Fantastic Freshmen Review

Peeta: As I arrived, I was impressed by the hanging letters between the N-wing overhang and the amphitheater. Although the balloons were sparsely distributed in the morning, by lunchtime they had grown to a more noticeable quantity.

Katniss: I agree. The backdrop effectively unified all the classes; however, there was not much depth or freshman representation within it.

Peeta: The class number- 2016- lay flat on the slope between the library and the amphitheater (whereas previous classes have chosen to have them stand upright).

Katniss: I think this was original, but it was not very noticeable.

Peeta: That’s true. I think this year’s freshman skit was unique in that it incorporated past freshman themes from previous classes. While special, this distracted the audience from the class of 2016’s theme. The characters were superheroes, but yet they didn’t really use their respective superpowers to save the day.

Katniss: Overall, the skit was difficult to follow. The voiceovers continually repeated phrases for clarity, and while helpful, this got overdone quickly. The acting was occasionally not in sync with the voiceovers, and it was difficult to distinguish between characters as the voiceovers did not use distinct voices.

Peeta: In the skit, only when the four heroes combined their powers, was the freshmen character able to succeed and defeat the Kennedy Titans. Each of the characters turned around and “powered up” two times, which seemed a bit excessive, but it did get the entire crowd to cheer.

Katniss: Indeed. Alice and the Mad Hatter were the only characters with especially interesting costumes. The quality of all costumes, if improved, could have increased the overall experience.

Peeta: Also, due to awkward pauses between air bands, it would have been beneficial to have smoother transitions between songs.

Katniss: However, they demonstrated a great variety of air bands; there was everything from Bollywood to ballroom. Considering the Bollywood air band had approximately thirty dancers the choreography was impressive. The combat scene was in sync and garnered much enthusiasm from the audience; though it was a bit too drawn out. The boys’ dance was extremely amusing and energetic, and the scooters were a nice addition. Choice dancers from each air band were very passionate and engaged.

Peeta: As the skit progressed, the enthusiasm amongst the Freshman class increased exponentially.

Katniss: That’s definitely true. The Freshman class displayed their class colors and pride, creating a sea of blue in the middle of the grassy area of the amphitheater.

Peeta: What was especially commendable was that there were no noticeable technical difficulties during the performance today, which is a difficult feat especially for the freshmen who are new to Homecoming.

Katniss: The closing song resulted in a standing ovation from the Freshmen class and enthusiasm from the rest of the audience. Although the performance started off rocky, the closing song proved that the Freshmen are certainly capable of unifying the entire school.

Peeta & Katniss: The class of 2016 definitely started off Homecoming on a solid note and set the stage for the “Step Up Sophomores” tomorrow.