Students from 12 student organizations performed to a full house Oct. 26 at Norton Auditorium for Step Show 2012 “United We Step.” Money raised by the event went to United Way.

The overall first place winner of the 2012 Step Show was Phi Mu.

UNA junior and Phi Mu member Rebecca Malone said it was the best Step Show she has seen so far at UNA.

“The competition this year was a lot stiffer than last year,” Malone said. “All the performances are so entertaining, and you don’t want to miss a minute of it.”

Step Show was filled with an eclectic mix of hip-hop, dubstep and many Halloween-inspired productions as students from sororities, fraternities and co-ed student organizations performed.

The event was hosted by David Shields and Miss UNA 2012 Anne-Marie Hall.

“It’s an absolutely wonderful event,” Shields said. “The students have worked so hard and it really shows when they come out on stage. They do this not just for the fun; they do it for United Way, and that’s what is really important.”

Hall and Miss UNA 2011 Brandi Lewis provided entertainment while the judges tallied up their scores to announce the winners.

The Friend of the United Way award was given to Zeta Tau Alpha. This award is given to the group that raises the most money for United Way in the weeks leading up to Step Show. Zeta Tau Alpha raised $636.83.

Phi Mu team captain Kaitlyn Gowdy said her team was thrilled with the win.

“We worked really hard raising money for United Way,” Gowdy said. “It’s the reason we do the show. Phi Mu worked really hard and had so much fun raising money for a good cause along with all the other organizations.”

The male first place category went to Alpha Tau Omega. Male second place went to Phi Gamma Delta.

Female first place went to Phi Mu. Female second place went to Zeta Tau Alpha.

Co-ed first place went to Alpha Beta Organization.

“Win or lose, I was proud to be up there with Sigma Chi,” said UNA freshman Cullen Akin. “Everyone worked hard to raise money for United Way, and it was an awesome experience I’ll never forget.”

Alpha Gamma Delta member Anna Beth Ferguson’s group had Beetlejuice outfits and a Halloween step dance that was a big crowd-pleaser.

“It’s amazing being up there,” Ferguson said. “Getting up on stage with these girls who are like your sisters because you’ve been practicing every waking moment — it’s a complete out-of-body experience. You forget the trophy. You forget everything and you just know you’re up there for the right reason, raising money for an awesome organization.”

Step Show is a UNA tradition, said UNA senior and Alpha Gamma Delta member Sara Gibson.

“Step Show is a tradition at UNA that has become something that everyone looks forward to,” Gibson said. “It’s a great cause to contribute to. As a senior, this was my last year to perform with Alpha G but I think, overall, this was one of the best shows we have had since I’ve been a student here at UNA, and I’m proud of all the money the students raised.”