Flashing lights, loud music, entertaining performances. No, it’s not ACL, it’s a high school dance recital: Zenith 2024. Zenith is a long-lasting tradition within Eanes; a performance used to close out the season for the Hyline, Star Steppers, and the rest of the dance department. The array of lights, precise choreography, sharp movements, and overall showmanship of the dances made for another incredible show. The costumes were clever, working with every song, and the dances produced impressive cinematic performances.
The theme of Zenith 2024 was Record Breaking, with most of the in between voiceovers relating to record-breaking people or places. Record Breaking included routines in all kinds of styles. From a fun Michael Jackson tribute to emotional contemporary dances, Record Breaking showcased the variety and range of the dancers.
Zenith not only displayed the hard work of the dance department but also the skills of the Westlake TEC crew and choir. Westlake TEC programmed the moving lights and the effects on the screen throughout the show, with a light show at the end programmed by seniors Erin Courtney and Cullen Cooley. The work of the TEC crew enhanced the dancers’ performances and made for a more captivating show.
When the lights dimmed to Kendrick Lamar’s timeless piece, “United In Grief,” for the light show, we were anticipating an astonishing performance. We are happy to say they delivered. The light show included music from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Kendrick Lamar and other artists that light and sequencing, making for a thrilling show.
Record Breaking included performances by members of the choir as well. The Thursday show included beautiful covers of “Landslide” by senior Sienna Hamlin and “She’s Always a Women” shortly after intermission by junior Spencer Schultz and junior Ryan Bliss. Bliss’ piano skill was impressive and supported Shultz’s voice melodically. Hamlin played her own accompaniment with her guitar and had amazing tone and pitch.
The show opened with “Next Level,” an exciting, high energy routine. However, there were technical difficulties at the beginning of the dance, causing Hyline to have to restart their performance. The mishap was a surprise, but did not take away from the quality of the overall show.
Next was “Too Darn Hot,” a tap routine, and then a dance featuring a selection of songs by record breaking artist, Taylor Swift. The costume represented Swifts’ performance in her Eras Tour. However, it was a bit distracting with the choreography and how frequently the songs would switch to another one of Swift’s hits.
The Star Steppers then performed for the first time of the night to “Let ‘Em Go” which was followed by Hyline performing Brave, a contemporary routine. “Brave” was magical with impressive lifts and artistry, incorporating hints of tribute to Kobe Bryant when introducing the dance. The red costumes enhanced the overall performance with long, flowy skirts that complimented the dancers’ movements beautifully.
Other dances included performances by Dance 1 and Dance 2, the Hyline Officers and a performance by Eanes faculty. Act one closed with another entertaining Hyline performance, “Wow,” before the intermission. It was a very clean and upbeat dance that worked well with the striped costumes.
Act two opened with a tribute to Michael Jackson which was one of our favorite performances of the night. It was a lively performance that incorporated the essence of MJ with the choreography by including some of his classic dance moves such as the moon walk. Most of Hyline wore sparkly, silver blazers. The main dancer was decorated in an accented red jacket that reflected the light and made for an exciting performance. Dancers came off the main stage and danced in front and along the side of the audience, making the dance one of the more immersive performances of the night.
Schultz and Bliss then took the stage, followed by the Hyline Jazz Company, Hyline Funky Company and then the Bob and Susie Video.
The Bob and Susie Video is a father-daughter tradition where Hyline members dance with their dads. This year, they incorporated Barbie in their dance. The funny and entertaining theme was overall very enjoyable to watch. However, since the entire dance was a video projected onto a screen on the back of the stage, it was difficult to see, especially if you were sitting on the side.
The show continued with more dances by Hyline, Hyline New News—the dancers who made Hyline most recently—the Hyline Seniors and Star Stepper’s final routine for the night, “All Eyes On Me.” Their final performance of the night was captivating and engaging for the audience. All the girls showed their immense talent in the dance and the dynamic choreography worked well with the music.
The Hyline Officers came out one more time before the technical theater light show. As a tradition, Zenith 2024 closed with “Last Dance.” Choreographed by the 2011-2012 Hyline Officers, “Last Dance” is a long-lasting tradition and a dance that occurs in the show every year, encapsulating both Hyline’s reputation and season. It incorporates iconic Hyline choreography with accustomed kicks the dance team is known for. For “Last Dance,” Hyline also wears their classic uniforms, hats, and boots. They included a heartfelt slideshow that highlighted the dance season’s memories, allowing it to not only be an entertaining experience for the audience, but a reminiscent experience for the members.
Zenith 2024: Record Breaking was another brilliant show by the dance department. Showcasing the talent, hard work, and skill of Hyline, Star Steppers, Dance 1 and 2, along with Westlake TEC and choir, Record Breaking was an amazing experience and a strong final performance for the 2023-2024 teams.
