A flurry of hands and feet moved in time to the sounds of chants and music Saturday night as hundreds packed the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to watch fraternity and sorority members dance their way to the top.
The annual Battle of the Greeks Step Show, put on by Student Government Productions Music and Entertainment and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, drew a packed house of nearly 1,400 people, according to Jason Degren, technical director for the Phillips Center.
"It really goes to show the importance of the event when so many people came out here in spite of the football game," Degren said.
Degren said the competition was the culmination of three months of work by the steppers, with the last month spent coordinating the routines with the tech staff at the Phillips Center.
The event began at 6 p.m. with music from DJ Terrah of Magic 101.3 FM. The step acts then took the stage, alternating between fraternities and sororities. Each organization chose a theme to center its routine around, ranging from "The Matrix" to "Grease."
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. dressed in black ninja garb and used red and white canes as swords. The act was complete with a fight sequence choreographed to a "Mortal Kombat" theme.
Then Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. set the stage with cardboard props reminiscent of a carnival and performed steps and chants, wearing poodle skirts and jackets.
After the performances, the panel of eight judges - one representing each organization - convened and named the winners and runners-up.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. won for the third straight year with its wedding-themed act, in which its members ran out in tuxedos and vests complete with a bride and a dancing preacher. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was a repeat winner as well with its "Inspector Gadget"-inspired bit. Members danced to the show's theme song and took direction from a sister dressed as Gadget's sidekick, Penny.
The winners advance to a regional step competition, where they will compete against Greek organizations from other Florida universities.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta sorority were the runners-up.
Michael Johnson, a UF sophomore who has been stepping since elementary school, said while he came out to support his brother's girlfriend in Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc., he thought all of the acts were great.
Johnson was particularly impressed with the children's dance troupe Delray Divas, who performed near the end of the show.
"The whole thing was great, even the little kids at the end," Johnson said. "I didn't ever want to leave my seat."
Correction: We incorrectly stated the winner of the Battle of the Greeks Step Show was the Alpha Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. However, the winner was the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Alpha Psi Phi is not a National Pan-Hellenic Council organization.
