Grambling State University’s sororities and fraternities stepped and stomped on stage in the T.H. Harris Auditorium for the annual Greek and Non-Greek Step Show that concluded this year’s TigerFest.
The participants competed Friday, the 19th for a cash prize and a chance to represent the university at the 40th Annual Bayou Classic, in New Orleans this November.
“Creativity, execution and appeal,” is what judge Mark Hunter Grambling, founder and executive director of the Dr. Michael A. Hunter HIV/AIDS Foundation was looking for.
To the surprise of many, the Iotas took the $500 cash prize and a sealed spot to the Bayou Classic. The fraternity came strolling on sage to Justin Timberlake’s new hit record “Suite & Tie” with lots of energy and a mindset to win. They stayed true to the theme as they sported a brown and yellow suit.
“It’s a wonderful feeling and we’re very honored to have won,” said stepper and member of the Epsilon Delta chapter of IOTA Justin Williams, a senior psychology major from Temecula, Calif.
“We will do our best to represent Grambling State University at the Bayou Classic,” Williams added.
In second place for the fraternities were the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha. The non-Greeks Tau Beta Sigma stepped their way into 1st place and the brothers of United African American Men strolled into second.
For the sororities the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta came in first place as they wowed the crowd in their shiny silver shoes, giving some of their brothers of Phi Beta Sigma tease chair dance.
“I am very proud of us. It feels as though we are on of the over-looked sororities on campus. We put out a lot of hard work like community service projects and beneficial seminars, so it feels good to feel appreciated,” said a member of the sorority Jasmine Roper, a junior mass communication major from Detroit, a performer in the show.
The building was packed, and the energy was flowing; yet the room was conditioned and cool unlike the Comedy show earlier in the week.
M.C. Peter “P. Skills” Dorsey kept the crowd engaged as D.J. Chase played the latest hits.
Also to keep the crowd engaged was host “Rudy Ru,” giving the crowd something to talk about changing his wardrobe more than five times during the show.
For senior nursing major Neigha North, said it was her last TigerFest step show as an undergraduate. “I came to enjoy the show and of course see the alphas,” said North.
While many people might have came to show watch the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha as they step with precision, the Iotas definitely stole the show.