“If I should die before I wake/It’s ’cause you took my breath away – ”

It’s hot and dark in the auditorium. Students sway as Ivory Norris (9) and Gabriella Valentine (10) belt out Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown’s “No Air.”

White Station’s annual Talent Show is well underway.

This year’s event, held on Friday, November 22 and sponsored by DECA, benefited the Mid-South Food Bank. Freshman Erin Creswell, who sang Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” said, “I was really nervous. I’m just hoping I didn’t embarrass myself. Bur it’s for charity, so even if I did, at least I did for a good cause.”

Seniors Tia Spears, Leanna Ritter, and Ariel Scott planned and hosted the show as part of DECA’s chapter-wide project about community service.

Spears said the biggest issue they faced was participation. “You can’t force people to volunteer or audition. We were really worried about how many people would show up,” she said.

Clearly that wasn’t a problem this year. Harold Bouldin, a marketing teacher, estimated that at least 200 $3 tickets were sold. This year, thirty acts auditioned, more than any other year.

Acts ranged from singing and rapping to dancing and gymnastics.

Tanya Tandon (9) performed the kathak, a traditional dance of her native India. Tandon has been dancing as long as she can remember, but only began professional performances one and a half years ago.

“I thought this might help spread a little bit of knowledge of Indian culture. We have so many Indians in this school. To represent them…I thought it would be amazing,” Tandon said.

Seniors Brandon Simmers, Matt Bowsher and Joseph Higgins are all part of a band called Altruria. Simmers, Higgins, and bandmate Christian Nelson, who does not attend White Station, played “Bring me to Life” by Evanescence. They also featured freshman Morrell Pruitte on the keyboard.

Though Altruria has begun writing music, they “mostly perform covers of progressive metal bands,” such as Skrillex, Three Days Grace, and Burning Benjamin. The talent show is only their second appearance; their next is on December 15. They joined the show to promote their fledgling band.

Darius Bell (11), on the other hand, considers himself an established rapper. He goes by the name Lil Scooter Tha Best, and his debut album “One Mic, One Dream” is sold on iTunes for $8.99. Bell, who has been rapping since 2008, simply said, “I love it. It’s my life.”

Sophomores Tyler Worthy and Aaron Allen have been dancing together since they can remember.

“We grew up dancing together. Everywhere, anywhere – on the street, in parking lots, old movie theaters…When I’m mad, I go dance. When I’m bored, I go dance,” Allen said.

Marketing teacher and DECA sponsor Harold Bouldin credits fellow teachers Michael Piantedosi, Amon Eady, Linda Cooper, Vasiliki Whitten, and Mary Coode, as well as secretary Syreeta Dodson, with helping to put the show together. Bouldin also said that volunteers from DECA and the National Honor Society were “indispensable.”

“Football players even came over and helped work the front doors. And they had to play tonight! It was a big community effort,” he said.