A sea of Greek letters, a pulsing hip hop beat and a myriad of spookily dressed students made up the 2013 Halloween-themed Greek Showcase, the first major event for the Temple University Greek Association. A collaborative group, TUGA works year-round to foster unity in the Greek community.
This year’s Greek Showcase was the first time every Greek council was represented on one stage.
“Most Greek events throughout the year have Greeks pitted against one another,” said Ian Connelly, a TUGA member, Pi Lambda Phi brother and junior film studies major. “[The showcase] is the only [non-philanthropic] event where Greeks work with other Greeks.”
The Showcase is TUGA’s main fall event and the biggest event until Greek Week in April. Admission was free, as the event is funded by TUGA’s general allocation fund that is covered in students’ tuition payments.
A crowd was drawn to this year’s Halloween theme, which not only included candy, but also a costume contest. The winning prize went to members of Sigma Kappa Sigma.
Hosted by Delta Zeta sister Allison Snyder and Sigma Alpha Mu brother Jason Adams, the Showcase featured 19 organizations, including Greeks who performed preplanned skits during intermission.
To encourage Greek unity, TUGA required each organization who elected to participate to join two other groups before competing against any other group of three organizations. The groups coordinated an act to compete to win the title of most entertaining.
“My organization, Delta Phi Epsilon, was paired with Tau Kappa Alpha and Beta Pi Phi and our theme was the handsome fraternity men were in search of their ‘beautiful monsters,’” said junior political science major and Delta Phi Epsilon sister Gianna Teresa Frascella. “[We] made up a hip hop dance to a collaboration [of] Nicki Minaj’s ‘Monster’ and Ne-Yo’s ‘Beautiful Monster.’ We also used the men in our group to our benefit as we incorporated a lift, as well as partner dancing.”
Each organization performed a Halloween-themed dance for the panel of three judges, which included In-Motion Dance Team co-captain, Sammi Begelman, Resident Director of Temple Towers Nu’Rodney Prad and the new Temple Greek Life adviser Megan Connelly.
The first place winners were the Delta Zeta, Alpha Epsilon Pi and Iota Nu Delta team. Each of their organizations earned $100 to put toward their organization’s philanthropic cause. The second place winners, Sigma Alpha Mu, Delta Phi Omega and Alpha Phi Alpha each earned $75 for charitable causes, while third place winners Delta Phi Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Beta Pi Phi won $50.
Everyone in attendance had the opportunity to contribute to TUGA’s overarching philanthropic causes by signing up to be tested for eligibility to donate bone marrow for cancer patients.
“My favorite performance was Alpha Epsilon Pi’s group,” Frascella said. “They were very entertaining and really wowed the crowd. The Greek community really came together, and I really enjoyed getting to know people from other organizations on campus.”
Lora Strum can be reached at lora.strum@temple.edu.
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