Approximately 1,200 tickets were sold, and a new winner hopped across the throne inside the T.H. Harris Auditorium Saturday night.
The last time the brothers of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. got first place in the Homecoming Greek Show was in 2008.
Using creativity and stepping blindfolded, the ladies of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. took home first place and will advance to the Bayou Classic Greek Show along with the Omegas.
According to Detroit native Jasmine Roper, her sisters and she have been practicing for the show since September.
“We wanted to start early,” said Roper, “because we can clean up our steps. Starting early helped us come up with the theme (Three ZIA agents taken as hostages) and making our steps more precise.”
During their routine, the Zetas opened up standing on chairs, hands in chains, and blindfolded; the three members had been captured against their will. Needing $1920 million to be freed, the Zetas danced with precision and delivered an entertaining show with a consistent concept.
“I liked how they (Zetas) were blindfolded while they were stepping,” said Alex Lawson, a junior electronic engineering major. “Their level of difficulty made it more interesting.”
The ladies of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., the second-place winner, wore yellow shirts and blue pants. The ladies was consistent and never missed a beat. They also incorporated a routine using their yellow-and-blue-stripped canes toward the end. They even created a catchy beat. To close their performance, the SGRhos smoothly shimmied off the stage.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. took home second place as their theme was based around Halloween with zombies in the graveyard. While stepping, a member jumped out of the blue coffin covered in cobwebs on the edge of the stage, surprising the audience.
Taking home third were the brothers of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Entertaining the crowd with ’90s attire and theme, the Iotas’ concept was from the popular movie during that time, House Party. Their performance consisted of several technical steps at a fast pace and used voice-over clips from the movie to tell a story. Though the Iotas came in last, some students did not agree with the judges’ final decision.
“I liked the Iotas performance and I liked their concept with the House Party,” said Franklin Nelson. “It is sad that they got third place.”
Cruising down the street and wearing their black ops uniforms, with the fraternity’s Greek letters embroidered over their hearts, the Omegas performed several routines with flips, hops, and eye-catching moves for the ladies.
Toward the end of their performance, Axel Brinson started to sing one of the fraternity’s traditional songs called Que Psi Phi. Then the undergraduate and graduate members of the fraternity sung along with Brinson, but in an echo effect.
According to Dewanye Well, his brothers have been practicing for five weeks. He is glad that his fraternity will represent Grambling State University in the upcoming Bayou Classic.
Some students noticed that the Omegas did not step in the show; however, stepping is not a tradition to them.
According to the chapter’s president, Derrick “BuQ” Peoples, the fraternity is different from others. During their routine, Peter Dorsey and David Meyers flipped parallel from opposite directions simultaneously. The crowd burst into cheers after this stunt.
“We don’t stroll, we march, and we also hop instead of stepping,” said Peoples. “That goes back to our history from the beginning.”
After the show, students were seen talking among themselves about the Greek Show and their plans for the night.
Shelby Prout, a transfer student from Texas College was pleased with the show and all the Greeks who participated. A member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Prout said T.H. Harris Auditorium was filled with Greek unity during the show.
“I really enjoyed the Greek Show because of the Greek unity, but I would like to see that more on the Yard,” said Prout.