The University of Georgia Sigma Delta Tau’s annual SDT Greek Grind dance competition is a hub of philanthropic efforts and fashion.
SDT Greek Grind is SDT’s annual philanthropic dance competition that raises funds for Prevent Child Abuse America, SDT’s national philanthropy and an organization dedicated to preventing the abuse and neglect of children, according to its website. Kappa Delta took home first place at the 20th annual SDT Greek Grind at the Classic Center on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Not only did SDT raise over $120,000 for PCAA this year, but participants took the opportunity to make bold fashion statements on stage throughout the night. Here are some of the trends that The Red & Black noticed.
Members of University of Georgia competitive dance team “Red Hotz” perform during the University of Georgia’s Sigma Delta Tau Greek Grind at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The 20th annual SDT Greek Grind raised over $122,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America, as all 20 Panhellenic sororities competed with each other in a night of music, dance and philanthropy. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Athleisure
Athleisure has become a staple in the world of fashion, and many sororities incorporated this style into their getups.
Haley Slater, a fourth year journalism major and a member of the SDT dance troupe, said that in her 13 years of dance experience, she has found that when she is comfortable in an outfit on stage, she performs better, a luxury that athleisure provided to the SDT Greek Grind dancers.
“You can tell when a dancer feels confident in what they’re wearing,” Slater said. “[My favorite costumes] were the ones where you could tell that they were more comfortable in it.”
Delta Delta Delta wore bright red track pants and white tank tops for their snappy routine, embracing a sporty, athletic theme. The dance was topped off with gold medals at the end.
Alpha Delta Pi opted for sweatshirts and biker shorts for their ensemble, glamming up their routine with hair flips and smiles.
Members of Kappa Delta perform onstage during the University of Georgia’s Sigma Delta Tau Greek Grind at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The 20th annual SDT Greek Grind raised over $122,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America, as all 20 Panhellenic sororities competed with each other in a night of music, dance and philanthropy. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Delta both chose to wear cropped football jerseys for their performances, fully embodying the term “athleisure.” The jerseys unified the dance troupe on stage but also allowed for visual engagement.
Keely Hallinan, a fourth year public relations major at UGA and a member of the Kappa Delta dance team, said that she felt as if the jerseys were more “on theme” than past costumes.
“I really like how the captains chose something that was really on brand,” Hallinan said. “I think the way we styled it with the pants made it stand out and look more different than just wearing a plain green jersey.”
Pink
Members of Gamma Phi Beta perform onstage during the University of Georgia’s Sigma Delta Tau Greek Grind at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The 20th annual SDT Greek Grind raised over $122,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America, as all 20 Panhellenic sororities competed with each other in a night of music, dance and philanthropy. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Pink is arguably one of the hottest colors right now, and this was not lost on the dancers at SDT Greek Grind. Several sororities’ costumes incorporated pink in one way or another, such as Alpha Chi Omega. Alpha Chi Omega’s dance featured one dancer as a bride and the rest of the team in bubblegum pink sets.
Slater said that she has always been a “purple girl,” but due to the recent pink fad, she has found herself “gravitating towards pink a lot more lately.”
“The more you are exposed to that color and you see it, the more appeal you have,” Slater said.
Sigma Kappa’s performance was a rendition of the movie “Mean Girls,” in which three of the main characters wear pink on Wednesdays. The performance, as well as the costumes, were an ode to the color pink.
Kappa Kappa Gamma also participated in the pink theme, wearing pink football jerseys on stage for their performance.
Members of Sigma Kappa perform during the University of Georgia’s Sigma Delta Tau Greek Grind at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The 20th annual SDT Greek Grind raised over $122,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America, as all 20 Panhellenic sororities competed with each other in a night of music, dance and philanthropy. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Gamma Phi Beta’s ‘70s ensemble was complete with all of the dancers wearing black sequined pants and matching black vests, except for two clad in all pink. The pop of pink made the performance exciting by creating interesting visuals.
Skirts
Skirts made a prominent appearance at this year’s SDT Greek Grind.
Zeta Tau Alpha delivered a rendition of the Disney movie “Alice in Wonderland” where each dancer wore a skirt, including Alice, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts and the playing card soldiers.
In Alpha Chi Omega’s bridal dance, the dancers all wore scalloped skirts that added a whimsical, feminine element to the choreography. Every turn and jump was accentuated by the flowy fabric of their skirts.
Delta Zeta’s routine included all of the dancers in all black, except for the three representing different holidays: Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Each of the dancers wore a dress that added pinpoints of interest throughout the dance, a contrast against the other black-clad dancers.
Members of Alpha Phi perform onstage during the University of Georgia’s Sigma Delta Tau Greek Grind at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The 20th annual SDT Greek Grind raised over $122,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America, as all 20 Panhellenic sororities competed with each other in a night of music, dance and philanthropy. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Accessories
One way that dancers expressed their individuality on stage while still looking uniform as a group was the pops of color added in through accessories.
“Dancing in a large group of people… It’s important to value visual appeal and the cohesiveness of the colors in the costume,” Hallinan said. “It allows the dance and the dancers to all look the same but also express themselves and express their distinctive values.”
All of Delta Phi Epsilon’s dancers wore matching red Converse as well as a red bandana. Some dancers wrapped the bandana around their legs, while others tied it into their hair, allowing each dancer to stand out without taking away from the group.
Alpha Phi’s performance felt like an ode to “Mamma Mia!,” and the blue scarves that accessorized their sparkly silver jumpsuits added to it. The Mediterranean blue scarves created a unique look that tied all of the dancers together in a laid back way. Some dancers opted to loop the scarf around their waists, and some put it in their hair.
