To kick off homecoming weekend, the 25th Annual Homecoming Step Show, hosted by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, will take place at 7 p.m. Friday night at the basketball courts in the Sanderson Recreation Center. Admission for students and alumni is $10.
The Step Show includes the fraternities and sororities a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council to compete against each other. Every year, the step show attracts a large crowd of students and alumni. The event expects a large turnout, with tickets being sold at the door as well as in the Colvard Student Union this week.
C.J. Blackmon, a senior at Mississippi State University and a member of the Kappa Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., said the step show is a tradition for the NPHC at MSU.
“Stepping is a long-standing tradition in the historically African-American culture, and we will continue to honor this tradition annually at Mississippi State,” Blackmon said. “I have competed in the past, and this will be my last step show to compete in, which makes it even more special.”
First place will win $1,000, second place will win $750 and third place will win $500. The prizes go to the winning chapters, and each chapter will decide how to use the money.
Blackmon said Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. won the step show last year, but believes they will face strong competition at this coming Step Show.
“In the past, there has been a fraternity that wins, and a sorority that wins, but this year, everyone will compete against each other,” Blackmon said.
Keandra Woods, an MSU student and member of the Epsilon Theta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc, said she cannot wait to watch her sorority sisters compete at the step show.
“I am not competing this year because I did not have enough time for the practices and such, but regardless, I am still proud of my sorority,” Woods said. “Even though the fraternities and sororities are competing against one another this year, I do not think it will change our routine at all.”
Nathan Seymour, a junior at MSU, said he is excited to see the annual step show and compare the pervious shows to this year’s performances.
“I attended the show last year and I was highly impressed with the step routines from every fraternity and sorority,” Seymour said. “I cannot wait to see what the routines will entail this year.”