Heights High Swim Cadets Perform 'Opposites Attract'

After the show was over, glitter gleamed from the floors outside of the Cleveland Heights High indoor pool. 

Makeup was just one detail of the synchronized swimming show Thursday night, executed by the oldest of the Heights High Swim Cadets. 

Synchronized swimming requires strength, memorization, teamwork, precision and skill. 

Watching the Swim Cadets join together to form pinwheels, flowers, squares and circles, move gracefully while keeping themselves above water and hold their breath for extended periods of time, with smiles on their faces, was impressive alone. But the team set their routines to purple, red, green, blue and yellow moving lights, along with music from The Verve, James Taylor and Katy Perry, to name just a few. 

Officers, most of whom have been on the team for four years, trained the younger swimmers, choreographed the show, created a budget, chose the costumes and set up fundraisers to pay for the extensive lighting and various suits and accessories needed for their 12 routines.

Members have practiced six days a week, two hours a day, since October.

“The girls work incredibly hard from October on, and I love seeing it all come together,” said Lisa Berusch, an English teacher at Heights High who has two daughters on the team. “It’s a lot of work, and they do it all themselves.”

Their show Opposites Attract started Thursday night, and they have performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Heights High indoor pool. Tickets are $7 at the door. 

Audience members screamed for their friends Thursday night, cheering in between routines and during particularly difficult moves.

Each year, the officers select “Guy Cadets” who provide entertainment while the synchronized swimmers change between routines. They stood by the side of the pool, clapping to the music and encouraging their friends. They also had three announcers: Andrea Chan, Sydney Gatta and Olivia Lash. 

The costumes were detailed. The cadets wore white gloves while swimming to Michael Jackson’s Black or White with what appeared to be a black light shining on them. They sported bands of hot pink and yellow around their heads, wrists and ankles, complete with multicolored, '80s-esque suits while dancing to Paula Abdul’s Opposites Attract.

After the show, family and friends greeted the swimmers with hugs, kisses and flowers to congratulate them.

Browse the image gallery above to see highlights from the show, and check out the other performances this weekend. 

Team members

Officers: Julia Barcus, Anna Borkan, Elana Berusch, Tali Lugasy, Kelly Rosenbaum, Nicky Rosenbaum. Juniors: Margeaux Apple, Esther Bergson, Anna Brown, Anna Wachter, Maia Wachter. Sophomores: Maggie Berusch, Isabel Collins, Jenna Goldthwait, Mariah Steiger. Freshmen: Phoebe Lammert.