I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was a warm August night in 2007, a week before school started, and I was perched on the edge of my friend’s couch, eyes on the TV while idly chatting with my friend. Tonight was the night that High School Musical 2 was going to make its debut on the Disney Channel, and I was as excited as could be.
I had worked for months to get this set up, finding a friend who had cable, introducing them to High School Musical, dropping hints that the sequel was coming out, then finally just asking if I could come over and watch it with them. It had all worked out perfectly, and as the Suite Life of Zach and Cody ended (a high school musical-themed episode, mind you, ‘cause this was an EVENT), the show began.
High School Musical 2 has been on my mind lately, but not because I have been looking back at those halcyon days of my youth. Rather, because of one comment I see constantly making its rounds on social media. For those of you unfamiliar with the cinematic masterpiece that is High School Musical 2, let me break down the important points that you need to know before we go forward.
It’s summer vacation, and the entire student body of East High gets hired to work at Sharpay’s Dad’s golf club. Sharpay is trying to get Troy to sing a duet with her at the big showcase at the end of summer, and in the process, has cast aside her brother and musical collaborator Ryan. Ryan gets invited to a baseball game by Troy’s girlfriend, Gabriella, and that prompts this whole back and forth with Troy’s best friend, Chad, and Ryan about how dancing and sports aren’t so different after all, all to the catchy tune of the musical number “I Don’t Dance.
That brings us to the unoriginal observation that I see reposted and shared, “Why is Chad singing ‘I don’t dance,’ when he’s out here doing intensive choreography? Make it make sense.”
Well, dear reader, I am here to do just that and make it make sense, so let’s look at the narrative device known as “diegesis” and the role it takes within the context of musical theatre.
Let’s start with a simple answer to the question on everyone’s lips. What even is “diegesis?”
At its inception, the idea of diegesis was defined as a specific form of storytelling where the narrative is told rather than shown, usually through a narrator. This is in contrast of “mimesis,” which is where the story is shown through representation and action, and you would never guess who explored these concepts (or elements) of theatre. If you guessed Aristotle, you’d be right, but that topic was so last month, so if you want to explore some basic elements of theatre, you can check out this previous blog post on the subject. However, it is important to mention that the concept was originally intended to be applied to theatre of ancient Greece, considering that, since then, we have had drastic changes in theatre and had the creation of film.
In a more modern context where it applies to musical theatre and film, diegesis simply means the things that occur within the fictional world where the narrative takes place. So, for something to be considered diegetic, it means it would be actually happening in the narrative world. For example, sticking with the High School Musical theme of this post, in the opening scene of the original High School Musical, we see Troy and Gabriella dragged on stage and forced to do some karaoke. Not only do we as the viewing audience see them singing, but we are to also understand that the two of them are actually singing in the fictional world’s ski resort. This would be considered diegetic.
On the flip side, when Troy is at basketball practice later in the same movie and trying to “Get’cha Head in the Game,” we know that in his reality Troy isn’t actually singing with the other ‘young men in baggy shorts flinging balls for touchdowns’. Rather, the writer is trying to convey, through the song, the inner turmoil that Troy is feeling in this moment, how he can’t seem to focus on practice because his heart is yearning for the stage and the new girl in school. This song would be considered non-diegetic.
This concept could also be applied to non-musical films. Imagine you’re watching the movie Jaws and you start to hear those two dreaded notes signaling there might be something in the water. The characters in the show do not hear the background music, much to your frustration as you shout, “Get out of the water!” at the screen to no avail, and that’s because the music is non-diegetic. Similarly to musicals, the music here offers some depth and enhances the story by conveying emotion to the audience.
So that brings us to the titular question: Why does Chad claim that he doesn’t dance, even though he is caught dancing numerous times within the same number?
Well, that’s because this whole number is non-diegetic. It isn’t really happening in their reality; they are just playing a staff game of baseball. But through the elements of song and dance, the characters are conveying their inner thoughts and feelings so the audience can engage with the story, and in the end, isn’t that the main goal? To engage the audience and bring them joy? And while I know these shows aren’t for everyone (and that’s okay!), I can say for certain at the very least that it succeeded in engaging a certain young Ethan on that one summer day.