Local all-woman a cappella group to perform this weekend at Waldron

Bloomington’s all-woman a capella world music ensemble, Kaia, will perform its biggest show of the year this weekend.\n“Get Down, Rise Up!” will be 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium. The group’s founder, Cairril Adaire, said attendees should expect an exciting production.\n“Once a year we do a big blowout show,” Adaire said. “We do our entire repertoire with small ensemble pieces, little surprises for the audience and very high energy. People walk out of it feeling energized.”\nThe concert, which is part of the Bloomington Area Arts Council Performing Arts Series, will feature a wide range of music from around the world. Adaire said the group’s repertoire, which includes world music, jazz and even Radiohead, shows how different Kaia is.\n“When you hear a capella, most people think barbershop, doo-wop or show choir,” Adaire said. “Most people tend to be the same age and they do the same type of music.”\nAdaire said she has not found any other group like Kaia.\n“We explore the entire gamut of human experience,” Adaire said. “Our shows are really fun. No one else is shameless enough to do what we do. We’ll do outrageous things and still keep it family friendly.”\nJenny Gibson, another member of Kaia, said the group rehearses every Sunday for at least two hours, and spends additional time in small ensembles. She said the hours of rehearsal are crucial because of the challenge a capella music creates.\n“You have to be really on top of your performance because the audience can tell if you make a mistake since there’s no major accompaniment,” Gibson said.\nDespite the amount of rehearsal time, Gibson said she is nervous because this is her first big show with Kaia. But she’s still looking forward to it. \n“I am very excited to do it,” Gibson said. “It should be a good time. It’s an eclectic set of music.”\nIn addition to a mix of music, Kaia also likes to include audience participation. Amy Jackson, who has been a Kaia member for two and a half years, said engaging the audience adds to the whole experience of the show.\n“We do a lot of things where the audience is invited to sing with us and teach them parts of the song,” Jackson said. “Kaia tries to create a sense of community with the audience.”\nAll Kaia shows are family friendly and Adaire said students would also enjoy the concert.\n“When students come, they have an absolute blast,” she said. \nTickets for “Get Down, Rise Up!” are available at the Sunrise Box Office or online at www.BloomingtonArts.info.