NewsSaturday, August 18, 2007 11:20 PM CDT

Comments (0) |

E-mail this page |

Print this page |

Enlarge type |

Reduce type |

Search archives |

RSS feeds |

Add to My Yahoo!

Party tied to musical means fun for kids

By Michele Steinbacher
msteinbacher@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON — Kids at Saturday’s “High School Musical 2”-themed YMCA extravaganza got a peek into life imitating art — well, life imitating Disney’s latest craze, anyway.

Premiered a day earlier on cable, the movie takes the escapades of the East High Wildcat schoolchums to a new summer setting — with poolside antics central to the new plot.

On Saturday, about 35 youngsters splashed around in the Y’s pool as part of the Wildcat Weekend viewing party.

From 5 to 10 p.m., the youngsters splashed, danced and dribbled basketballs — each event linked directly to the Wildcats’ adventures of overcoming high school cliques and limiting boundaries.

The Bloomington partygoers, several on their second or third viewing within 48 hours, weren’t shy about sharing what they liked about the characters.

“They’re like a team — they have to work together,” said Angie Cassidy, 12 of Downs.

Eleven-year-old Mark Gilbert said he likes the way the East High characters play basketball, and sing and dance a lot.

“They’ve been playing songs from the new CD tonight when we were playing in the gym,” he said at the pool.

Mark swam, but seemed always the big brother. Despite numerous YMCA lifeguards, he’d watch over his three younger sisters — Imani, Nia and Ayanna.

Angie Cassidy, the self-confessed HSM fan — whose siblings, Didi and Christian, also joined her for the event, said some of the kids might be surprised at the plot twists in Part 2, with conflicts arising among the crowd.

Before Saturday’s swim, participants played basketball and other sports in the gym, competing for HSM-branded prizes.

That was fifth-grader Gracie Abraham’s favorite part. “I love basketball,” she said, stepping out of the pool with her three siblings, Lucy, Jack and Rosie and their friends.

After the swim, the kids munched on popcorn as they watched the newest chapter in their teen heroes’ storyline projected on the wall. Each got a snapshot memento of their fun, captured in a Wildcats-themed frame.

The itinerary mimicked the journey of main character Troy Bolton (played by tween heartthrob Zac Effron) as a jock who braves the world of the high school drama club, with new-found romantic interest braniac beauty Gabriella Montez.

Kim Mixer, a Y fitness instructor, led the youth event. She said she knew it would be a hit because of similar success last month with a Disney-tied “Jump In” party. That stars Corbin Bleu, also a High School Musical favorite as Chad.

Mixer’s own daughters and niece, who all were well-versed in Wildcat lore, also joined the fun. Kailey Mixer and her cousin Natalie Blair, both 12, aldready were picking out favorite songs from the new soundtrack as they helped pass out treats.

Parents’ Night Out events at the Y are planned monthly offerings that promise parents an affordable night out, while the kids, ages 4 to 12, get a chance to run around, watch a movie and play in a safe setting, Mixer said.

For information call Carrie Muterspaugh at (309) 827-6233.

E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS

Show comments | Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories

Subscribe to the Pantagraph

Contact the Pantagraph staff

Home page | Previous page | Top

Ads by Yahoo!

Save on Bloomington Illinois Hotels

Hotel Deals in Bloomington, Illinois. Compare Prices, Save up 75%.
Bloomington.Illinois.Hotel.net

illinois auto insurance?

$49 illinois auto insurance Compare 8 Rate Quotes Online.
www.AutoInsuranceChicagoIL.com

Relocating to Bloomington IL?

Free Home Search, Local Area Info, School Data and Photos.
JackKnowsHomes.com/relocation

Take a look

Olivia Davis, 5, of Atlanta, retrieves her basketball from the hoop during the Disney Channel Party High School Musical 2 parents night out at the YMCA in Bloomington, Illinois, Saturday night (August 18, 2007). (Pantagraph/B Mosher)

Ashlyne Mixer, 9, left, of Bloomington, and Alexus Calhoun, 9, center, of Bloomington, play a clapping game while Mark "Scooter" Gilbert, 11, right, of Bloomington, bounces two basketballs at the same time during the Disney Channel Party High School Musical 2 parents night out at the YMCA in Bloomington, Illinois, Saturday night (August 18, 2007). (Pantagraph/B Mosher)

Video