Lip syncing as a competition has become prominent in recent years with televised competitions such as ‘Lip Sync Battle’ and “The Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon” where he and a celebrity would lip sync to a song.

Here at Ashland University, the lip sync fever has caught on with the Greek life lip sync competition that pits each Greek life organization against each other to come up with the best theme and routine to a group of songs while still make believing that they are singing to them.

The competition has been a big event for Greek life in the fall semester for several years now, Dustin Hargis, the first-year assistant director of student life, said.

“What makes lip sync a lot of fun is that you’re not worried about trying to sing the song correctly,” Hargis said. “It’s about presentation and about having fun while doing it at the same time.”

Hargis sees the competition as a good way for people to put themselves in a situation that they otherwise would not be in.

“It really gets people out of their comfort zone to do something they otherwise would not do,” Hargis said. “It also puts people in a brand new light to their peers, who otherwise wouldn’t expect them to do something like that.”

Sophomore nursing major Maddie Cronin of Delta Zeta is one of those people.

“I was so nervous my first year doing it,” she said. “It was very intimidating but it turned out to be really fun. The girls were so welcoming to me and I had a blast doing it last year.”

The theme for Delta Zeta last year was ‘DZ Dream’ and featured songs that fit a dream-like atmosphere.

“It’s so much fun watching what all the other chapters on campus came up with because of all the hard work that was put into it,” Cronin said.
Not every competitor is a reluctant one at first.

Hollis Coldwater, a member of Alpha Delta Pi, grew up cheerleading and dancing so she was already used to that kind of a spotlight, she said.
As a senior, she hopes this year will be even more fun since it will be her last competition.

“What’s the most fun about it is seeing what all the other chapters come up with in terms of their presentation,” Coldwater said, echoing Cronin’s sentiments. “It’s fun to see everyone’s creative sides.”

For Alpha Delta Pi, their theme last year was “Things That Go Bump In the Night,” where their presentation and song choice was based on things that scared them whenever they would go to bed as kids.

But Lip Sync is not just about competition, Hargis said.

All of the proceeds that come from this event would go directly to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospitals.

“Greek life as an organization is dedicated to the values of service to not only the school but also the community,” said Hargis. “So to be able to connect with an organization like St. Jude’s, which is a cause that everyone can get behind, was an easy decision to make. It also helps with getting our name out to the community and giving the university a good reputation as having students who are dedicated to serving the community.”

Rehearsals for the competition will be Nov. 15 and 17, but are closed off to the public because the organizations want to have their presentations be secretive until the event on Nov. 19.

The competition begins at 6 p.m. in the Hugo Young Theater at the Center for the Arts building.

Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased at the Greek life office or at the door.