Lip Sync Battle is Less About Competition and More About Fun
By: Honor Tamminga
Balloons were falling from the ceiling and I sat in the back of Bauman Auditorium with a smile on my face, completely forgetting that the event had the word “battle” in the name.
On April 1, the George Fox University (GFU) Student Activities hosted the Lip Sync Battle. Four teams competed for the prize of $500 dollars by lip-syncing to various songs. Each group had a well choreographed routine, costumes and props.
Though all of the teams put in a great deal of effort and gave the audience a good show, only one could win. Personally, I enjoyed each individual performance and think that the competition aspect distracted from the main goal of the event: fun. Each act had its strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps putting the vote to an Instagram poll was not the best way of determining the worth of the different groups.
The Wildcats, the first group that went, and the group that earned the prize in the end, performed a song from the world of “High School Musical.” This was the smallest group, made up of only two girls, but was nevertheless entertaining and well-choreographed, with lots of energy both from the crowd and the group.
Wildcats. Photo courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcEFMhnppxJ/
The second group, Good Soup, was a group of upperclassmen that put together a narrative describing freshman year using a mash-up of Disney songs. Not only were the dancing, costumes, and props excellent, but there was an entire story behind the performance. The act required a great deal of planning, not only to come up with the plot, but also to match up songs to it.
The third group, creatively called, Oh Ya, Those Guys are Funny, had a slightly more chaotic performance, complete with blue paint, armor, and a Kraken. This began as a skit and featured some expert sword waving to accompany the lip syncing.
Finally, Granola Girls finished off the show with an energetic, if somewhat over-the-top performance. From jorts to pea costumes to purple wigs, the Granola Girls definitely went all out for the sake of the laughs. They even managed to get some balloons to fall from the balcony in Bauman Auditorium on cue. Their efforts were well-met. It seemed to me almost certain that this group would get the votes of the audience, but evidently, good old High School Musical spoke more to the hearts of the hearers.
Granola girls. Photo courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcEFMhnppxJ/
In my opinion, the Lip Sync Battle doesn’t need to be about who won according to an Instagram vote. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, in which four groups of friends were able to display their unique talents. Or at least, they displayed spirit. Each group had me tapping my feet and wondering what might come next. I hope each performer had as much fun on that stage as I had watching them.