The ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. entertained a massive audience in the Erb Memorial Union Ballroom on Saturday night as hosts of the 9th Annual step dance show.
The University chapter’s president Ashley Nesmith said the women have been planning the competition event since January.
“We host this event every year. We feel like it’s important because the black Greek community is very big,” she said. “It’s not big here, so the more events we hold, the more community service we do, the more fundraisers we have, the more people on this campus will know about black Greek organizations.”
“We’re more than just stepping,” Nesmith said. “That’s why we incorporated a lot more into our show. We also want people to know that we’re here and we’re active.”
The show, titled “Stepology 541,” featured two of the nine sororities and fraternities that make up the “Divine Nine,” a coalition of the nine national historically black Greek letter organizations. That coalition uses the number 541 to represent its “5 fraternities, 4 sororities, 1 love.”
Erica Tucker, a graduate member of Zeta Phi Beta of the Portland chapter, said the show serves as a creative means.
“For us it’s just to get more of the word out for historically black sororities and fraternities,” Tucker said. “It’s just something fun and entertaining. It’s something out of people’s box, especially in Eugene.”
Tucker said it’s important for diversity groups on campus to show their pride in a fun way, like step dancing.
Emcees Kari Herinckx and Madison Caesar began the show by asking the fellow Greek organizations in the crowd to support Zeta Phi Beta, and the men of the University’s Delta Tau Delta chapter cheered their role call song and others in the crowd hooted in recognition.
Herinckx and Caesar also set the ground-rules: The dance competition winner would be selected for precision, originality and the ability to hold an audience.
The women of Zeta Phi Beta kicked off the evening by setting the scene. The chapter entered the EMU ballroom as if arriving out of a limo, surrounded by photographers and sporting blue and white jackets and matching headbands. On stage, they launched right into their first number, clapping and stomping while synchronized to the beat.
Each ensuing routine elicited louder applause than the one before.
The second Greek organization to perform was Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. from Portland. In a dim red stage light, the women sang about sisterhood and stomped with ferocious power. They chanted “you can’t step like us” and even got down on the floor as part of their routine. They ended in the splits to roaring applause.
After an intermission of improvisational dancing and audience participation, the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. from Cheney, Wash. took their place on stage. Clad in army pants and purple tops, the men sang “I’ve been to hell and back” and ended with a chant about Omega pride.
At the end of the show, Herinckx and Caesar presented Delta Sigma Theta and Omega Psi Phi each with a giant check for $1,000 and deemed them both the winners of the competition.
Portland State University student Jamille Simpson came down to watch her best friend, University of Oregon student Patricia Haggerty, dance in the show.
“I thought the show was fantastic,” Simpson said. “It’s a good way to show unity and togetherness. It’s very influential and motivational. It makes you want to go to college and join a sorority.”
“Zeta Phi Beta was amazing,” Simpson added. “Patricia steps like she’s on air.”
Haggerty said she enjoyed herself on stage.
“It was most definitely fun,” Haggerty said. “We gave Eugene a taste of black Greek organizations.”