The Student Union Theatre boomed with high energy last Saturday, Nov. 6, as Phi Beta Sigma strolled its way to victory at the ninth annual Stroll Benefit.
‘Strolling,' or party walking,is an American dance that was primarily used to go along with The Diamonds' 1957 hit song, "The Stroll." Couples face each other in lines and stroll down in variations of dance walks.
Strolling has transcended its roots, and has grown into a multicultural language of dance expression. The practice is traditionally associated with African American fraternities and sororities, but now is practiced by all varieties of Greek organizations.
For the past eight years, certain chapters of UB's Greek Life have been using the dance form as a way to bring students together and raise money. Its ninth annual benefit was no exception.
The event, hosted by Lambda Sigma Upsilon and Lambda Theta Alpha, sold over 400 tickets at $10 each, and featured over nine fraternities and sororities aiming to secure money for a charity of their choosing.
After a long night of strolling, Phi Beta Sigma used the dance to take home first place in the event, receiving a $1000 cash prize. Half of the money the group received was donated to a charity of its choice while theother $500 goes to its chapter.
Lambda Pi Upsilon took $250 for second place, which will also be donated to its charity of choice.
The eventdrew students and Greeks from all over the east coast, demonstrating how widely received the highly synchronized dance form has become around campuses throughout the nation.
Performers were met with high anticipation as an energetic crowd moved and grooved in their seats to the music. When time came for the real show to begin, things got even more entertaining as a lewd M.C. ushered in a night of pristine routines and raunchy lap dances.
"Overall I think it was really good, it was worth the money, and I enjoyed myself," said Tiffany Michell, a senior exercise science major at UB. "If I were in Buffalo next year I would definitely come back."
Coordinators, Gabriel Ruiz, social chair of the Lambda Sigma Upsilon fraternity and a senior legal studies major, and Miosoti Marinez, a senior at Buffalo State college and member of the Lambda Theta Alpha sorority, were pleased with the event's turnout.
"The ninth [annual show] was definitely the best one we've ever had," Ruiz said. "The grand prize definitely pushed a bunch of people to come out and compete and do things they wouldn't do. Normally we wouldn't have such a good turnout, but the money talks."
The crowd filled up the entire SU theatre. Seats were flooded with students and others were forced to sit on the stairs. They cheered wholeheartedly and chanted for their squad during the impromptu dance contests and the actual show.
"We feel good…[it was a lot of] hard work and dedication, after school and after work. We stayed up to 5 a.m. every night so we deserve it," said Augustine Queener, a senior marketing major and a participating dancer for Phi Beta Sigma. "Overall we just had a great time, we bonded together, we worked hard together, and we had fun together."
Next year Ruiz says that they have even bigger plans and hope to raise the first place prize to $1,500 in order to attract even more organizations
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