This post was updated March 12 at 8:59 p.m.

With “Homecoming,” the American Contemporary Ballet takes audiences back to school by combining drill team choreography with 1980s nostalgia.

“Homecoming” is an engaging and interactive dance experience that takes audiences back to the John Hughes high school environments of their dreams. The show was created by the dance company’s founder, Lincoln Jones, with music by himself, Michael Arrom and Ana Barreiro. Three distinct dance sequences all culminate in the most important moment of most high schoolers’ lives – homecoming. While the lack of a traditional ballet performance may be off-putting to some, its inclusion of hyperactive dance forms and immersive elements make it the perfect jumping on “pointe” for casual audiences.

Arguably, the best part about “Homecoming” is how it appeals to audiences that typically do not indulge in a night at the ballet. “Homecoming” wraps the technical prowess of ballet in drill-and-yell squad choreography that makes the performance consistently entertaining for anyone. The first number alone opens with a polyrhythmic explosion of percussive motion. While there are definitely recognizable movements of a ballerina sprinkled throughout, it leans more heavily into the styles of dance one might expect from a halftime show. Even the musical element allows the audience to be more engaged with a percussive rhythm kept through combinations of the stomping of feet, clapping of hands and a fully fitted drumline – all of which surely had the attendees pulsing along to the infectious beat.

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While the night certainly starts off at its most accessible, as the crowd becomes more enthralled with the performance,“Homecoming” slowly leans more toward traditional ballet. Where the first piece is heavily rooted in the more energetic drill team style, the second number merges it with pointe shoes, passes and pirouettes. The dancers perform high-intensity marching on full pointe, leap into classic cheer poses and navigate the stage in an impressive group number that never skips a beat.

Then, this football sidelines facade fades away for a final number so technically brilliant that audiences will not flinch at the fact it is an unabashed ballet showcase. For this performance, the marching band is gone, replaced with an orchestral synthesizer. An angel straight from hell in a scene reminiscent of Stephen King’s “Carrie” stalks the stage as her contemporary movements cast haunting shadows across the fog in a blood-red spotlight. This is a ballet piece – plain and simple. But because “Homecoming” puts in the leg work to make this medium accessible to everyone, the show allows itself to climax in this beautiful expression of spectacle and athletic brilliance.

Audiences certainly come for the impressive dance on display, but what keeps them moving and grooving into the night is the spectacular immersive experience that permeates the space the second they walk through the doors. Def Leppard screams out of the sound system, bringing attendees back to the good old days of 1980s heavy metal. The program is even written on spiral note paper and stuffed in a folder with homework and love letters. While these aspects could be easily overlooked, the music choice, themed costumes and scraps of paper speak volumes to bring the crowd into the lively world of the performance.

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The audience interaction does not end at the reception but weaves its way throughout the night’s entertainment. Comedy bits from a principal and his assistant, inspired heavily by Dean of Students Ed Rooney and his secretary Grace from the 1986 Hughes classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” break up the intense dance numbers and provide laugh-out-loud moments of levity. One moment in particular features the principal giving a lecture on regret, only to be interrupted by the lunch lady handing out brown paper bags of Skippy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, candy cigarettes, and a cookie. This little act brings the crowd into the performance in a fun and engaging way by allowing attendees to be a part of the interruption.

Other unique additions that heighten the immersion are the live bands. While an in-house orchestra is common for a ballet, the utilization of a marching and rock band, reminiscent of the one from the dance finale of “Back to the Future,” adds a level of verisimilitude to the performance. Band members are not sequestered into a pit at the front of the stage but are often right next to seated audience members. The inclusion of such lively musicians brings about a new form of entertainment that brings guests further into the world of this one-of-a-kind show.

Even though the lack of a more traditional ballet experience may deter some audiences, it is because of these unique differences that “Homecoming” is able to make even the most skeptical individuals yell roll call by the end.