By AMY CARLSON GUSTAFSON

By AMY CARLSON GUSTAFSON
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
FANCY FOOTWORK, CATCHY TUNES, puppy love and adorable faces -- "High School Musical" has it all. Teens and tweens can't get enough of the Disney Channel's original movie, which tells the story of a high school basketball star and a shy, brainy girl who share a secret passion for singing. The movie-musical channels the same buoyant spirit as 1978's classic "Grease," with a few updates, including cell phones, karaoke machines and hip-hop moves.
The Jan. 20 debut of "High School Musical" earned the Disney Channel its highest ratings ever. Although it doesn't come close to the 30 million viewers tuning into Fox's reality hit "American Idol," it was the top-rated cable program for the week of Jan. 16-22, pulling in more than 7 million viewers. The movie is being repeated on the Disney Channel.
"It's way better than 'American Idol,'" said Maia MacNeal, a St. Paul, Minn., eighth-grader at Capitol Hill Magnet School. "('High School Musical') is really cheesy and funny. 'American Idol' is so boring."
The "High School Musical" soundtrack -- a mix of ballads, pop and hip-hop tunes -- is the work of a dozen songwriters. Thanks to 14-year-old Maia and her peers across the nation, the movie's soundtrack has ruled Amazon.com's top-seller list, its songs have dominated iTunes, and it has made its way onto the Billboard charts.
Well-regarded stars
"High School Musical" stars Vanessa Anne Hudgens ("Thirteen") as brainy Gabriella Montez and Zac Efron ("Summerland") as popular basketball star Troy Bolton. Gabriella and Troy want to break out of their social groups and try out for the school musical, but only after they conquer a series of roadblocks, including a demanding father, jealous classmates and cliques. It was directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega, the mastermind behind the moves in "Dirty Dancing."
"It's a story that has been told so many times," said Efron, 18, on his cell phone in Los Angeles. "The only thing different about it is the music.
"We threw in three minutes of music between all the drama and comedy -- I think that has got to be what has gotten kids' attention. It makes the movie a lot more fun. It's much more interesting when you can become a part of it through the music."
Katie Engelking, another St. Paul eighth-grader, was one of many teens who downloaded the soundtrack with iTunes. Even though Katie admitted she's not that into TV shows, she made it a point to watch "High School Musical" with a few friends.
"It's fun to get with all your friends and listen to the music," said Katie, 13, whose favorite song from the movie is "Breaking Free." "They're fun to dance to and sing along with. My brother even likes the movie, and he's like 17. I find that really funny."
Peer pressure
Maia, her classmate, likes "Stick to the Status Quo," a song that includes the line, "If you want to be cool, follow one rule, just stick with the status quo." The big dance-song scene takes place in peer-pressure central -- the school cafeteria.
"I wish our school would do that," Maia said. "They were dancing in the lunchroom on the tables."
"High School Musical" star Efron also names "Stick to the Status Quo" as one of his top songs from the movie because of the old-school musical spirit it conveys.
"'Status Quo' brings back to mind all those great films like 'Grease,' when they burst into song simultaneously and everyone knows the words and can dance," Efron said. "It's the magical kind of thing I grew up watching."
Of course, there's another reason both Maia and Katie like to watch the show -- Efron. The teens agree he's "pretty hot."
Efron said he'd like to thank all his fans for watching and plans on putting out more good movies in the future. But more importantly: Does he have a girlfriend? The answer might delight many of the show's fans.
"Not really -- not right now," he said.