Dance Team wins Lip Sync with “Evolution of Miley”

By NIKKI CONTRINO

Lip Sync is held annually by Class Council to kick off the University of Mary Washington’s Homecoming weekend and to get the eagle spirit soaring through campus. The free show is known to pack a full house, and on Thursday, Oct. 24, Lip Sync did not disappoint. Attendees stood along the walls and stuffed themselves into any corner of Dodd they could in order to see the show

Class Council did not hesitate to get the excitement of Lip Sync buzzing around campus, and they did all they could to make sure the show was a hit.

“To prepare, we knew we had to get the word out early so people could get organized. Using Orgsync was very helpful as opposed to years past when clubs had to physically come into SAE,” said Class Council Executive President Conor Murphy. “I thought it was an amazing turn out from UMW, and I hope that everyone had just as awesome of a time as I did in putting it on.”

Striking a competition between the Devils and Goats, Class Council also took donations throughout the event in an effort to give back to the Fredericksburg community and donate to Hope House which helps to serve and provide shelter to homeless women and children throughout Fredericksburg. Class Council was pleased with the turnout and the donations they received from the event.

Class Council was not the only group preparing, though. Students, performing as a soloist or in a group of twenty, spent a majority of their first semester back at UMW practicing and perfecting their lip syncing, dance moves and costumes. Throughout many of the performances, audience members smiled and glanced at each other with amazement as they appreciated the work the groups put into their acts.

“Preparing for Lip Sync was one of the most amazing experience I have had at UMW because I got to meet a lot of new people, collaborate awesome ideas and show an awesome performance, in the end, to the UMW community,” said sophomore psychology major Sam Amos, a Lip Sync competitor.

During the performances, audience members laughed hard and clapped frequently. Some performances even received a standing ovation.

“I thought that Lip Sync was a wonderful event that helped the student body see how talented their friends are. I was so excited to see my friends sing and dance and make fools of themselves,” said freshman Maggie Tuite.

While Lip Sync is not commonly taken as a serious competition, faculty members judge it and the top three teams receive cash prizes. Coming in first with their “Evolution of Miley” routine was the UMW Dance Team. Second place was awarded to a group called “Chutney,” and “Exclamation Point” took home third.

“I had such an amazing time performing in the Lip Sync Competition this year. I’ll always cherish the bonds and memories I made with my Alpha Mu sisters,” said junior biology major Elizabeth Carter. “It’s amazing, all of the time and effort we put into our routines, and it’s over in a flash. It was the first time I’ve ever done something like this and I can’t wait to do it again next year.”