Don’t be surprised if you hear singing coming from the Kahuku High School boys locker room. That would be Tyrone Brown and his football buddies belting out tunes they learned in Vocal Motion, the school’s show choir.

"We sing everywhere around campus, in the locker room and during practice. I think the whole bass section is made up of football players," said Brown, who is also senior class president and plays volleyball and basketball.

"When we sing outside of choir class, we add our own harmony parts, which makes it more fun."

Unlike a traditional school choral group or glee club, show choirs incorporate choreography, costumes and showmanship into their performances. Fox’s smash television series "Glee" has turned the spotlight on these multitalented performers, and Kahuku has one of the few high school show choirs in Hawaii.

Like the "Gleeks" on TV, Vocal Motion comprises a diverse group of students: athletes, cheerleaders, debate club members, band musicians and others.

Choir director Beth Kammerer said she made a conscious decision to select a diverse lineup when she took over the choir back in 1993. "I wanted the group to really reflect the school," she said. "In the past eight years, it’s just been happening that way. So many different kids are interested. … We have graduates who were in the choir who go to Tufts and Stanford. We have other kids who barely graduate. Their love of music and their love of performing is what ties them together."

Although Vocal Motion, part of the Kahuku Music Learning Center, is an official class, participants are required to attend after-school rehearsals, when the focus is on choreography, and performances. Students report the auditions to join the ensemble are grueling.

Junior Makana Tani didn’t make it through his first try. "My palms were all sweaty. I was kind of shaking," he said. "We had to perform in front of the crowd, which was nerve-racking."

One of the reasons Tani travels from Kaneohe to attend the North Shore campus is to be a part of its award-winning music program. "The most challenging part of being in the choir is performing in front of our peers," he said. "We set high standards for ourselves. Lots of students want to be in this program, so we always strive for more."

Junior Sheris Alaiasa failed three auditions before being picked to join Vocal Motion. "It’s a lot of pressure and competition," she said. "When I started I was a bit shy. Now I can really be myself. I feel like I’m somebody, that I’m talented."

Alaiasa writes her own music and songs. "I’ve been writing poems and songs since I was 7 or 8 years old. Vocal Motion is my ‘Glee,’" she said. "’Glee’ is way too dramatic and competitive, though. Everything on the show is overexaggerated."

Tenth-grader Chris Cornelison points out the TV show choir, called New Directions, is never seen rehearsing. "They just come out and sing the songs," he said. However, the fictional and real-life choir members share a "strong sense of unity," he said. "There’s a lot of acceptance for one another, which is a big theme on ‘Glee.’"

Cornelison recently moved from Clovis, Calif., the same hometown as actor Chris Colfer, who plays student Kurt Hummel on the TV series.

"I had lots of friends audition for the show. We didn’t have a glee club, so I was superexcited that Kahuku had one," he said.

VOCAL MOTION has a varied repertoire of Broadway tunes, pop songs, jazz standards and traditional and contemporary Polynesian songs and dances. Kammerer said Vocal Motion has never tried the music "mash-ups" — a seamless blending of two songs — that have become a "Glee" trademark, "but we’d like to try it."

"’Glee’ probably has their own arrangers who can put the tunes together, while we buy our songs from publishing houses. The closest we get to mash-ups are the medleys that we perform," she said.

Senior Sydney McCarrey’s favorite performance song is "Let the River Run," by Carly Simon. "I like the way it blends together, and nice harmonies. It has a really strong message, and it’s a nice break from all of the romantic stuff," she said.

Kammerer said the traditional folk song "Man of Constant Sorrow" is a favorite of the boys in Vocal Motion "because they get to clown around and act like hillbillies."

The show choir provides opportunities for students to share their talents near and far. Kammerer said the group has traveled to New York City to perform at Rosa Parks School for the Performing Arts, made an appearance in Las Vegas and participates in the Hawaii Music Festival. It also produces an annual spring showcase and gets requests to sing the national anthem at events and perform at holiday functions.

"Cinemania" is the theme of the Kahuku group’s spring showcase, with songs ranging from the country-flavored "Nine to Five" to Disney’s "A Happy Working Song" from 2007’s "Enchanted."

The Kahuku show choir also is preparing for the FAME Aloha Classic at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Feb. 24-27, a concert and show choir competition. Parent volunteer Lanett Ho Ching is helping with the choreography.

"I’ve been performing since I was a kid. Show choirs were huge when I was growing up," she said. "It really gives the kids an opportunity to learn something new. They are always talking about ‘Glee,’ and that gives them a different perspective. ‘Glee’ has definitely brought more awareness to show choirs."

SENIOR football player Dallin Muti is the only current four-year Vocal Motion member. "My parents are both musicians at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We sing at lots of family gatherings like funerals or church occasions," he said. "It gives you something to do and keeps you out of trouble. We have fun and learn to sing from the heart."

Another player, junior Bubba Manumaleuna, said show choir and football both require teamwork. "Just like in football, everyone has their own responsibility. If someone doesn’t learn their part, the song can’t get done. If one person messes up, we lose the game. We all have to work together," he said.

Kammerer said the skills students are learning for their musical performances will help them on the larger stage of life beyond high school.

"I stress real-world applications in their performance skills. A lot of students, especially out here in the country, are kind of shy," she said. "I teach them how to shake hands, make eye contact and skills they can use in the job application and interview process. Not all of them are going to become professional musicians, although some of them could be," she said.

Masina Torres said her work with Vocal Motion has improved her dance performances at the Polynesian Cultural Center. "There are different types of emotions associated with different songs, so we need to make things realistic for the audience. At school things are fun and enthusiastic, so I try to bring that to work," she said.

Torres writes her own music and hopes the Vocal Motion experience will help her get into a music college. "I really like performing and singing. The choir has definitely helped me learn about the audition process," she said. "I’ve learned to have more patience."