Last Saturday, huge crowds made their way to the Ferguson Center for the Arts to watch one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, STROLL. For the past 12 years, the Upsilon Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha has hosted this event as a way to spread voter awareness and to fundraise for a nonprofit organization. The money that was raised by the organizations competing and ticket sales went to the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that strives to help the physical well-being of mothers and children. $4,500 was raised in order to help this nonprofit continue their work.
STROLL is a fan-favorite among CNU students and Staff alike. It’s one of the most anticipated events of the year. This year, the Ferguson Center was packed and the energy was contagious. Members of the organizations who did not perform made signs for their friends and showed their support by cheering them on as they performed.The cheers were so deafening that my watch gave me a volume warning multiple times throughout the evening. The constant support being shown for organizations, even if it’s not the one the audience was there for, is what makes the event so popular and successful each year.
The theme is typically influenced by what has been going on during the year and the political climate. This year’s theme was entitled “Survival”. The organizations really showcased this theme within their dances and outfits. For example, during their performance, the YB Alphas along with other organizations within the “Divine Nine” of the NPHC showcased surviving a plane crash. Gamma Phi Beta wore blindfolds during a part of their performance, referencing the movie “Birdbox” where they had to wear blindfolds in order to survive. Alpha Phi started their performance wearing masks before taking them off, referencing the pandemic.
Typically, the organizations performing are a part of Greek life. Sororities such as Phi Mu, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Delta Pi are competitors each year. However, there are also some non-greek life organizations that compete including the Latino Student Association and the K-Pop Choreography club. This year, a new organization competed, Nu Kappa Epsilon, a music sorority.
The organizations prepare for weeks ahead of this event, and it really shows. Each organization brought their best from choreography, to costuming, to music. Even the judges were really impressed, many stating how they do not know how they would make a final decision. However, in the end a final decision was made based on judges and audience’s participation.
Phi Mu finished the competition in third place. K-pop Choreography came in second, much to the excitement of the group and the whole room. This organization had been performing at STROLL for years and had never placed. Gamma Phi Beta won the competition for the third year in a row.
