High Schoolers Take Pep Rallies Up A Notch With Modern Version Of ‘Wizard Of Oz’

Oct 31, 2022 by apost team

High school pep rallies used to be so dull. They may have been a welcome break from studying, but rarely offered anything memorable. Now, one Arizona school has completely revolutionized pep rallies forever with a recreation of “The Wizard of Oz.” 

The PAC Dance Team from Walden Grove High School hit new highs after its stunning performance based on the Hollywood classic film “The Wizard of Oz.” Since it was uploaded on Sept. 29, 2017, the clip from their school homecoming pep rally has garnered views upwards of 4.5 million from dance fans and viewers around the world. In its unique rendition, the dance team blended contemporary songs that paired best with certain characters to tell the story through the poetry of motion. 

Each of the film’s iconic characters was introduced with a song that perfectly fit their parts. First, the Scarecrow appeared to the tune of Cypress Hill’s “Insane in the Membrane.” Then, the Tin Man took the floor as “I Can Make Ya” by Fingazz played before the Cowardly Lion made his introduction to Katy Perry’s “Roar.” Later, Taylor Swift's “Bad Blood” was employed to tell the story of the feud between the Wicked Witch of the West and Dorothy. After doing away with the witch, Unk's “Walk it Out” played as the dancers swaggered down the yellow brick road. "The Wizard of Ahhhs" by Todrick Hall, which samples the original movie hit “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” then played as Dorothy found her way out of Oz and back home. 

The audience lapped up the modern choreography that showed off the team’s talent and synchronization. However, this wasn’t the first time the PAC Dance Team had wowed audiences with their inventive moves.

Kristi Lopez, head coach of the PAC Dance Team, said the choice of songs for the performance was no accident and served to highlight each character of “The Wizard of Oz.” She told ABC News she was incredibly proud of the students’ commitment and execution.

“I think the most amazing thing, what I’m most proud of, is that I am the only dance source in our little community. There is no other dance program in the school district. These kids have only ever danced a year or two or three. They work so hard. These are not professionals, that’s just a testament to how hard they work every day,” Lopez told the outlet.

Lopez is not the only one amazed by the team’s show. Across the internet, viewers congratulated the dancers for pulling off the spectacular performance.

“I can't believe this was performed by high school students. Professional from start to finish. As good as anything on Broadway. Take this show on the road,” one viewer wrote.

“These kids should be so proud, it takes a lot of time and discipline to be able to pull off the kind of choreography as well as they did.. Amazing!!!!” another fan commented.

Luckily for us, this is not the first time the PAC Dance Team has put its own spin on popular classics. In 2016, their “Pixar” dance racked up more than 7.1 million views while its “Harry Potter” performance hit the mark with over 18 million views. Its “Marvel” homecoming dance also became a viral success with more than 5.5 million views.

Unsurprisingly, the team has built a solid fanbase online, with more than 38 million views altogether since their YouTube channel was launched in 2013. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the talented crew!

apost.com

Are you impressed by the high schoolers’ dance skills? What were performances at your high school like? Let us know and don’t forget to pass this on to your friends and family.