Chi Omega and Lambda Chi Alpha win 2006 Sing Song competition (Photo by Christina Parrish, The Daily Campus)
Boisterous cheers and applause echoed throughout McFarlin Auditorium Friday night as Program Council presented its annual Sing Song competition. The competition raises hundreds of dollars for Program Council.
This year’s theme was entitled “I Love Sing Song” and featured an array of performances from cowgirls and dancing penguins to “Chicago” and ’80s flashback.
Sing Song allows various student organizations on campus to pair up and present a medley of performances.
Sing Song dates back to the 1950s, but it took a 20-year absence 17 years ago. According to Helane “Lulu” Seikaly, Program Council’s special events committee chair, the planning for this years competition started back in August.
Auditions were held in late January with practices being held every week up until the night before Sing Song.
The first place winners of the night were Chi Omega and Lambda Chi Alpha. Their performance, entitled “I Love Sing Song,” opened with a tap routine led by Freshman Will Cooper, who said that he had been dancing and performing for over 10 years. The presentation continued on in a rehearsal-like setting and ended with a costumed spectacle of “Hot Stuff.”
Audience member and Chi-O senior Ashley Hopkins said she thought the theme was what put the Chi-Os and Lambda Chis into first place.
“In all my four years here, this was the best Sing Song ever,” Hopkins said.
The second place award went to Alpha Chi Omega and Delta Gamma, whose “Sparkling Diamonds vs. The Crazy Cowgirls” mock-collegiate competition was a showdown between the city girls and country girls.
Routines included “These Boots are made for Walkin'” and “Uptown Girls.” DG sophomore Brittany Gonzalez said this was her first year performing in Sing Song and that learning all the routines was a lot of hard work “but very worth it.”
Alpha Chi junior Haley Ellis added that she was so happy to be back onstage after growing up in theatre, and it was like “coming back home.” Ellis said this was the first time in almost 12 years that Alpha Chi had participated in Sing Song.
Third place was awarded to Kappa Alpha Theta and Pi Kappa Alpha for their performance of “How Pike met Theta.” The story followed two Thetas and two Pikes and their journey home for fall break.
Awards were also given out for various categories voted on by this year’s performers.
Best theme went to Theta and Pike, best backdrop was Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Phi Epsilon and best choreography went to Chi-O and Lambda Chi.
As in previous years, Sing Song included non-greek groups from around campus. The SMU Raas team, known as “The Sticks,” performed an upbeat Indian dance routine. Audience member Neva Flynn said she thought the glittery pink costumes of the Raas team were beautiful and that their “timing was perfect.”
The Voices of Inspiration gospel choir closed out the show before the awards were given. Thunderous screams filled the auditorium as each winner was announced.
Kappa Alpha Order senior and performer Cameron Johnson said this was definitely the best year he had ever seen and summed up the entire night as “spectacular.”
