Pigskin Revue is this week, but some groups are already focused on All-University Sing in the spring. However, one group preparing for the big event is unlike any other — Sing Alliance.
Over the years, students wishing to perform in Sing but not interested in Greek life have had the chance to prove their dancing and singing chops through Sing Alliance, and the group is currently recruiting. Originally formed in 1998, the group stresses three goals for all members: have fun, make new friends and perform to the best of one’s abilities.
Austin senior Jenay Lapeyrolerie, president of Sing Alliance, described the unique energy the organization infuses into the competition.
“I love the energy and the enthusiasm of Sing Alliance because we all choose to be here,” Lapeyrolerie said. “That energy is really something you don’t find in every performance group … and that passion and dedication, it just makes it such a fun environment to sing and dance in.”
Not only does Sing Alliance allow non-Greek students the chance to perform, but it also gives freshmen the opportunity to experience a beloved campus tradition that began in 1953.
“I managed to find Sing Alliance as a freshman and dove right in,” Lapeyrolerie said. “It’s really a great place, especially in college, when you’re at an age when you just want to be yourself and figure out who you are.”
To prepare for Sing, student organizations practice a themed musical routine over a period of six weeks in the spring that culminates in a seven-minute act on the stage of Waco Hall. The top eight performances chosen then perform again for Pigskin Revue in the fall.
Last year’s theme for Sing Alliance was an ’80’s workout routine. Prior years have seen performances centered on Legos, the cinema and a birthday theme, which awarded the group advancement to Pigskin.
While Sing won’t be around until next semester, the members of Sing Alliance already know this year’s theme, which they brainstormed as early as March and is tightly under wraps.
New members will undergo two days of “boot camp” in November, which is a way for officers and existing members to evaluate everyone’s singing and dancing skills. Rehearsals, located at Eagle Christian Academy, will start in the spring. Practices last two or three hours, four days a week.
Denver senior Austin Johnson said her position as choreography assistant opened her eyes to all the hard work that goes into producing a seven-minute act from scratch.
“You get more in perspective on what really goes into a Sing act, and it’s a lot of work,” Johnson said. “You have days where you go outside of rehearsal time to go create the props, create the backdrop, create the costumes, so it’s a huge time commitment, but it’s worth it.”
Students unable to commit to being a full-time member can opt to participate part time or even as a crew member, a behind-the-scenes position for those wishing to stay out of the spotlight.
Besides the familial vibe found within Sing Alliance, Aledo senior Maddie Leitch, who serves as props and backdrop chair, revealed another reason for staying as a member.
“I stayed because it was a place where I could show my creative side,” Leitch said. “This was a way that I could be expressive and use my love of art in an organization to do something good.”
All students who participate in Sing hope their organization places and earns a spot in Pigskin, but the most rewarding aspect for Lapeyrolerie comes from performing alongside members she considers family.
“After the performances, the best part is running out all together,” Lapeyrolerie said. “That camaraderie that we all feel right after that moment on stage — it’s really just exhilarating.”
