Class of 2027 Junior Homecoming

By Staff Writers Cecilia Cheng & Kelly Shi

Rows of purple, black, and grey balloons decorated the amphitheater as the intricately painted Spirited Away themed backdrop welcomed the Class of 2027’s third annual homecoming celebration. Complementing the dark, ominous background of the banner, a beautiful white dragon soared through the clouds as the live band held the stage.

The juniors captured the crowd’s attention with songs like “See You Again” by Tyler, The Creator. After the live band’s captivating recital, Chihiro, an MSJ student lost in the college application Spirit Realm, took the stage alongside her classmates. The group began discussing the challenges of high parental expectations. They also accused Yubaba, the tyrannical High Chancellor of College Admissions, as a key facilitator of their struggles, with her biased assessments of students’ merits leading them to be rejected from college. 

The Chinese fusion airband followed the first skit, masterfully spinning their long black and white fans. While the ombre fans added a distinctive contrast to the dark backdrop, the  dancers gracefully spread across the stage with fluid body movements while refreshing Chinese music played in the background. 

After the Chinese fusion performance, the hip-hop and K-pop airbands brought unparalleled energy to the stage. The hip-hop airband delivered energetic dances to songs such as Ariana Grande’s “Seven Rings,” while the K-pop group followed by surprising the screaming crowd through intense and powerful movements. During the performance of the iconic “ETA” by NewJeans, the crowd eagerly expressed their excitement, repeatedly chanting “what’s your ETA?.” The energetic movements of the K-pop airband provided a stark contrast to the calmer ambience of the skit’s Spirit Realm, where Chihiro and her classmates began forming a plan to take down Yubaba once and for all. The dark atmosphere left the audience in anticipation as the jazz funk airband made their entrance. 

Dressed in white tops, the jazz funk airband immediately earned cheers with high kicks and sharp spins. They immediately set the tone for a performance with high-energy flips and rolls along with a medley of Tate McRae songs and other popular hits. 

After Chihiro solidified her plan to defeat Yubaba, the ballroom pairs glided onto the stage in flowy skirts and sleek black suits. The second half of their dance slowed down with the song “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran; the crowd sang and swayed along before the dancers ended with a synchronized bow to one another.

The fight scene foreshadowed the growing conflict between the high chancellor and her students, setting a tense mood for the upcoming confrontation. Their performance opened with a series of complex flips, causing cheers to ripple through the crowd. The battles descended into one-on-one duels, with each fighter sending powerful blows towards their opponent. The exhilaration built up further suspense for the final chapter of Chihiro’s story. In a frenzy, the students collectively charged at a confused Yubaba, sending her and her monarchy toppling to the ground. The collapse of Yubaba’s reign marked the beginning of a new era for Chihiro: one fueled by unity. The satisfying ending of the skit segued into the largest airband; the Bollywood dancers created a spectacular finale with glittering clothing, catchy songs, and dynamic movements. As the performance concluded, all the dancers rushed on stage chanting “Never second, 27” in unison, bringing the Cclass of 2027’s Homecoming to a thrilling finish.

Voices

“Their ballroom dance was stunning. It felt so elegant, like a scene right out of a Studio Ghibli movie.” — Lily Yang, 9

“The most memorable part of the performance was the Bollywood dance … There were so many people in the performance, and it was great to see everyone dancing in harmony and in unity.” — Troy Yang, 12

“I think the skit was the best one so far. I thought the story was really relatable to MSJ … [and] was something we could all relate with.” — Mustafa Syed, 10

“The most memorable part … was at the end when everybody was running on and it felt like we had a sense of community and unity.” — Owen Tsai, 11

“The most memorable part of the performance for me was in the fight scene when they stopped to take a picture. I thought that was a really comical twist.” — Farial Farhang, 11