Phi Alpha captures campus attention with ‘Lewis Idol’

By Kerry Takach | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Lewis House’s balcony and the surrounding area crowded up for an unusual reason on Sept. 16 — Phi Alpha Omega’s “Lewis Idol.”

“Lewis Idol” was part of Phi Alpha’s spirit week, which led up to an interview day required for membership in the service organization. The interview day is the final step in member selection.

The groups performed seven dance routines, with accompanying music ranging from Cindi Lauper’s “Girl’s Just Want to Have Fun” to Aretha Franklin’s rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts).”

Phi Alpha associates sang into hairbrushes and showed off balloon-enhanced assets.

The crowd’s size made this year’s event stand out.

“We had people lined up on the street,” said Phi Alpha sister Kate Ryan.

Each group was randomly assigned a song by the executive board. From there they choreographed and costumed themselves.

Associate Caitlin Brown said she and her group planned and learned their routine to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” in just a couple days she said. Dressed in stereotypical ’80s garb, they lip-synced the lyrics and kicked up their heels, high side ponytails swinging along with them.

Danielle Leclerc may have had one of the most memorable performances with her group. It wasn’t just Sir Mix-A-Lot’s No. 1 Billboard track “Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts)” that made the act memorable. Each group member wore bottoms “enhanced” by balloons.

“We wanted to exaggerate the song as much as we could,” Leclerc said. She said, though, that they “didn’t want to be too sexy.”

Ashley Devany, President of Phi Alpha Omega, said this year was the biggest crowd the event had ever drawn. “I was really very proud of the turnout,” Devany, a junior, said. “I was very proud of the girls, the way they performed, the way they showcased our name as a club.”