The lights dim, the crowd hushes silent, the excitement feels thick in the air as the dancers’ feet shuffle on stage behind the curtain. The audience waits as the curtain is pulled back, the music starts, the lights flash, it has begun.

For three nights, Rocklin and Whitney dancers join together and perform the 4WRD show, standing for the Dance IV class of Rocklin and Whitney dancers. Thursday and Friday at 7, and Saturday at 2 and 5, two rival schools come together to show off their skills in 26 dances.

Whitney starts off the show and trades on and off with Rocklin throughout the performances. To stand out against Whitney’s dancer, the choreographers at Rocklin wanted to branch out of their comfort zone. This show will be different than previous years because you can expect to see different types of dances like the one Rebecca Stanley and Gabby Rieken choreographed.

“When Gabby and I choreographed [Ghosts of Sky], our task was to choreograph a creepy jazz so we kind of thought about the intensity part of it and that’s why the song is really intense and so with that dramatic music we had a lot to work with,” said junior Rebecca Stanley.

This year’s show contains numeral dances the dancers are especially excited to perform because of how different they are than what Rocklin usually choreographs and of the message they hold. Different themes vary from Bollywood all the way to contemporary with a message about bullying and suicide.

One song in particular carries a message that relates to everyone, stopping to smell the roses. Sophomore Emily Masnica choreographed a dance to the song Turn to Stone to demonstrate this particular message.

“Well, Turn to Stone is another one where you really wanna get the message of not going through life too quickly,” said Emily.

Throughout the show, MC’s Kayla Dahla and Dani Keane of Rocklin and Jonah Petty and Zach Roberts of Whitney, join each other with puns and fun-loving insults that are sure to make the crowd laugh. With roughly 60 hard-working dancers, an upbeat 50’s jazz dance, fun hip-hop numbers and inspiring lyrical performances, 4WRD will definitely not be a show to miss.

Ticket costs are $7 for children, seniors, and students with an ASB card and $10 for adults and non-ASB card holders. However, on Saturday at 2, they are offering a special matinee price of $5.