James Madison University - Bluestone Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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r V and r Even chough t prize sorat ities still to Tien preppin] in the gym. ere was no [nners, com- petition seriously. Winning this event is a point of pride for chapters and hav- ing those bragging rights all ' year is something that is sought after, said Courson. pirst-time participants Sigma Phj Epsilon won first placoior theJratemTties with the theme, fe Just Want to Dance! Zena Tau Alpha came in first| place for the sororities with th( theme, ZTAir. Zeta Tau Alpha ' s performance was intricate nd the music clips they used fit the theme well. The opening song was Touch the Sky, by Kanye West, followed b v-eirfi i n 2 MEMBERS of Kappa Alpha sport caps and black beaters as their costumes. Despite their coordinated efforts, the brothers did not place. Photo by Natalie Wall by Suga) with Me, by Michael Bubte. ' Thg Sancers changed - wardrobe accessories often, startmg out msisedr pilots in hats, white Wrts, black pants and black-treSTWhen the song All Aro(ind the World from the Lizzie McGture soundtrack played, theihands members operfed a banner that was painted like algloh, eind walked TouTId it with even space between each member. Some of the props, in addition to th globe banner, included an enlargeg (Sr GmQ 26

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Desirinp I cellence J Desiring By Karlyn Williams Sororities and fraternities wowed the crowd in a multi-faceted dance competition Sxceiience greek Sing wasT prominent tradition at the university, iield annually during Greek Week in Godwin gym eacii spring semester. The event allowed sorori- ties and fraternities to entertain one another, the campus and the sur- rounding community. As assistant director of the Office of Student Activities and Involvement, Jill Courson began planning three months before the popular event. It ' s entertaining and a reat way for different Greek letter organizations on our campus to come together and show off their talent and have some fun, said Courson. Greek organizations tliat partici- pated were required to submit their theme ideas to the Greek Sing Coordin f rs for approval. The coordinators also double-checked that themes were rwrepeated. The Kappa Alpha Theta sorority riiembers began practicing a week after their theme was approved, foi- one to raree hours each time they met. As the new chapter on campus, they did not knoVS at to expect from the other sororities. I don ' t think we had a disadvantage, wej J ieeded to learn the ropes of Gree Sing, said senior Landry Bosworth, presidenTO gM jiljjlliXbfi SiSI ? us had never even attended Greek Sing, so we had a lot to learn and not much time to do so. A judging process determined the winners. With 100 possible points per each of the four judges, a higli score was more than 350 points. The judging rubric included the following areas: theme (10 points), dance performance (25 points], hands performance (30 points), props (15 points), soloist ' s performance (10 points) and audience appeal (10 points). All of the sections were scored per judge and then tallied as a whole. Stacey Garrett, gradu.ite assistant at the Office of Student Activities and involvement, judged for the first time this yean The atmosphere of Creek Sing when 1 walked in about an hour before it started reminded me, in a good way, of a competition day, said Garrett. I was really excited to see the final performances after seeing the women INTENTS rquJjjgJ f auatP Rachel tner represents Alpha Sigma Tau on the dance floor. The sororities held tryouts to determine who would be performers and who would be hands. Photo by Natalie Wall M 2H fedi(Ams

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Desiring I xcellence RHYTHMICALLY shaking their hips in unison, the sisters of Sigma Kappa flash their moves on the floor. Greek organizations had to follow strict time limits for their performances. Photo by Natalie Wall ii Male non-affiliates sparked the audience ' s enthusiasm durii Zeta Tau Alpha ' s performance by helping with cheer stunts anl tumbles. These elements stirred up the crowd members, whc applauded and cheered throughout the performance. There was an intermission performance by a team of representatives from each branch of the Black and Latino Greek Caucus (BLGC] — which included the majority of Greek Organizations under the Center for Multicultural Student Ser- vices (CMSS) — who stepped together This year, nine fraternities participated, up from only two in 2007. However, the fra- ternities were more laid back than sororities when it came to practice schedules, props and costumes. Sigma Phi Epsilon ' s main team practiced five-to-eight times before the performance, and the hands team practiced three times, including a run-through before they went into the gym. The fraternity ' s performance also started with a Kanye West song, Flashing Lights. The dancers were dressed in black zip-up sweatshirts and white masks mimicking the sharp movements of America ' s Best Dance Crew, The JabbaWockeeZ, while the hands flickered flashlights on the risers in the background. They incorporated well-known dances like The Cuban Shuffle and Walk it Out. The soloist sang 1 Wanna Dance With Some- body, while the hands held up signs with each sorority ' s letters tions, is eqiAtvaieni io ike Homecoming Gi jc) GkoiA) or ike dr ek or anLzMione ikM Ml lAnder CTfiGG. -semor Cki t ' da Kin 26 feaiiAfes