GATA and Galaxy will return to the Sing Song stage to defend their 2016 titles. But the 2015 champions, Sigma Theta Chi and Gamma Sigma Phi, are looking to take back the trophy.

GATA will take the stage as S’mores directed by Darby Stemen, junior English major from Fair Oaks Ranch. Stemen said coming back after winning best Women’s Club act has caused some pressure but her club is working hard to meet the challenge.

“‘I’m so proud of all the hard work our girls have put into this show and I really think the audience will love what we’ve put together,” Stemen said. “Regardless of how it works out, this is a show I believe all of GATA is proud to perform.”

Sigma Theta Chi won the women’s division in 2015, but placed third in 2016. This year the club is directed by Madison Losher, junior kinesiology major from Garland, who directed a second-place freshmen class act in 2015. She said directing a club act differs from a class act because she deals with only women. The club worked on diction and dynamics while they learned vocals, which took longer, Losher said, but prepared them well.

“Basically we are doing everything and anything we can to win,” Losher said. “We really, really focused on our vocals. We’re 100 percent trying to sweep.”

Galaxy will perform as “Cavemen” again, just like they did in their first-place 1983 act. One week before the show, the club changed directors from Carl Kimbrough, sophomore theatre major from San Antonio, to Trey Dennis, sophomore management major from Abilene. Dennis directed a freshman act last year and said that helped prepare him to take over his club’s act.

“Honestly the guys have rallied together so well,” Dennis said, “not only for our brother Carl but for the act in general. But we aren’t thinking about last year at all. We are just working on what we can do best as Cavemen.”

Although GSP placed second overall for the men’s division last year, the club is working to win this year, said the act director, Joel Ague, senior accounting and finance major from San Antonio. He said last year the club didn’t win because they weren’t entertaining although they had a strong act.

“We had won the previous year so we weren’t as driven, I’d say,” Ague said. “This year we’ve been a lot more focused. I saw things that we could work on and that’s what I’ve been attacking this year.”

Other clubs are also competing to place or to make their club better known on campus.

Ko Jo Kai placed second overall last year and this year the club director, Kayla Torp, junior music education major from Waco, said the club is hoping to win. Torp said she’s studying to be a choir director so she’s learned conducting and other skills needed to direct her act. The last time Kojies won was in 2014 with the Bluebonnet act.

“There’s such a good vibe in all of our rehearsals,” Torp said. “Everybody’s having such a good time that we’re just hoping that we win through that feeling. We really want to win and that’s what’s gonna set us apart from years past.”

The men of Pi Kappa will be directed by Cole Spears, junior computer science major from Abilene, who said he’s a part of the Wind Ensemble and the Big Purple Marching Band which gives him a “marching band style” of directing. In 2015, Spears participated as a freshman in Pi Kappa’s Elves act which won third place in every category and third place overall.

“We ended up getting a standing ovation from the entire crowd,” Spears said. “It was amazing.”

Spears said he wants the act to be excellent in appearance, vocals and all parts of the act.

“We really want to honor our club, our alums, and ACU in general with our act,” Spears said. “This year, the guys are doing great. They’re an inspiration to me. Regardless of what happens, I’m confident that we’re putting on an excellent act.”

The women of Tri Kappa Gamma will be performing for the second time since they rechartered in 2015. Last year’s act had 64 participants and this year the act has 86 participants, including 15 freshmen said the act director, Annie Bailey. She said this year the club has been more organized and she received a lot of help from her leadership team and former directors.

“We have 86 participants which is the same as our establishing year,” Bailey said, “so it’s a sign.”

Although they perform as mermaids in their act, Bailey, a senior psychology major from Abilene, said they tried to stay away from The Little Mermaid story and decided to be “H2O mermaids” which can choose to be humans or mermaids if they are in water.

The women of Alpha Kai Omega placed in several categories last year, and this year will perform as Witches. The act director, Philomena Dehoyes, senior criminal justice major from Marion, said the club chose to perform as Witches to fit the “opposites” theme for the show. The act tells the story of the musical Wicked, which compares good witches and bad witches.

“We kind of had a bad spurt last year,” Dehoyes said. “It was really rocky for a really long time, but people are really excited this year.”

Zeta Rho returned to Sing Song after not performing last year and revamping the club in the fall semester. Directed by Sarah Arrasmith, senior graphic design major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, the act features 20 of the club’s 31 members. Eleven women are currently pledging the club.

“We are focused on making a presence, getting our name out there, and doing the best we can do,” Arrasmith said.

All 46 members of Frater Sodalis are performing in the club’s fireman act directed by Shelby Facundo-Moreno, senior psychology major from Palm Springs, California.

“It’s our duty because our alumni, Bob Hunter, is the one that founded it,” Facundo-Moreno said. “Last year there was 15 of us, we still gave a show.”

The club doubled in size with 25 pledges in the fall and 14 in the spring.