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Syracuse University students, alumni, faculty and staff packed Goldstein Auditorium Saturday afternoon, many decked out in their freshest Greek paraphernalia — from ice cold black and gold to pretty pink and green, the Divine Nine was out in full force. As soon as the lights went down, the audience shifted from constant conversation to complete silence, eagerly anticipating the show to come.

SU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council presented its annual Greek Unity Fest Step Show. NPHC president Cristy Sanchez and Greek Unity Fest committee chair Haniyah Philogene hosted the event.

Special guests Trizzy and Jay Dukes — who are also both members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Ques) — from Aux Cord Wars Live were the MCs for the evening, with music from DJ Roxci and DJ Smeezo keeping the crowd entertained between each sorority’s performance.

This was the first Greek Unity Fest in three years due to the pandemic. It meant a lot to see the auditorium packed after so many years away, Sanchez, who is also a member of the Kaptivating Kappa Lambda chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., said to The Daily Orange after the show.

“I’m very proud of my sorority and I for just putting (the show) together — not only us, but you know, the entire (NPHC),” Sanchez said. “It was beautiful to see the unity and to see how all of that kind of projected onto the entire campus, and we’re all here in this space, just vibing out.”

The first performers of the night were the Illustrious Iota Upsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Their performance theme was “Drumline,” and they opened with Destiny Child’s “Lose My Breath” and later stepped to other tracks, including Beyoncé’s “The Bzzzz Drumline (Interlude) (Homecoming Live).”

As they stepped, the AKAs chanted “1908,” the year the sorority was founded, paid tribute to D9 fraternities by recreating their famous strolls and made numerous references to the AKA’s reputation as the “Phirst and Phinest” D9 sorority.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha, AKA — the first Black sorority — we paved the way. … Yes we’re conceited, that’s what they say, but when you’re No. 1, you can act that way,” the performers chanted.

While the AKAs on stage stepped, their sorors, both alumni and current students, in the audience joined in on some of their chants and called out “Skee-Wee” in support of the performance.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. incorporated a “Drumline” theme into their performance. They were supported by members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., their unofficial brother organization. Dakota Chambers | Asst. Culture Editor

Next up were the Deltas, who took the audience on a trip through the skies via their aptly named “Delta Airlines” show. They wore red scarves around their necks, cream-colored shirts and red pants to combine a traditional flight attendant uniform with their signature colors.

Just like the AKAs’ performance, this trip included tributes to D9 fraternities, including Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. and the Ques. Their last chant told the story of the Deltas’ founders.

“A hundred and nine years ago, 22 women decided to go on a mission to make the world a little greater, and in 1913 founded Delta Sigma Theta,” they began. “Public service and sisterhood, are for what our founders stood. It carries on until today, that’s why Delta Sigma Theta is the only way!”

After the Deltas, there was a break in the performance, and Trizzy and Jay Dukes put on a game show where audience members could win cash prizes. Volunteers joined the DJs, who were set up on either side of the auditorium, and picked songs that belonged to a randomized category. Each side got to pick two songs each, and whichever side’s picks the audience enjoyed more won anywhere from $50-$200.

One of the categories was “turn-up songs,” so competitors chose tracks like Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares,” which the Alphas, Ques and AKAs all strolled along to, and Fast Life Yungstaz’s “Swag Surfin’,” which prompted the audience to stand and swag surf along to the chorus.

After the break, the Pretty IrreZistable Pi Iota chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. took the stage. Two members of the Thrillin’ Theta Xi chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. joined them for their opening song, Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up,” and their finale, “Dreams and Nightmares.” Zetas and Sigmas are the only officially bound brother and sister organization in the D9, so the joint display was reflective of that union.

The Zetas’ Greek Unity Fest performance was only a week after the chapter’s spring 2022 new member presentation, but their precise movements and uniform chants — bolstered by calls from Zeta alumni in the audience — displayed a strong confidence and pride in their organization that attendees responded to with constant cheers and applause.

“I said my sorors, you looking good today — well, a Zeta lady looks good every day — Z Phi! Z-e-t-a, we are Z Phi B, the b-e-s-t,” the Zetas yelled from the stage.

The final performance of the night came from another sorority who presented a new line on March 25, the Tantalizing Theta Tau chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. The poodles’ performance incorporated tap dancing and canes, which they twirled and tapped on beat with the music as they stepped.

The theme of their show was “Women in Gold,” featuring an interpolation of Will Smith’s 1997 song “Men in Black,” the theme for the classic film of the same name.

The Theta Tau chapter’s adviser, Kendra DeLoach McCutcheon, who is also an assistant professor at the Falk College, joined the poodles as they stepped. She said she was “honored” that her chapter of undergraduates wanted to share the stage with her and that she’s been stepping since she crossed in 1996 at the RHO-markable Nu Rho chapter at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“It was nice to share the stage. I just wanted to represent my undergraduates well and kind of show them a little bit of how we (did) things back in the ’90s,” McCutcheon told The D.O. after the show.

She added that she was happy with how all of the 2022 Greek Unity Fest turned out and felt that the crowd enjoyed the NPHC’s revival of the showcase.

“We know that after the pandemic, other organizations are trying to revive and we’re trying to bring back D9 culture to campus, and I think the crowd’s response to all of us was really positive,” McCutcheon said. “And so, I’m just glad that all the sororities took the stage and represented their organizations to the highest.”

Published on April 3, 2022 at 11:54 pm

Contact Dakota: dcchambe@syr.edu