Students gear up for spring Step Sing competition

WHERE’S WALDO? – Members of Alpha Tau Omega dress as the character from “Where’s Waldo?” during their routine at the 2010 step sing competition.

Chenee Boyd Staff Writer

Next month kicks off one of the well-known events of the spring, which is the “Remember the Good Times” Step Sing competition, where profits raised go on to benefit United Way of Northwest Alabama.

Step Sing, which will take place Feb. 3-4 at 7 p.m. in Norton Auditorium, is similar to a show choir, but involves Greek and non-Greek organizations that show their creativity by writing their own lyrics to songs, creating dance routines and performing live on stage. Each year, the groups dress in costumes that relate to the theme they select.

Last year, the competition brought in around $10,000 in ticket sales. The profits were donated to United Way of Northwest Alabama, a blanket organization for local charities that are located in the Shoals area. Each year, the money raised by Step Show and Step Sing accounts for approximately 2 percent of the organization’s annual funds. 

Last semester, there was a controversy with Step Show where the judge-selection process was questioned after a volunteer judge who allegedly had ties to the winning sorority took part on the panel.  

“These rumors were completely false,” said Lindley Bassham, UPC service chair and organizer.  “We check to make sure that our judges do not have any ties to UNA.  All the judges that we get we make sure that they do not know any of the people participating in the show.” 

Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Phi Mu, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Chi, Delta Chi and a non-Greek independent group called The Romans will perform in this semester’s competition. 

“I am very excited to see what the other Greeks are going to be doing for the Step Sing and I just can’t wait to show off our performance,” said Meaghan Henry, a member of ZTA. “We have worked so hard for Step Sing and it is definitely going to be something that the people would enjoy watching.”

Many of the participating groups have been preparing for Step Sing for months and are ready to put their performance skills to practice.

“We have been practicing since September and we have put in countless hours just getting the show together, and that includes memorizing, dancing, costumes, lyrics and so much more,” said Drew Mills, a member of Alpha Tau Omega.

The competing groups will be judged on appearance, choreography, stage presence musical ability, prop creativity, theme creativity, People’s Choice Award participation and overall performance.

There will be first and second place teams in both male and female groups, as well as co-ed divisions.

“Our girls have been practicing a few hours a night and on weekends too,” said Destin Underwood, president of Phi Mu. “They have constantly been rehearsing for Step Sing and are very eager to perform. Sometimes you hear some of them dancing and singing while walking around campus.”

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased by visiting http://www.una.edu/boxoffice/step-sing.html.