On April 18-20, the stage of the Performing Arts Center will be taken over as the members the Dance Department and other groups perform in this year’s Zenith entitled “Once Upon A Time.”

“[We chose the theme ‘Once Upon A Time’] because we like that it appeals to all ages,” Dance Department director Chelsee Capezzuti said. “We wanted something magical, something fun to watch and something fun to be a part of.”

Although everyone involved in the show works extensively to prepare, members of Hyline are especially busy because they perform in seven to 14 dances. This Zenith will feature three team pieces, four dances with half the team featuring different styles of dance, and a senior number as well as performances by Jazz Company and Funky Company.

“[We’ve been working on] some of our pieces since August, but the hype of Zenith season starts right after our contest season ends in late February,” Jacqueline said. “We have morning practice every day from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and then lots of after-school rehearsals the closer we get to Zenith.”

Besides featuring the Dance Department, Zenith provides an opportunity for other school groups, such as the cheerleaders and Madrigals, to perform. Additionally, the annual show also features outside entertainment in the form of musicians, and the students who perform in Zenith must audition for Dance Department directors Capezzuti and Lindsay Young in order to receive a spot in the show. There will be several different performers each night.

“My friend [senior] Jerod [Thornton] and I auditioned for Zenith because it’s a great opportunity to share our music with our classmates and the greater Westlake community,” senior Berkeley Mashburn, who will be performing Friday, said. “Zenith is a really fun show that we’re glad to be a part of.”

One tradition of Zenith is the annual senior Gyline performance. Members of Gyline are chosen by the Hyline officers who then choreograph and teach the dance to the boys. This year’s Gyline is comprised of 17 members.

“Naturally, I was honored to be asked to be on Gyline,” senior Andrew Timmins said. “But after a practice of wearing crop tops, I started to feel like a piece of meat. The amount of times I had to say ‘my eyes are up here’ was a little disheartening.”

Tickets for Zenith are $15 and will be on sale from April 11 through April 18. They can be purchased in the Chap Court from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and in the PAC from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“I’m most excited to finally be able to [give] our peers and the Westlake community a glimpse of what we’ve been working on all year,” Hyline captain senior Jacqueline Brustkern said. “It’s so rewarding to be able to perform and show what we can do.”