As part of homecoming week, several student organizations will battle it out at the annual lip sync event on Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
According to Ruby Arriaga, student coordinator for student activities, a few changes have happened this year: the location of the lip sync preliminary round has been moved from Akin Auditorium to the coliseum to allow for a larger audience; no two groups are allowed to use the same songs, so each group had to get their songs approved beforehand; performance time has shortened from six minutes to four minutes; and participants are required to wear tennis shoes because of the coliseum floors.
This year, the theme focuses on ’90s throwbacks to a blast from the past with the features of the “Fresh Prince” theme song and Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize,” like last year with Micheal Jackson’s “Thriller” for the Halloween theme.
”Lip sync battle started a couple of years ago, and it’s been a tradition since,” Arriaga said. “They expect everyone to have fun and dance and sing and get involved. The Akin building has 400 seats, and it’s always full with over 400 people coming to lip sync.”
According to Mario Ramirez, director of student involvement, lip sync started in 2009 and has been a part of tradition for homecoming ever since.
“We get bigger and bigger crowds every year,” Ramirez said. “Lip sync contest is one of the largest events for students compared to the other events. People keep coming back to lipsync for the songs and the choreography that the students put on.”
Anissia Jones, exercise physiology junior, will compete with University Programming Board and Black Student Union. She said the different organizations prepare for all out war.”
“I am nervous and excited about the competition,” Jones said. “I am nervous that I will mess up, and I’m excited to perform.”
So far, organizations like Caribbean Students Organization, cheerleaders and sorority and fraternity pairs have registered, and Arriaga expects 7 organizations to participate in the event.
The homecoming budget is about $26,000 this year, and Arriaga said no money has been spent on the lip sync event.
