Ebony and Ivory unites SIUC greeks

Laura Teegarden
Daily Egyptian

Arms swung simultaneously and feet stomped in unison while the men of Iota Phi Theta swung a Delta Zeta by her hands and feet and leaped over her like a jump rope. Antics such as this, or a Sigma Kappa member coming out dressed as the rapper Flava Flav, were not uncommon as the different groups competing tried to get a rouse out of the crowd.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Association and Inter-Fraternity Council danced together in the first-ever collaborative effort step show, called Ebony and Ivory this past Saturday at 7 p.m. in Student Center Ballroom D. The concept of the show was proposed to the National Pan-Hellenic Council by the president of Alpha Phi Alpha, Kenan Jones, said the president of the council, Robert Cazy, a graduate student from Dolton studying workforce education. Jones saw segregation between the greek councils, and had heard they did a show similar to this at SIU-Edwardsville. "We wanted everything to get integrated," said Jones, a senior from Carbondale studying advertising. "We came up with the idea, and it seems to be pretty successful."

Each fraternity and sorority from the Inter-Fraternity Council or Panhellenic Association was paired with a multi-cultural fraternity or sorority from the National Pan-Hellenic Council. They were assigned to each other after their names were drawn from a hat. "We normally don't do stuff with multicultural fraternities," said Beth Hobson, a sophomore studying paralegal studies and member of Sigma Kappa. "It's been a lot of fun and it's been a learning experience."

The men of Delta Chi worked with the women of Sigma Gamma Rho. Delta Chi was the only member of the Inter-Fraternity Council to participate, and the group received third place in the competition. The next act, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Phi Beta Sigma, got the crowd dancing with their selection of music and their coordinated rhythm.

"Before we started doing this show, I was an awful dancer," said Sara Evans, a junior studying administration of justice and member of Sigma Sigma Sigma. "I'm still not very good, but at least I've got some rhythm now." The Delta Zetas and Iota Phi Thetas, the winners of second place, showed off their rhythm and coordination with a dance off between the two groups. The women blindfolded themselves in an attempt to show up the men.

Next came the Alpha Kappa Alphas and Sigma Lambda Gammas, both multi-cultural sororities. They dressed in black with matching pink ties and used canes in the beginning of their act. "I would have never gotten to get to know these girls if it wouldn't have been for this," said Heather Minyard, a sophomore studying communication disorders and sciences and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

The collaboration between the Sigma Kappas and the Alpha Phi Alphas earned them first place. The girls poked fun at the cultural differences by beginning to line dance to the "Electric Slide." But it was the coordination of the beats and synthesis of precise hand movements that was most impressive. The evening ended with a performance by the women of the Black Fire Dancers.

"Both councils don't really have too much interaction with each other, and that was the whole point of this thing," said Kourtney Gray, a graduate student and member of Alpha Phi Alpha who helped organize the event. Paulette Curkin, advisor to the National Pan-Hellenic Council, attributed the entire event to the efforts of the students. "I believe that this is a program that is going to build," said Curkin, "and every year it's going to get bigger and stronger."