we made really good progress, especially in this last competition with our vocals. It feels amazing to go out with a bang after all our hard work this season,” Panman said.

The group will present one final performance at the May choir concert for friends and family at Saugus High School. Blue Heat, comprised of nearly three dozen students, is directed by Kaitlin Pi, who has overseen the choir program at the high school since 2019.

Parent Abi Bowling has witnessed the effect Pi has had on choir students.

“The kids adore her,” said Abi Bowling, a parent of a student in the program. Her son, who was in concert and jazz choir, announced before graduation last year he would pursue a career in music education due to Pi’s inspiration. Bowling’s freshman daughter is now in show choir.

Auditions for next year’s team will take place next month. More information about Saugus show choir can be found at sauguschoirs.com/choirs/show-choir.