By Addison Gernenz | Intern
All-University Sing has captured the hearts of the Baylor community for nearly 75 years, but the performers were largely limited to Greek life until 1997, when Sing Alliance was created.
Oak Park, Ill., senior Carina Scholtens, Sing Alliance’s administrative assistant, said that her participation in Sing has made a significant impact on her time at Baylor.
This year, Scholtens will be participating in her sixth season with Sing Alliance, two of which were Pigskin.
“The three goals of Sing Alliance are to have fun, make friends and perform to the best of our ability,” Scholtens said. “These are not mutually exclusive. These are things which we all need to bring in to compose Sing.”
For Scholtens, Sing fever began during Line Camp when her group won the award for best choreography. Hoping to participate in Sing her freshman year, Scholtens asked her Line Camp leader for information on the event.
Scholtens’ Line Camp leader was alumna Eli Siatkowski, who was with Sing Alliance for four years and on leadership for two years. She enthusiastically advised Scholtens to join Sing Alliance, and the rest is history.
“Sing Alliance is an organization that attracts people from all majors, years and backgrounds,” Siatkowski said. “I met so many people I wouldn’t have otherwise met through participating.”
Siatkowski is still in touch with many of her friends she made through Sing, some of whom are still students and performing this season.
“It’s been fun and nostalgic to hear their updates about how everything’s been going,” Siatkowski said.
Sing Alliance was monumental in shaping Siatkowski’s time at Baylor. Scholtens said the same, noting that Sing has created a deep community in her life, both through strengthening existing friendships and cultivating new ones.
“As we rehearse, as we do the tech and preparations, getting closer to Sing, you’re inevitably going to bond,” Scholtens said.
For Sing Alliance, part-time commitment is five hours weekly, and full-time commitment adds another four hours.
“It’s my first season doing full-time,” Scholtens said. “But I love it and want to go out with a bang. My last hurrah, if you will.”
Byram, N.J., sophomore Harlow Yappen is in her first season with Sing Alliance and said it is one of her favorite parts of this semester.
“I love it,” Yappen says. “I’m definitely doing it again, although I’ll probably do part-time.”
From being in formations together and going through steps to admitting you don’t know what you’re doing and laughing when the other person agrees, Sing Alliance presents several opportunities to meet people and build new, meaningful friendships.
One of these opportunities is “family groups.”
“You’re with a leadership member and a few other people,” Scholtens said. “You’ll take breaks out of rehearsal, get to know one another, chat.”
Scholtens also said that the energy Sing Alliance has created within its group is one of the most special parts.
“I love the community,” Scholtens said. “I think having people who are voluntarily committing their time to Sing has created and fostered this really passionate community.”
While Yappen’s background in figure skating and ballet has helped her prepare for Sing, Scholtens’ dance history starts with Sing Alliance.
Yappen encourages anyone interested in singing or dancing to try Sing Alliance, regardless of skill level, jokingly calling herself a “back row baddie.”
“College is for exploration and getting out of your comfort zone,” Scholtens said. “Sing Alliance is a really happy compromise between your student life as you know it and this organization that encourages you to put yourself out there.”
Scholtens emphasized the meaning of Sing and how it can give students’ college life a larger purpose.
“I love participating to the best of my ability in something which is greater than myself,” Scholtens said. “It’s a really special part of Sing Alliance, and the main source for my continued commitment.”
