There's No Telling What Iowa Show Choir Will Bring in 2026

Stock photo: Derrick Knight image

By Ava Sammons, Timothy Laubach and Quinn Masek, contributors

Each year, the Iowa show choir scene gets more and more difficult to predict (if that's somehow possible). The 2025 season saw a multitude of surprising competition results, rivalries that began to bud, and choirs who rose to the occasion when it mattered most. As fans look back on last season, it’s hard to say what results were a one-off happening and which truly prove who Iowa’s best show choirs are.

The snow managed to hold off for Waukee Starstruck last season, making for a trademark unpredictable early season competition. Notably, Indianola surprised many by coming in second place, while 2023 winner Urbandale fell to fifth overall. The Urbandale Show Choir Invitational was February’s headlining competition, being one of last season’s most competitive lineups. All six finalists, from four different states, had the potential to be grand champions. Johnston Innovation came out on top of everyone, especially Waukee Northwest. Eos, who beat Innovation a month prior, was fifth in an insanely tight field. 

Linn-Mar travelled to Chesterton, Indiana for last season’s most competitive regional competition. There, 10th Street Edition swept against some of the Midwest's best choirs, while In Step swept the prep/small mixed division. Once again undefeated, Linn-Mar can officially be considered the Midwest’s best show choir program; their 2025 out-of-state victory confirms it. In the small school scene, Marion and Des Moines Christian continued to make a name for themselves. Marion beat out 4A schools left and right in 2025, including beating out every single 4A choir at Anamosa and achieving a Grand Championship. Des Moines Christian continually holds their own against 4A choirs, proving that school size is not indicative of competitiveness. 

Only four Iowa choirs hit national stage this year. Indianola achieved third overall at Heart of America Nashville. Prairie and Ankeny Centennial’s varsity choirs went head-to-head at Heart of America Orlando at the end of March. Spectrum came in second with a choreography caption award, while Prairie ended up placing fourth out of five choirs. Ankeny Centennial Vortex received Grand Championship in the womens division, giving them their first national title as the program’s newest group. 

What does all of this mean for the 2026 season?

Iowa’s top three choirs from 2025 - Linn-Mar, Johnston, and Ankeny - all hope to continue grabbing trophies left and right; all of their schedules are looking promising for success this season. Other 4A groups such as Waukee, Sioux City East, and Ankeny Centennial are just as hungry for a winning year. However, it’s nearly impossible to say just what these groups have in store. 

Iowa’s 2A and 3A groups continue to raise the bar for what’s possible from a small school program. Marion, Bishop Heelan, and Des Moines Christian have all started stepping into the big leagues, so upsets are bound to happen when these choirs are present. 

Speaking of upsets, many of Iowa’s prep choirs are no stranger to shaking things up during finals. Johnston Synergy, Waukee Spirit, Ankeny Perpetual Motion, and Linn-Mar In Step will likely continue to pose a threat to varsity choirs throughout the state. Groups of all kinds from Iowa all continue to prove why finals rounds are necessary; when you put the top six choirs together from every division, the best truly rise to the top, even if that means beating out 4A choirs. 

Between changes in creative teams, choirs looking for a redemption arc, and revisited rivalries on the competition stage, 2026 is sure to boast more surprises and unpredicted results than ever before.

What’s changed for 2026?

• Arguably the most notable change in Iowa show choir has to be the culture change at Urbandale. As one of the more well-established groups in the Des Moines area, longtime director Ted Brimeyer is gone and former Ankeny director Adam Brown is in. Not just that, but choreographer Stephen Todd, who’s been with Urbandale since 2015, is also no longer returning for the 2026 season, being swapped out with Kevin Chase. As a result, Urbandale is going to look different in 2026, and the only way to see the effects of these changes in the creative team is to see Studio 2026 compete. 

• Another program that is seeing big changes with their creative team is Indianola. With Myles Finn now in Croatia, Norwalk director Nathanael Smale is taking over for him. Smale isn’t the only person coming from Norwalk, however, as Sound Revolution choreographer Grant Luther is choreographing Side One, replacing Kevin Chase, who choreographed the group for 10 years. Side One is attending similar competitions they were at in 2025 like Des Moines Christian and Norwalk, but they will also be competing at Johnston, Muscatine, and Totino-Grace in 2026. Like Urbandale, the only way to truly understand how these creative changes affect Indianola is by watching their show. 

• After longtime choreographer Andy Haines retired, someone had to fill his shoes at Davenport Central. Heath Gemar is that someone. Having an impressive resume that includes choreographing groups like Glenwood, El-Paso Gridley, and Franklin Central, this looks like a positive change for Davenport Central.

• Don’t forget about the small schools! Sioux Center, after going with Erik Hall in 2025, will be choreographed by Kevin Chase in 2026. Satisfaction will face tough competition in the upcoming season, starting at Sioux Falls Roosevelt where they will fight against eight or so groups of equal strength for a spot in finals. Satisfaction's 2025 season was already an improvement on their 2023 and 2024 seasons, and if this trend continues, Sioux Center will have an impressive 2026 season. 

Who’s on the rise?

• Waukee Northwest Eos had its most successful season last year in the choir’s five-year history. The choir was able to top Johnston at Linn-Mar for perhaps their biggest win as a choir. In the 2026 season, the choir will continue to refine their story show style as they take on choirs that are ranked barely ahead of them - Cedar Rapids Kennedy Happiness Inc. and Urbandale Studio.

• A group that made a big splash in the 2025 season was Bishop Heelan Harmonia Mundi. They were able to place top-two at all five of their competitions, marking the most successful season in program history. At Westwood Jubilation, the choir’s last competition in 2025, they were able to come out on top over fellow Siouxland choir The Headliners from Sioux City East. Being able to top a stalwart 4A choir was a great way to wrap up their season. They are going to need to take that momentum into the 2026 season when going up against historically great choirs, including a rematch with Mitchell Friend de Coup on March 7. 

Who has something to prove?

• After a tough fourth-place finish at their last competition of the 2025 season, Cedar Rapids Kennedy Happiness Inc. is looking to bounce back and prove that they mean business. After adding Lexi Robson Buglewicz to the choir’s choreography team alongside Randy Sage, Kennedy had one of their more successful seasons to date. That retooling might prove to help them in the 2026 season as Happiness Inc. faces plenty of elite groups, such as Linn-Mar 10th Street Edition, Mitchell Friend de Coup, Waukee Northwest Eos, and the Cedar Rapids Prairie Ambassadors. 

• Ankeny Centennial Spectrum has been gradually seeing more success over the past couple of years as Caroline Edgeton's vision for the program has come to fruition. The 2025 season marked the choir’s longest and most successful season since 2022. In 2026 the choir is looking to prove that they can establish themselves again as one of the top groups in the state.  They will look to come on top over Urbandale Studio and Waukee Millenium, and also have a chance to compete against Linn-Mar. 

What competitions are looking good?

• Jan. 17: Waukee Starstruck and Linn-Mar Supernova both have lineups that give them the potential to be Iowa’s competition of the year. Taking place during only the second week of Iowa’s competition season, both Linn-Mar and Waukee are bound to have some surprising results. Waukee Starstruck’s lineup contains Des Moines metro favorites from Ankeny Centennial to Valley, as well as out-of-state contenders looking to defeat some of Iowa’s best. Linn-Mar’s schedule hosts groups from four different states, many of which are among the strongest in their respective circuits. Urbandale and Waukee Northwest are going head-to-head for an early season win at Linn-Mar, but other eastern Iowa and out-of-state choirs are hoping to shake things up and come out on top. 

• Jan. 24: Johnston Showzam boasts a smaller, yet still stacked, lineup of groups for their 2026 competition. Waukee, Urbandale, Prairie, and Indianola are the choirs most likely to battle it out for a spot in the top three; Norwalk (who missed finals at Johnston last year), Dowling, and Sioux Falls Roosevelt will be competing to round out the finals lineup. Waukee and Urbandale’s prep groups have the opportunity to cause an upset in finals, as both groups are regular competitors in the evening round of competition. 

• Jan. 31: Anamosa Sadie Street Showcase and Ankeny Centennial Mid-Iowa Show Choir Championships round out January with competitive lineups in different parts of the state. Anamosa boasts a big lineup of eastern Iowa choirs, many of which are hoping to break into the top small school scene of Iowa show choir. Last year, Marion New Creation was the only 3A choir to make finals and ended up causing an upset for all five 4A groups. With fewer 4A choirs this year, Anamosa’s finals round is bound to showcase just what Iowa’s smaller school programs are capable of. In the heart of the state, Ankeny Centennial’s competition has a lineup that could end in a multitude of ways. Ankeny Visual Adrenaline, last year’s Grand Champion, will compete against Waukee Northwest Eos for the first time since 2022. With both choirs being amongst Iowa’s best, it will be hard to predict who will come out on top. Out-of-state choirs from Nebraska and Wisconsin are also competing for the win, making for an interesting story to unfold. 

• Feb. 21: Spirit Lake Shake the Lakes is looking like northwest Iowa’s biggest competition this season. Last year’s Grand Champion, Totino-Grace, will be looking to defend their title, while local(ish) choirs such as Bishop Heelan and Sioux Falls Washington are hoping to come out on top this year. Lewis Central Corporation, traveling from the southwest part of the state, could also be a contender for an upset at Spirit Lake.