Students at West High have the ability to find their passion, the activity that motivates them to do better. From January 10-12, several students from the Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of the Dance Department dedicated their hearts out on stage for their show, Synergy.

Jenna Hoover (12) commented, ‘Synergy is all about working and dancing together on stage. When we’re apart, we don’t have the same energy together. Each one of us is represents the different parts of a whole.” Jenna performed in different styles, from contemporary to the energetic hip-hop genre. Starting the show with the song Gravity by Sara Bareilles, Advanced Dance followed each others’ movements by the choreography of Stefanie Eriksen (12). Eriksen is not only a dance choreographer, but is part of the West High Drill Team as well as the Co-Ed Hip Hop Team. With dance surrounding her life, it is no surprise that she loves what she does. She stated, “When choreographing dances, it is a lot of pressure. But in the end, I really enjoy dancing to the songs my whole team worked so hard on.”

Beginning dancer Carol Boyd (10) danced to the contemporary song All the Right Moves by One Republic with her team. She remarked, “I am so glad I joined dance, because I [love] to perform. I was extremely nervous on stage, but knew that my whole team was with me.” The Beginning dance team also danced to the infamous Lady Gaga song Glorious and Once Step at a Time by Jordan Sparks.

Towards the end, the momentum did not stop. Advanced Dancer Victoria Yi (12) choreographed a dance to Katy Perry’s California Girls with Intermediate Dance. The girls came out with pink shirts and headbands, loving theCalifornia life. With loud cheers and claps, Yi was extremely proud of her girls.

The show ended with a farewell and appreciation from the entire dance department as they bowed to the audience. Now that Synergy has come and gone, it is time to look towards the Spring Dance Concert through May 2-4.

    The show is another take on the classic Wizard of Oz. It is the story of the unlikely friendship between Elphaba (future Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (future Good Witch of the East). It chronicles their trials and tribulations as they attendShizUniversityand enter adulthood.

   Daniel Barrett (10) claims, “It is amazing! It is a testament to the Broadway musical. It really brightened up my point of view and answered all my questions.” The story explains why The Wicked Witch of the West is the way she is. Alex Madrid (11) stated, “It reveals more back story and gives you insight onto what happened before Dorothy dropped in.” Carly Drobot (11) added, “It is one of my favorite musicals! I can never watch the Wizard of Oz the same way. I am always rooting for the Wicked Witch of the West.”

  With music by Stephen Schwartz, the show moved along with brilliantly composed songs that remain in your head forever. Drobot confirmed, “The music is amazing. I am always listening to it, Schwartz is a genius.” Barrett added, “The music is superb. It is creative and original and it makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Everyone should have an opportunity to hear it.”

  The musical is great for whole family, even those who usual turn away from musicals walk out of the theater in awe.Madridmentioned, “I would recommend it to anyone. It is a great show!” Drobot confirmed, “I know people who are not into musicals and they have loved it just as much as me, and I have seen it three times!”

  The show runs until January 29^th, 2012 so see it while you can.

As the Pavilion lights dimmed and spectators found their seats, Aristocracy appeared with candles at the front door. With a starting note, the choir walked in pairs singing a candlelight processional called “Lo How a Rose”. Aristocracy then lined up across the front of the stage, blowing out their candles one by one. After the breathtaking performance, the curtains opened with Mixed Chorus on stage. The coed chorus sang various songs in Latin, and a combined song with Glee Ensemble. Glee performed a jazz version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. Each song was met with cheers from the enthusiastic audience, especially when the Faculty Chorus came on stage. For the second year, Choral Director Mrs. Jensen organized a Faculty and Staff choir in which a group of teachers and administrators meet every Thursday after school and practice singing songs. Mrs. Burkhard commented, “I really love singing in this choir because of all the teachers being so passionate about singing. I never knew I could have so much fun!” The Faculty Chorus performed “Silver Bells” as well as “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” with Aristocracy. The song was performed in a jazz style in which the audience could join in singing along as well!

After a short intermission, the curtains opened once again with Aristocracy on stage. Brittany Minnis-Lemley (10) remarked, “Even though it’s my second year in the choir, I am always excited to be on stage especially with the different songs we sing.” Aristocracy performed a difficult polyphonic piece called “Regum Natum” as well as a comedic song called “The Dinner Bell Carol”. Towards the end of the concert, the infamous “Let Us Go and See Him” was performed by all the choirs. Each year, this song is meant for the alumni to come onto stage and sing with all the current choirs. This traditional song had the crowd on their feet, ending this successful concert.

  In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson), plus those they love, must deal with the chain of consequences brought on by a marriage promised to fans in the third movie Eclipse, the scandalous honeymoon where the impossible happens. 

  Over the course of the saga, each movie has improved immensely. The effects and graphics were much more realistic and high quality. The wolves that were CGI (computer generated imagery) were incredibly life–like. When the wolves communicate, they can hear each other think, which of course turned to be a little cheesy, but it was done nicely.

  Amanda Wullschleger (11) stated, “I think it was the most awesome movie out of the series. It was romantic, adventure–packed, and it had suspense all wrapped into one. I can not wait to see it again!” Adriana Hymovitz (12) also added, “It was amazing! I cannot wait until the next one comes out!” There as been lots of positive feedback from those who have seen it.

  The movie can basically be split into two parts. The first half is romantic and filled with love and kisses. The second half of the movie is filled with a sickly looking body and lots of blood. But what is a vampire without a little blood right?

   Even if you are not a Twilight fan it is a suggested to see the movie and give it a try. They have really come a long way and have done an amazing job.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 continues the storyline where its predecessor left off: after the protagonist ‘Soap’ kills the rogue US Army General Shepard and his team (remnants of the original Task Force 141) as well as several Russian Spetsnaz operatives. Soap joins in a secret war against the ultranationalist Mackarov, the one who set off World War 3 between theUSandRussia. Furthermore,New York Cityhas been invaded by the Russians and Grinch, a member of the ‘Delta Force’ team, is tasked with forcing them out of the city.

The campaign mode is fast-paced and full of action. The visual graphics engine is refined, polished over several months, and is ready to burst in all its beauty and fury. Plus, the multiplayer feature gives the game improved depth and opens up more interactive space for the players to explore and experience with an online community of gamers. These features also give players more access to key multiplayer weapons and offers incentives to improve player performance.

Although the multiplayer is still plagued with a few flaws seen in previous Call of Duty games, there are numerous improvements. Its overall performance and visual effects are overpowering to the gamer and its fast-paced action keeps the player hooked on the move.

Throughout the first few weeks of its sale, Call of Duty has already been praised already as one of the best shooter games ever made and because of this, it has accumulated success worldwide.

The third sequel in the string of Paranormal Activity movies, the addition premiered in theaters on October 21st.Despite negative reviews from critics, the third installment in the series broke sale records as millions of die-hard Paranormal Activity Fans rushed into theater doors throughout the week expectant to view the frightful, bizarre, and supernatural movie.

Students at West High also shared their opinions regarding the new release. Anna Kulin (11) commented, “I think it’s worth watching. However, if you want to get the real experience, see it at night – Preferably in your house, all the lights out, by yourself – for the real terror.” However, there were adverse responses regarding the thriller. Alex Valladares (11) stated “I think they are pretty bad; the movies simply worsen over time.” While some are wildly animated by the thought of ghosts and demons possessing children and adults alike, other feel strange events, similarly to the noted above, are an imprudent waste of time, energy and money.

Nonetheless, there remain students who remain indifferent about the thriller, possibly stemming from the fact that they are unshaken by telepathic occurrences. Alyssa Penunnuri (11) verbalized, “I liked it, but I did not find in scary. I’m pretty much used to watching scary movies and I have seen all the other ones in the sequel, so the third addition did not really phase me” while Tyran Moore (11) added, “I really do not have any preference for scary movies, so I feel indifferent about the craze going on right on right now.”

  Paranormal Activity 3 is still in theaters, so if you want a frightening watch, do not hesitate to see this thriller.

At Knott’s Halloween Haunt—more commonly referred to by the public as Knott’s Scary Farm—the majority of the employees are dressed in full costume.   Ghouls, goblins, witches, clowns, and zombies—pretty much any type of creepy creature that can be imagined—can be found lurking the park, hiding in shadows and waiting to pop out.  Oyinda Salako (11) commended the masked staff; in her opinion, they were the “overall scariest thing because they blended in really well with the regular park guests.” To further aid the monsters in their quest for scare, the park is completely adorned with dark décor.  There is minimal lighting and lots of fog, an aspect which Amanda Thompson (11) found daunting because “it made it hard to see if there were any monsters around you.”

Yet these unpredictable creatures are not the main attraction.  Knott’s Halloween Haunt is famed for its collection of small, elaborate, and terrifying mazes within the park.  Each maze has a different theme and story.  Every year, some of the older mazes are taken out and replaced with a few completely new ones.  Returning mazes include Slaughterhouse, Doll Factory, Uncle Bobo’s Big Top of the Bizarre in 3D, Cornstalkers, Terror of London, and Virus Z.  The new additions are entitled Endgames, Delirium, and Invasion Beneath.  When asked about which maze was the best, Salako replied, “The Fallout Shelter was my favorite because loads of people popped out at me and my friends and the whole scientific aspect of it was creepy.”

Knott’s Halloween Haunt is not recommended for children under the age of thirteen without a parent, or for the faint of heart and easily frightened. Although Salako exclaimed that “[she] will surely go again because [she wants] to go in all the mazes and on all the rides,” Ana Ingles (12) will most likely not be returning.  After her first time ever visiting the park, she asserted, “That was the most horrifying experience of my life! Just thinking about it scares me!”

This astonishing 106 minute movie is jam–packed with fighting, stunts, and cliché action movie lines such as, “There’s no time to explain.” Lautner, a previously trained martial artist, performs all of his own stunts, with many an action throughout the movie.

The plot is very basic and easy to keep up with, while it still maintains a factor that pulls the viewer in. You just have to know what happens, right? The director John Singleton takes a very classic “action film” approach and that is just how the viewer gets it. It has all been done before.

With having Lautner as the leading man it attracts a large crowd of mostly teenage girls, not the typical crowd for an action film, but nonetheless a crowd.

The movie has some other big names such as Dr. Bennett played by esteemed actress Sigourney Weaver, a therapist Nathan visits due to his lack of anger control. Weaver is most commonly known for her roles as Warden Walker in Holes and Grace in Avatar. In addition, Alfred Molina, a well-known actor known from Raiders of the Lost Ark plays the head of the CIA that is after Nathan. . 

This film is a good choice if you want to go out and have fun while watching a movie. If you love action and romance would thoroughly enjoy Abduction.