'Legally Blonde' Has Emmaus High Dancers Getting 'Whipped Into Shape'

Special to Emmaus Patch By Chrissy Cilento, Emmaus High School Senior

Jumping rope and singing. Two things that should never be mixed. However, in Emmaus High School's upcoming production of Legally Blonde, an entire number is devoted to doing those two things at the same time.

One of the larger numbers of the show, "Whipped into Shape" is meant to be the stage version of a workout video and involves some serious jump-roping prowess as well as exhausting vocals.

About a month ago when the students first learned the choreography for the number, it was a definite hurdle. Bruised and battered, they came to school the next day hobbling from class to class and massaging their calves every spare second.

As rehearsals have gone on, there's been a major improvement. The number still isn't quite perfect, but the good news is that less jump ropes are being accidentally flung across the stage and the number of lashes on the arms of the students from accidentally whipping themselves has decreased!

The next big hurdle for the cast members will be adding singing on top of the difficult choreography. Some serious stamina is required to sing your heart out and swing a jump rope under your legs at the same time. The only way the students will master this feat is practice, practice, and more practice.

The cast members in "Whipped into Shape" come to rehearsal early every day to perfect this grueling number. At 2:45 p.m. they start out with stretches, 100 jumps, and then the dance number several times.

Director Jill Kuebler is certainly making sure that these kids will be in tip-top shape by the time the show rolls around on April 10. Says senior Laura Erle playing the role of Brooke Wyndham, the fitness guru, "Mrs. Kuebler is definitely putting us to work on this number, but I think in the end that'll be a good thing. 'Whipped into Shape' is a really difficult dance, but we want to make it look like it's easy and polished. All the hard work and sweat we put into it every day is going to pay off on opening night when the audience sees how much we worked on this."

Legally Blonde will be presented in the Emmaus High School Auditorium April 10-12 at 7 p.m. and April 13 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are available online or in the main office at the high school. Prices are $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.

Chrissy Cilento, a senior at Emmaus High School, plans to study journalism in college. She is a periodic contributor to Patch.