[ot-caption title=”PC dancers portray the famous ‘High School Musical jump’ showing their excitement for the new movie. (via Sabine Katsoulos, junior)”]

Dear Disney Channel,

I am writing to let you know that I am wary of your executive decisions.  It was ten seemingly short years ago that I sat on a small couch watching a bright little screen that sang to me the inspiring words of love and belonging. I “love to pop, and lock, and jam, and break,” but I am confused as to why High School Musical 4 has been announced eight years after the release of HSM3. Even though the anticipation of performing new songs and dances in the hallways of school fills me with excitement, I feel a deep trepidation for a new set of actors playing my favorite characters of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan.

With genuine concern,

Alana (and I imagine several other PC students)

The High School Musical phase from 2006-2008 was an adamant part of all of our childhoods, but will this movie live up to the high expectations that are set for it? Or, will it be a failure like Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, which came out on DVD in 2011? According to eonline, East High and the Wildcats will be introducing five new leads including a soccer player and a new Troy Bolton who is a jock, involved in the theater, and also (coincidentally) Sharpay and Ryan’s cousin. The new love story will hopefully prove to be as everlasting as the romance between Troy and Gabriella.

It has been announced that Jeffrey Hornaday will be directing and choreographing HSM4 after his recent position directing Teen Beach Movie, another Disney Channel Original Movie. Personally, I am more of a Kenny Ortega fan, who worked on the first three High School Musical movies, particularly because of his easy to follow dance moves (considering that I still know all of the moves to “We’re all in this Together”). Isaac Masimore, a sophomore states, “Since there is a different choreographer, the new dance moves will probably not prove to have the same staying power as the memorable dances of the former movies. I have not decided if I am going to watch this movie yet because I do not think it will be able to live up to the previous ones in the series.”

Because the official premiere date has yet to be released, no more information about the movie and its storyline have been published. Mr. Spitzig, geometry and computer science teacher, claims, “I have not seen any of the other movies, but my daughters and I are very excited to watch this one!” So, although I am hesitant for the release of this new movie, I am excited for a new generation of kids to experience the wonder of High School Musical.

And when we reach the inevitable day when we must decide whether or not to watch High School Musical 4, just remember, “Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.”

Sources: Eonline