First it was the elated screams of a sea of skunk, then the roars of an army of Peter Pans and finally the screeching cheers from the sophomore class that filled Moody Coliseum on Saturday night, when the winners of the 53rd annual Sing Song: Believe were announced on the Moody stage.
Ko Jo Kai won its second-straight Sing Song, and Gamma Sigma Phi returned to its winning ways Saturday night when the Sing Song co-chairs announced the winners of the traditional ACU singing competition. The sophomore class, which won for the first time since 2002, won the mixed voices division with their show, “Flight of the Sophomores.”
The women of Ko Jo Kai erupted in ecstasy after hearing the result that they had won the women’s division. The win marked the club’s 13th total victory and second in a row.
“I’m so excited that we won a second time in a row; we’re starting a streak.” said Kojie Aubrey Bonneau, senior graphic design major from Dallas.
The Kojies won first place in the audience favorite, entertainment and overall categories. They placed third in the vocals category.
“I was extremely happy with [the results]. I thought they were really realistic; they matched each category, especially with the vocals,” said Kojie Lora Courtney, senior interior design major from Auburn, Calif. “We got third there, but everyone tried really hard to make an overall great show.”
Sigma Theta Chi won the vocals category, but placed second in the other three categories.
“We gave all that we had, and we felt awesome about it,” said Siggie Sarah Brooks, senior marketing major from Bartlett, Tenn. “As the curtain was going down, we were like, ‘this is what Sing Song is all about.’ But [the Kojies] had a great show.”
Alpha Kai Omega placed third in all categories, except for vocals, where it placed second.
“It’s not exactly what we expected, but it turned out really well,” said KaiO Marisa Munoz, senior elementary education major from Snyder. “We are so proud of ourselves. We don’t have any regrets.”
In the men’s category GSP’s show, “Second Star to the Right and Straight on to Moody,” claimed its first win since 2007. GSP has won 12 shows overall.
“I’m proud of these guys; they are the best crew, and we won because of the individuals that made up this team,” Reeves said.
Reeves said he was glad this year’s competition was more competitive and thought both Frater Sodalis and Galaxy had strong shows and the vocal competition was a toss up.
“Both the Moonies and Frats sang amazing,” he said.
Although Reeves was the person at the front of the stage directing the army of Peter Pans in GSP’s show, he said it was a combination of hard work from him, his co-director Tyler Lewis, junior finance major from Spring and the men of GSP that earned them the win. Reeves plans to graduate in May and said it felt great to finish his last Sing Song on top.
“It’s a good way to go out,” Reeves said.
Although Galaxy did not repeat its 2008 win, director of the club’s show, Wade Huggins, said he was proud of the men who learned his choreography and sang the lyrics he wrote in the show, “Gondoliers: You Know, The Guys in Venice With The Boat and Pole and Hats.”
“It was definitely disappointing, but [we] worked long and hard for this show, and there were a great many hours and sleepless nights put into it,” Huggins said.
Galaxy won first in the appearance category, and Huggins said the Moonies would begin working hard to produce a show that will be a contender in 2009.
“We’re on the search for a director for next year, and you can believe we’re going to have a quality show,” Huggins said.
In the mixed-voiced division, the sophomore’s show beat out three classes and a group that was combined of members from the International Students’ Association, Essence of Ebony and Hispanos Unidos. The freshman class placed second overall, and the senior class finished third.
Deanne Galloway, senior speech pathology major from Tehachapi, Cali., attributed the seniors’ third place finish to the number of postmen and postwomen who did not participate in the show because of other commitments to their social clubs. Victory was not in the cards for the seniors, but nothing could keep their spirits down.
“We just wanted to have fun, and we did,” Galloway said. “We won entertainment, so I thank that explains everything.”
Sophomore directors Jessica Williams, English major from Atlanta, and Lucas Wright, electronic media major from Abilene, could not have been more surprised by their win in the overall category.
“I was shocked,” Wright said. “I was just shocked.”
Williams had confidence in her group, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
“Our group is great, we just didn’t know what to expect,” Williams said. “It was elation.”
Rene Glena, sophomore communication disorder major from Athens, has traveled to Abilene for Sing Song since age 11. She knew the senior class’ legacy of winning Sing Song, but said the real satisfaction came from triumphing over a different class.
“I think it was beating the freshmen that was most exciting,” Glena said. “They were our big rivals.”
The roar of the crowd boomed and overflowed Moody Coliseum on Saturday night signaling the imminent conclusion of Sing Song; ecstatic participants were out receiving congratulatory hugs and praise from loved ones and friends.
A mixture of feelings of relief, accomplishment, joy and uncertainty overcame one of the Sing Song co-chairs Preston Woolfolk, junior political science and international studies major from San Antonio.
“It went better than expected,” Woolfolk said. “The quality of the show was phenomenal. I would say the overall talent and excitement the acts demonstrated were amazing; their effort really showed tonight.”
With a mass of feelings generating inside Moody, Tom Craig, director of Student Productions, explained what made Sing Song spectacular.
“The hours that the students invest in the creation process is what makes Sing Song special,” Craig said. “The time it takes to rehearse and put it all together creates student relationships that last a lifetime.”
The 54th annual Sing Song’s theme will be Name Fame.
