High School Musical - The Start of Something New!

I was first introduced to the movie High School Musical by my four young siblings, ranging from ages 5-9. They would dance around the house singing the lyrics to "Get Your Head In The Game" and "Its The Start of Something New", just a couple of the popular songs debuted in this film. A week after hearing about this film from my siblings, I was visiting my parents and walked in to find them watching High School Musical while all the kids were in bed asleep.

Target Audience:
As this is an original film on the Disney Channel, the target audience at first glance would be geared towards a younger age group. The lyrics, music, and dancing were all upbeat and catchy so that younger audiences could learn to dance and sing along with the movie. Disney even filmed special episodes teaching the audience the steps and lyrics ultimately generating viewer involvement. However, my experience shows this film captures the attention of young and old alike.

Thoughts for Consideration:
My first thought after seeing this film was that it is a 21st Century Disney twist on the classic film Grease. However, you won't find sex, drinking, profanity, or smoking in this made for families film. The similarities between the two films rest in the plot. High School Musical starts out with the two main characters Troy and Gabriella (Zach Efron and Vanessa Hudgens) on winter vacation with their own families. They meet at a New Year's Eve youth party at a lodge. After being paired together for a sing along and realizing their musical potential together, they swapped cell phone numbers and went their separate ways. Upon returning to East High, Troy realizes that Gabriella is now attending his high school. They decide to audition for the upcoming high school musical but peer pressure from their friends, makes this more difficult than they imagined. This film makes you realize that even in high school, where cliques and groups are prominent, you still need to go after your own dreams and ambitions. Once Troy's and Gabriella's friends realized they were tearing friendships apart, they decided to work together and help achieve everyone's dreams, thus ending the movie with the now popular song, "We're All In This Together".

As a mother of two toddlers, it is hard to find a good, wholesome movie that my kids will watch and that provides viewer participation. This film provides them with that entertainment, not to mention the exercise they receive from dancing and jumping around.