The annual Greek Life Lip Sync competition took place on November 16 in the Hugo Young Theatre.  Not only is Lip Sync a competition over which sorority and fraternity can produce the best routines, but a competition over who can keep that routine a secret until the day of the competition. 

Simply attempting to shadow a sorority throughout the “Lip Sync Season” was extremely difficult.  It took a total of three weeks for Alpha Delta Pi to approve my shadowing of their program following a decision making process with their entire sorority and head quarters.  I also had to sign a disclaimer stating that everything observed during their practices and dress rehearsals would not be shared with outsiders until after the event took place.

“ADPi has won the last three consecutive years,” said Kalie Outwater, special events chair. “There is a lot of pressure for us to win again.”

Shadowing Alpha Delta Pi gave a great inside look to the extensive amount of detail that goes into the production. Those who are not directly involved with Greek Life are ignorant to the amount of time and work that goes into this event.  The members of ADPi had practice almost every day for at least two hours each night. 

You can image what the practices entailed, numerous sorority members talking in what seemed to be, as a complete outsider, a different language. Picture the rehearsals like a sporting event; the fans do not understand the plays being called on the court, but everything makes sense to the players.

It is not only Alpha Delta Pi that takes the event seriously, the other sororities do everything they can to keep as much of the program a secret as possible.  In years past, some sororities would have multiple themes and song choices disguising their true themes.

“Keeping it a secret keeps it fun because everyone tries to figure out everyone else’s songs,” said Outwater. “Last year, no one knew our theme until they accidentally played our song the day of Lip Sync.”

One of the most difficult aspects for all of the sororities is finding a place to practice. 

Since they want to keep their routine a secret, they must keep their rehearsal locations a secret as well.  This year, most of the practices were held in a classroom in Bixler.  

During one of the practices the girls were trying to figure out where to host one of their final rehearsals with all sections of the routine.  They initially hoped to practice at the YMCA in Ashland, although their plans had to change once they discovered two members of Delta Zeta worked there.

“I think of it as a surprise, not so much a secret,” says ADPi member Laura Carley. “Once you submit your theme and songs you can’t change them.  So if other sororities find out they can’t really do anything about it.  But it stinks if they do, because it ruins the surprise.”

ADPi’s theme this year was “Around the World” and they had four different sections, each with its own county.  Each section has their own specific time and day to practice and then they all come together the week before the event.

“It’s very interesting to see how everyone interacts with each other this year,” said Emily Erdelac, vice president of programing.  “We have been really fortunate this year that everyone has been so cool with everyone. They are all focusing on doing the best they can do without try to compete with one another.”

The dress rehearsals for the event took place five days previous to the show. Each of the sororities and fraternities were only allotted a 30 minute time period, allowing them to run through the routine two or three times.

When I attended Alpha Delta Pi’s dress rehearsal I was assuming it was going to be very chaotic.  Although the leaders of the event were yelling instructions, everyone seemed like they knew exactly what to do and the rehearsal was very organized. 

Not everyone takes Lip Sync completely seriously.  Some of the fraternities can’t compare to the amount of work ADPi and the other sororities put in to prepare for Lip Sync.  

“No, that’s not us, we started practicing today,” says Jackson Yenur, a member of Phi Delta Theta. “We don’t take it very seriously at all.”

The sororities and fraternities can make Lip Sync as serious as they want to make it and not everything has to be kept a secret to make the event memorable. Lip sync is a great way to promote Greek Life and raise money.  

“St. Jude is our all Greek philanthropy,” says Carley.  “Whenever we do anything all together the money goes to St. Jude’s Hospital.  Many people outside Greek Life don’t realize that, but it is a great way to get everyone involved and raise money too.”

One sorority and one fraternity win the competition each year.  This year, Theta Phi Alpha’s Dark Circus theme took the gold, winning after only one year of joining Greek Life at AU.  Phi Kappa Psi’s fraternity won with their rendition of a throw back to high school theme.

Despite how seriously the event is taken and how many secrets are kept or themes given away, Lip Sync was a success this year, raising over $1,600 for St. Jude.