The Friday before Homecoming, rhythm and noise resonated from inside Elon's Alumni Gym across the Moseley Lawn. Elon's National Pan-Hellenic Council's annual step show was well underway.
Hundreds of students and alumni filtered into the show to see the six NPHC Greek organizations perform their step routines.
The crowd was filled with Elon school spirit. Some fraternities even incorporated alumni into their routines. Colored lighting set the mood and a DJ took requests in between routines while a panel of judges deliberated.
Each of the fraternities, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Phi Beta Sigma and sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta, performed energetic and entertaining routines. The competitive energy was balanced with camaraderie when performers incorporated humor into their routines. But only one could be crowned the winning team.
Alpha Phi Alpha took the first place prize money of $750, and Delta Sigma Theta took second place prize of $400.
Delta Sigma Theta wowed the audience with the loudest and most energetic performance, with only two women in their routine, earning points for creativity with their 1920s flapper costumes inspired by the musical "Chicago." The Delta's made their performance multi–media by showing a movie clip of "Chicago"'s familiar tune "Cell Block Tango."
Stepping is a dance form popularized by Pan-Hellenic Greek organizations. It has roots in African tradition and has long been a part of Pan-Hellenic Greek Life.