Here at the University of North Alabama one of the many beloved traditions of campus is Step Sing. 

Each year, the University Program Council (UPC) hosts as students compete for the first-place trophy in the annual fundraising event. All the proceeds for this year were transitioned to benefit campus infrastructure improvements and the Pantry, which is a resource on campus for students with food insecurity. 

Within the larger group division, judgement is based off of showmanship, musical quality, creativity, storyline and execution. The performances are judged by at least five individuals that are selected prior to the show.

There were three nights of performances; but only the first two nights were judged. The highest and lowest scores were dropped from each group on the final night. The remaining scores were added together to create the final score. 

Participants prepared choreographed routines to songs that fit the theme of the year. This year, the theme chosen by UPC was “Single Artists.” 

The night was emceed by the UPV Hype Man, Daniel Green and Miss UNA 2020, Caitlin McCrary. First, second, third and Friends of the Pride awards were presented on the night of the final performances, Jan. 30. 

Due to the pandemic, all three nights of Step Sing were live streamed on the UNA Student Engagement Facebook page. Each night can still be accessed and watched. Capacity was limited, but UPC planned Step Sing in a way that allowed for students, family and friends to watch the event live and in-person. 

The first performers were the sisters of Alpha Delta Pi (ADPi). Unfortunately, the group had to go into quarantine due to COVID-19, so they were unable to perform live. 

The night before the first show, all routines were filmed, just in case a group was unable to perform live. So, ADPi was still able to participate. 

Their artist of choice was Katy Perry. ADPi’s storyline followed a girl after her boyfriend broke up with her. 

The next group to perform were the ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta (AGD). Kicking off the live performances, their artist of choice was Michael Jackson. AGD’s story followed the life of a girl after graduating from UNA. 

The sisters of AGD brought the stage to life with the incorporation of flips and the iconic Jackson glove. 

The participant of the evening that stole the show with her voice was Jesslyn Downey of AGD. 

AGD incorporated a strobe light effect at one point, making the performance that much more entertaining. 

The next group to take the stage were the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA). The artist they chose was Beyoncé. ZTA’s story followed the sisters after they were invited to be the backup dancers for Beyoncé. 

Of course, the sister’s incorporated the “Single Ladies” dance. In comparison to the groups that performed before them, there was a lack of actual singing. 

ZTA took advantage of having many sisters who are UNA cheerleaders and incorporated a number of flips and more complicated choreography. 

The next performers were the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji). Their show followed a love story that eventually ended in heartbreak while performing songs by Bruno Mars. 

There is something to be said for a group that can get on stage, have fun and not take themselves so seriously. The singing of the brothers of Fiji made for the most entertaining show of the night. 

Incorporating a brother dressed as a girl, the show was filled with twists and turns. 

The sisters of Phi Mu took the stage next and based their show off of none other than Taylor Swift. 

Phi Mu’s story followed a girl after a breakup. The show began while she was in high school and followed her journey on UNA’s campus. 

Out of all the groups, Phi Mu stayed at the microphones the longest. They only incorporated Swift’s voice once. 

The last performers were the brothers of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO). Bringing the audience to Viva Taus Vegas, their artist of choice was Elvis Presley. 

The group’s story followed Presley after Pricilla broke up with him.

The costumes alone were captivating enough, but when the brothers incorporated impressive vocals and choreography, it made for a fantastic show. 

The brothers of ATO took home the Friend of the Pride award and placed second overall. The sisters of Phi Mu took home third place. 

The sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta were awarded the first-place trophy for Step Sing 2021.