Grab your dancing shoes. Disney is giving you and your kids the chance to get your groove on with the crew from “High School Musical 2.”
It’s been a solid week since the Disney Channel’s made-for-TV movie exploded onto the small screen and sent millions of Zac Efron fans into overdrive. In previous blogs I told you about Disney’s attempts to speed up production on the big screen version of “High School Musical 3” in an effort to ride the wave of popularity generated by the phenomenal success of “High School Musical 2.”
Can you blame them?
Last week “High School Musical 2” attracted more than 17 million viewers, making it the single most-watched basic cable telecast in history. (Some media experts are now saying that number is low since it doesn’t take into account the fact that many viewers watched the premiere in groups at viewing parties.) Okay, so we’ve established that “High School Musical 2” is a bonafide hit. So what is Disney doing to keep the record ratings up? Why, air another Disney Channel special, of course. Disney network execs just announced that they plan to air a special dance-along version of “High School Musical 2” on September 8th at 8 p.m. ET.
Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and company – Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Olesya Rulin, KayCee Stroh, Chris Warren, Jr. and Ryne Sanborn – will host the movie and instruct viewers on how to imitate their dance moves during the opening and closing numbers, as well as for “What Time Is It” and “All For One.”
One of the movie’s producers told reporters: “Our viewers made dance moves from the first movie iconic, and we’re pleased to once again provide them with an opportunity to learn the new dance moves from HSM2.”
You can get in on the action by visiting the DisneyChannel.com where you find downloadable and printable instructions to the dance-along.
You can practice with your “High School Musical 2” CD. You have one don’t you? At this point it seems everyone does… and the numbers back that claim. According to just released reports, the soundtrack to the smash Disney Channel movie topped the Billboard 200 album chart in a HUGE way.
The CD sold more than 615,000 copies, which makes the summer sequel’s soundtrack the 2nd-highest debut of 2007, falling just shy of Linkin Park’s “Minutes to Midnight” as the years top seller.
But, the Disney magic didn’t stop there. “Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus” (Soundtrack) jumped back up two places to land at # 2 with 82,607 copies sold. As you may remember, a new episode of “Hannah Montana” aired right after Friday’s record-breaking premiere of “High School Musical 2.” And it doesn’t take a genius to deduce that the time slot likely contributed to the 10% sales increase for Cyrus’ double-disc set.