Tutus lie haphazardly across a table, a flamboyant mass of pink, yellow, gold, red and neon blue. The brightly lit basement makes the colors seem even more brilliant as it clearly displays the smiles on the faces of the people causally lounging around the room, talking constantly so a low buzz is heard in every corner.
Suddenly the music starts, a group of men and women rush quickly to their marks. Women bounce excitedly in place, eager to begin while some men mouth the words to the song. An unspoken cue from the music sets everything into motion all at once, and the dance begins.
“Why couldn’t I do this one,” one man jealously calls out.
The routine ends with clapping, smiling from the dancers and a chest bump.
This is Kappa Alpha Theta’s Thursday night dance practice, only one of many that have occurred over the past week. The cause for the occasion is Tuesday’s Songfest, an annual event that occurs during Greek Week, in which fraternities and sororities pair up into teams who compete in various competitions.
Greek Week events include Olympics, Trivia Bowl, Miss Greek, Kickball, an inter-fraternity football game, a powder-puff football game for the sororities and Songfest.
Songfest performance requires time, excellent choreography, the perfect dance mix and in Theta’s case, multiple costume changes.
The dance numbers in Theta and partner’s Sigma Phi Epsilon’s routine this year require spray painted shirts, sports jerseys, tutus and sparkling swaths of vibrant colored fabric tied across the girls’ hips.
The excitement in the practice room at Theta is obvious with the boys getting into their moves and the girls shaking their hips and high kicking with all energy they can muster.
However, there is a nervous undertone that lingers: The Panhellenic Council is arriving to preview their performance.
The council arrives with little warning, and “Quiet!” rings out loudly from different mouths.
The first group of dancers assembles and the whole performance is showcased to the watchful eyes of the council.
After the dancers finish, the council huddles up and certain concerns can be heard drifting from their intimate circle.
“I just think it’s too crowded,” is only one of the few comments on the safety of the dancers. The transition time Theta has been allotted is also a concern.
But the show must go on.
Nikki Nelson, a 19-year-old sophomore journalism and advertising major, is a member of Theta as well as the current Campus Activities director.
“I do Greek Week and Homecoming,” Nelson said of her role. “I coordinate all events. I’m basically a liaison for [Panhellenic Council].”
Nelson says the choreography, music and costumes all come from talent within the sorority houses.
“For us, the choreography comes within the house with girls who have exceptional dance skills and want to have a leadership role,” Nelson said.
Nelson says she is looking forward to the show.
“It’s always so cool seeing it all come together,” Nelson said. “I’m most excited about our house smiling and being on stage with confidence.”
Theta’s president, Lauren Seaber, a sophomore 19-year-old mass communication and journalism major, says the experience has been good for the sorority and fraternity alike.
“I think ‘Sig Ep’ is really good to work with,” Seaber says. “They’re really excited.”
Seaber says the practices have been really good so far and she is confident about their performance, but admits they need a bit more practice. After all, it’s all about the friendly competition.
“I’m excited to see what the other houses do,” Seaber said.
Sarah Mc Clelland, a 19-year-old freshman open option major, was once in a sorority but quit because it was to time consuming. She says she will likely not be attending Songfest.
“So yeah I’ve heard of Greek Week,” McClelland said. “But I’m not really sure what its about. I know there’s a Songfest, a football game of some sort and Miss Greek or whatever.”
McClelland says that she does believe Greek Week is important, but probably only for those in the Greek System.
“I think [these events]are so important mostly because of the competition between sororities and frats,” McClelland said.
Theta and Sig Ep, and all the other sororities and fraternities, will be competing for Songfest Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Emily Zarka at Emily.zarka@colorado.edu.
