In a near 50-minute performance filled with fast-paced dances and familiar Disney remixes and inside jokes, the Class of 2015 delivered an impressive (and nostalgic) Disney Channel-themed Quad Day to conclude the five-day Homecoming week celebration on Oct 24.
Their skit starred senior class president Josh Pi as Dr. Doofenshmirtz, who embarks on a mission to destroy Saratoga High. Popular characters from Disney shows such as Alex Russo (senior Bianca Oliveri) from “Wizards of Waverly Place,” Phil Duffy (senior Kevin Lee) from “Phil of the Future,” the Possible-Stoppable duo (seniors Maddi Sloan and Harsha Mohan respectively) from “Kim Possible” and the gang (seniors Jonathan Oh, Samir Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Mcafee and Madeline Ryan) from “Phineas and Ferb” work together to stop Doofenshmirtz with the help of other Disney stars along the way.
The performance led the audience through a trip down memory lane, as each of the seniors acted exactly like his or her character from the specific show or movie.
Unlike previous Quad Days in the week, the seniors’ skit, despite a few microphone issues, was concise and comprehensive.
“We made sure to test the microphone and speakers multiple times during the week, and [a senior] also brought his own speakers for us to use,” Pi said. “There were some issues in the beginning with the microphones, but in the end, we pulled it off.”
The coherent script was complemented with an impressive line-up of dances, each featuring songs from Disney soundtracks from shows or movies like “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “Tarzan.”
“Since we had Disney as our theme, which has so many songs to choose from, I thought it was only fitting to use a remix of [the “Wizards of Waverly Place” theme song],” said senior Joy Tang, who choreographed an all girls’ dance.
To combat college application season and maximize efficiency, Tang kept practices concise and posted video tutorials on the class Facebook group.
“It was a lot of fun working with the girls because they were cooperative and learned really quickly,” Tang said. “It was somewhat frustrating to organize large group parts because not everyone would show up, but I tried to hold a minimal amount of practices so people would feel more motivated to come.”
Another highlight of the performance was the football team dance. Although nearly every graduating class incorporates a football team dance, this routine featured quirky dance moves and an original song selection.
“I thought this year's football dance was really creative, original and cute,” senior Anshika Maheshwari said. “It showed how much of a family [the team] is and the steps were entertaining but also really well thought. Usually football dances are pretty standard so it was cool to have ours be so unique.”
Ending the performance strong, the seniors featured the song “All in this Together” from the soundtrack of “High School Musical” for their finale dance, as well as the movie’s original choreography.
“The finale will always have a special place in my heart: all the red, all the clapping, all the smiles, and singing the chorus while ridiculously spinning in circles,” Pi said. “The lyrics really are true; we were and are, all in this together.”
In retrospect, Pi and other seniors are extremely proud of the spirit and growth of their class throughout their four Homecoming experiences.
“I always have a love-hate relationship with Homecoming every year,” Tang said. “There is so much work and preparation that goes into producing a great Quad Day, which inevitably produces stress and frustration. But the feeling of unity and class spirit that comes out of it reminds everyone that we couldn't have pulled off such a great one if we weren't all in this together.”
