When you combine loud music, dance crews, singers, a marching band and red glowsticks, then you have the 2014 Seawolves Showcase.
The Seawolves Showcase is a talent show that takes place the night before the Homecoming football game. The University Spirit and Pride committee created this event show in 2010.
“The Seawolves Showcase allows for groups to demonstrate their university pride by performing for their fellow Seawolves the night before the big game,” Samson Woo, one of the organizers of this event, said.
The performances were put on mostly by student groups and organizations such as SBU Belly Dance Troupe, Cadence Step Team and Stony Brook Vocalists. Some of these groups performed in previous years. During the first two weeks of September, those interested in performing had to submit a YouTube video link of their performance to the planning committee, which then chose which performance will be in the show.
As the night of the Seawolves Showcase arrived, students started gathering toward the Staller Center for the Arts and then took seats on the Staller Steps.
Each student had to present identification in order to enter the event and was able to get a red glowstick and also a red wristband, which can guaranteed them a seat at the Homecoming game.
Before the show began, a couple of the performers were rehearsing on stage. Once the show began, the Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band came out and started the show.
The showcase consists of two parts: the performances of each club and organization during the show and the banner competition, in which clubs, organizations and residence halls hung banners around Staller and competed to have their banner displayed at Homecoming.
“Outstanding organizations that display a high level of talent, enthusiasm, and spirit are selected as part of the main entertainment line-up by the planning committee,” Woo said.
The first performer was an artist named JUS, who off the stage goes by Justin Starling, and he performed a new song called “I’ll Wait.”
After the first performance, the rest of the show consisted of over 15 groups, including PUSO Modern Dance, the Stony Brook Pipettes and the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, among others. In between routines, event organizers tossed t-shirts to the crowd and made everyone dance.
After the Stony Brook Cheer Team finished their routine, the Homecoming Court presented themselves and the football team made their appearance. Once they entered, the crowd began to cheer for the football team and the Homecoming King and Queen candidates.
As the night came to a close, the host and some deejays made it a point to capture the moment with a selfie. But by then, many people had already trickled out.
This event pumped up the atmosphere for the Homecoming festivities that continued the next day when the Stony Brook Seawolves took on the William & Mary Tribe.
