The National Pan-Hellenic Council at GW hosted its first dance showcase in five years on Friday as part of the annual Black Heritage Celebration.
More than 200 students, staff and community members attended the Divine Nine’s first “stroll off” in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre in the University Student Center, where each chapter choreographed, rehearsed and ultimately performed their routines as part of the 2025 Black Heritage Celebration. The former iteration of the performance was halted by NPHC in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic caused chapter membership across the council to dwindle.
Five staff members, including Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs Debra Bright, Conflict Education & Student Accountability Director Christy Anthony and Assistant Dean of Student Life Brian Joyce, judged each chapter’s performance in both rounds. The judges then declared the Nu Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Mu Beta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. the fraternity and sorority winners, respectively.
Chapters combined strolls — synchronized dances to the beat of songs — with stepping — creating a beat with one’s body — in their dance routines. NPHC adviser E’Quince Smith and Brianna Taylor, the former president of the Mu Delta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., emceed the event.
Friday’s performance kicked off with the emcees conducting a “roll call” to all the organizations present in the room, spotlighting each group’s signature calls to indicate their presence at the event. The chapters performed in the order of their founding date with Alpha Phi Alpha, founded in 1906, kicking off the night and members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., founded in 1922, capping off the first round.
A short intermission preceded the second round of performances, which primarily focused on stepping. The emcees judged the sororities and fraternities separately, with Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Phi Alpha taking home first place trophies. Both organizations’ routines consisted of special techniques, including drops into a side split and a roundoff back tuck, respectively.
Senior Christian Jennings said the chapters’ performances honor the roots of Black Greek organizations on college campuses, as historic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and former Vice President Kamala Harris are members of the the Sigma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., respectively.
“When we say it’s been us, it’s really a reflection of, ‘Hey, we are Black people united in our shared commitment to community, and this is our showcase to put that on display for the people that we serve,’” Jennings said.
Jennings, a member of the Nu Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., said the pandemic halted stroll-off showcases because membership in NPHC dropped due to students graduating and low recruitment numbers. He added that recruiting new members for Divine Nine chapters can be a tedious process because chapter members work to ensure they select members who are committed to serving and honoring the Black community.
“There’s the idea of legacy that gets passed down, and when something like that is interrupted, it takes a little bit of time to bounce back,” Jennings said.
Jennings, the treasurer for NPHC, said strolling has been present in NPHC chapters through parties or Greek life events since their last showcase in 2020, offering a way for members to showcase their unity and culture. Friday’s show was the first large-scale event for the GW council in five years.
“Strolling is kind of like a showcase of our unity and our connection to our culture at the same time it holds roots,” Jennings said.
The last council-wide performance through NPHC was in 2020 when GW’s council featured Kristian Thomas, a leukemia survivor, and his family as part of their partnership with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to fostering a quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and cancer. NPHC donated parts of the proceeds from the performance to Thomas’ family to help assist with their medical costs, according to an Instagram post promoting the 2020 event.
