Standing center stage, tapping her feet on the floor to create a dance routine that fits the music playing in the background, sophomore Kaitlyn Cody prepares her dance solo for Thespian Festival.

“The most difficult part of the dancing competition is trying to make the dance up on the spot because I have to listen to the music multiple times and come up with different routines to challenge myself.” Cody said.

“Thes Fest” is an annual gathering where over 900 Michigan students perform for scholarships and awards, watch shows and participate in workshops. It begins on Dec. 6 and takes place at Saginaw Valley State University.

“Thespian Festival is a celebration of theatre,” Drama Director David Springer said. “It’s a great opportunity to learn and make contacts, as well as create camaraderie with people across the state.”

At the Festival, participants can compete in acting, musical and dance categories. Each category offers opportunities for solo, duet and group divisions. There’s also categories for playwriting, scenic design, makeup design, lighting design, sound design, costume design, costume construction, short film, theatre marketing and stage management.

Students competing in acting need to memorize lines, master stage directions, keep a time limit on their performance and stay in character. Sophomore Griffin Sheridan and his partner sophomore Dylan Parker rehearse their scene from “A Few Good Men” for about eight to ten hours a week.

“We analyze the script and really get in touch with the characters,” Sheridan said. “The most difficult part is capturing the intensity of the scene.”

Other students choose to work in groups, particularly the group musical category. Hitting the high notes and getting everyone to concentrate is a challenging part of working in a group, according to Sheridan.

“There are lots of people, lots of opinions and everyone wants the same results. But everyone approaches it differently,” junior group musical performer McKenzie Allen said.

Participants choreograph their routine, analyze the different parts of a song and execute harmonies. The students need to rely on each other and work as a team to be successful, as it is a group musical.

“Our kids support each other,” Springer said. “We are a team, but really we are a family.”