By Taylor Griffin
News Editor
After months of preparation and two weeks of performances, this year’s All-University Sing wrapped up Saturday night and declared Kappa Omega Tau’s “The Battle Within” the top act of the night. This honor moves the group on to Pigskin in the fall.
“It was just really surreal,” said Overland Park, Kan., junior Graham Shadwick, KOT Sing chair. “It could have gone any way because it was such a competitive year. It was a big relief that the hard work we put in was appreciated by the judges.”
Shadwick said what he believes made KOT’s performance stand out is the group’s attention to detail such as getting into character, perfecting the little elements and creating an engaging song selection. This year, however, KOT dedicated itself to telling a good story, he said.
“We knew that the past few years we hadn’t done so well on theme development, and with the theme we chose, we were able to tell a story through Jekyll and Hyde,” Shadwick said.
Following KOT, Delta Delta Delta took second place, and Alpha Tau Omega claimed third place.
“Delta Delta Delta is extremely proud of the work our chapter dedicated to Sing this year,” said Temple junior Brooke Fader, TriDelt Sing chair. “Our members performed their very best, and we are elated with our invitation to Pigskin Revue 2014.”
The top eight performances also headed to Pigskin are Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Chi/Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Chi Omega and Kappa Alpha Theta.
Grapevine senior Pierce Shivers, ATO Sing chair, said he was impressed by the energy and enthusiasm each act brought this year and by the teamwork of his own fraternity.
“The amount of work behind the scenes and how many people it takes is what I really loved,” Shivers said. “It’s been so humbling.”
Shivers along with Sturbridge, Mass., senior Danielle LaCoste, the TriDelt Sing chair, took home the honor of Sing Chairs of the Year.
Saturday night’s finale also awarded several groups with audience top picks, including best backdrop and vocals to Phi Kappa Chi/Pi Beta Phi, best choreography and costumes to TriDelt, best song selection to Kappa Kappa Gamma and best theme development to Kappa Alpha Theta.
San Antonio senior Paige Foster, Theta Sing chair, said the group’s goal was to convey a story with simple yet effective visual aids.
“It’s important that the audience understood the act well and that there were no questions at the end about what they just saw on stage,” Foster wrote in an email to the Lariat.
For Shadwick, the Sing experience was in all a humbling process, which required equal doses of hard work and discipline, he said.
“It’s been a huge growing experience,” Shadwick said. “If you’re not disciplined or dedicated then you’re not going to have the results you want.”
