By: Brianna Pearson
On November 8th, 2018, the Rho Xi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. held the annual event, Stroll Like an Alpha. Jarred Pernier, Senior Communications Management major, member of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. stated that this is the “fifth time running this event”. The Alphas are known for their strolling and dancing, so they hold an event every year to let other students try to stroll just like the Alphas. Every team had a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. as a coach to help them learn the steps, expression and moves.
Six teams participated in this event including Sinister Six, Phrozen Roses, X Phactor, Ryan’s Angels, the AST Emeralds and Illusion Five. Each team practiced for weeks on end to master the strolling skills. Jenna Skrelunas from the AST Emeralds, Sophomore Professional Writing major, member of Alpha Sigma Tau, explains that they “practiced three times a week since the beginning of September”. Jennifer Connell from the Sinister Six, Senior Business Management major, member of Sigma Sigma Sigma, stated that they also practiced
The event started around eight o’clock on that Thursday night. The event started with almost all of the Unified Greek Council organizations doing their own strolls and chants. These organizations include Sigma Gamma Rho, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Lambda Gamma, and Lambda Pi Chi.
Many students wanted to learn more about the Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. and that is why they wanted to participate in the event. Skrelunas states “I wanted to learn more about the culture of strolling and the background of where it came from, as well as participate in a fun event with my sorority sisters. I love dancing and I wanted to take the opportunity to learn how to stroll”. Many students participating had dancing backgrounds, but most students were completely new to dancing and strolling. Connell participated with the rest of the Panhellenic Executive Board. The participated in Stroll Like an Alpha “because we wanted to learn about the cultural background of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. We also wanted to respect the organization, but show our passion for Greek Unity”.
Each member learned something different through the experience. Connell learned not only the strolls but also “what’s respectful versus disrespectful to the organization”. Skrelunas learned that “strolling is not just ‘dancing’. It is very precise and certain moves have certain meanings”. This is where respect has a role in strolling. You never want to make a move disrespectfully and always want to honor their tradition. Patience also played a key role in the process of learning. It’s not always easy practicing three times a week, late at night with the same people. It can be very frustrating especially if you are having trouble mastering one move or struggling too balance, but this is where patience comes in.
It is nerve racking to stand in front of a couple hundred people and do your best to Stroll like an Alpha. “Everyone was nervous” Skrelunas states.
The night escalated fast with three rounds of competition. First round being “Hype”, wanted to rile the crowd up and get them excited for the next two rounds. The second round was “Slow” and the third round was “Creative”. The song played in each round coincide with the theme. In round three, many throwbacks were heard like Michael Jackson and Will Smith’s Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Other teams like X Phactor payed a tribute to their home countries.
Each team did an outstanding job but there had to be a winner. Illusion Five came in third place and the AST Emeralds came in second place. The team that came out on top was X Phactor! They pulled out all the stops. The hours of practice and dedication was shown. X Phactor didn’t seem to miss a step.
Don’t miss out on Stroll Like an Alpha next year for the sixth annual event. Who knows, you might be the next strolling champ!
