The nautical theme gave us prom flashbacks.

This year’s Anchor Splash served up some nostalgia alongside its heavy helpings of raunchy and humorous dance moves. Delta Gamma’s fundraiser for its philanthropy, Service for Sight, was a success despite the dry venue. This year’s exercises, partly due to the hardworking and talent of Kate Barrett, former Bwogger and Director of Anchor Splash, dazzled. Bwog takes you in depth to one of the more fun nights amidst the stress and isolation of Columbia student life.

Last night, Roone Arledge Auditorium was transformed into a nautical vista that one could have mistaken for an ‘Under the Sea’ themed High School Prom. Spirits were high as ΚΔΡ chanted from backstage while twirling basketballs and pizza was hauled in through the double doors. ΔΓ sisters and participating fraternity brothers donned nautical themed outfits while a throng of students took their seats. For a second, it really felt like a campus community. As the lights dimmed, the emcees strode onto the stage, commencing the night’s festivities.

Each group’s performance was preceded by a short questionnaire, administered by an emcee to the groups’ self-appointed leader. The questions were evocative of Miss Congeniality and highly entertaining. Below, Bwog recounts the action.

Beta’s send-off to Hugh Hefner.

Beta Theta Pi – Their tribute to Hugh Hefner was perhaps in bad taste, but nonetheless cohesive in its conception and execution. Even though they aren’t the most coordinated or athletic group, Beta’s teamwork and spirit shone through. Beta pulled off a complex routine, dressed in pink bathrobes and bunny ears while dancing to Selena Gomez’s “Hands to Myself.” The lifting of their DG coach, who was dressed like Hugh Hefner, was the cherry on top of a #aesthetic and #polished performance. Their “best costume” award was well deserved.

Delta Sigma Phi – When prompted with the question of “What fruit would you be?” Delta Sig’s spokesperson remarked, “If I could be a fruit. I’d be a tomato. Because we got sauce.” Delta Sig’s complex routine was seamless, incorporating Fergie’s “London Bridge” and Justin Timberlake’s “My Love” to wide acclaim. The synchronization of the group was impressive despite the variety of deep squats.

Sigma Nu – A mess. There was a lack of communication between the participants. Their sloppy choreography and uncoordinated behavior was an eyesore. Their song choice was boring, using such overplayed tunes as “Fergalicious.” Their use of gimmicks like the Shark costumes from Katy Perry’s Super Bowl XLIX performance also felt overdone and tired. Like the infamous Left Shark, these guys were wholly unprepared.

Phi Gamma Delta (“FIJI”) – James Ritchie (CC ’20), speaking on behalf of the group, shared a wholesome memory of bid night before launching into a highly humorous rendition of “Under the Sea” from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. With different fraternity brothers playing the different characters, this number must have been as fun to perform as it was to watch. The guys were having fun, supporting each other, and their drive showed. They covered around four different songs, culminating in a highly sexual rendition of “GASOLINA” where the brothers stripped down to their speedos. Dollar bills were thrown and twerking ensued. Overall, the juxtaposition of the wholesome and the sultry was quite inventive. No wonder this group took home the gold!

Lambda Phi Epsilon – Donning their unofficial uniform, skinny fit black Adidas sweatpants, the frat swayed to classic pop. A highlight was when the frat’s leader, Wesley Hu, struggled to unbutton his button down for the performance’s climax. Overall, the performance was pretty lackluster and unmemorable. However, their use of Bruno Mars’s “If I Was Your Man” was pretty original and unexpected. It definitely set the tone for a sultry and soulful performance.

KDR gets ready backstage.

Kappa Delta Rho – The so-called Basketball Frat returned to their roots in this poignant and skillful performance: a soloist sang the “Space Jam Theme Song,” transporting the entire audience back to their childhoods. Dressed in makeshift DG basketball uniforms, the group evoked team spirit. Their performance transitioned into HSM’s “Getcha Head In The Game,” then ended with R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly,” another Space Jam tribute in which the group lifted a team member into the air as another team member mimed a basket. Overall, an inspired and fun performance.

Sigma Phi Epsilon – They may not have had the best moves, but their song choice was stellar and their concept was great. Starting off with “Old Time Rock n Roll” à la Risky Business and moving into “I Want It That Way,” they evoked a boy band vibe from the tail end of the 20th century. They enacted a major #TBT with their energetic performance of “Promiscuous Girl.” They lacked energy and coordination, but their song choice and concept made up for it.

Lightweight Rowing – Their spokesperson, sitting on a makeshift throne, answered the emcee’s questions, which anticipated this superior performance. A major #TBT was rolled out in the form of their performance of “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!” Smoothly transitioning between a variety of high octave songs, the close team formed congo line after congo lines wearing nothing but Speedos. Another highlight was their sassy rendition of “Hips Don’t Lie” and their soulful and humorous slow dancing to “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life” à la Dirty Dancing. This group’s hard work paid off and their commitment and hustle were impressive.

Alpha Epsilon Pi – The Bruno Mars opener was both sexy and understated, setting the scene for a great performance highly evocative of Jewish summer camp. David Mendelson, the group’s spokesperson, gave a convincing and committed performance along with Daniel Parks, who made a lot of female audience members wish he was not in a relationship. Part Bar-Mitzvah part-Jewish summer camp social, this performance, like ΚΔΡ’s, went back to the basics. Ending with “Hava Nagila,” including a chair lifting up David, was a nice touch. They even managed to make Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” not suck.

Pi Kappa Alpha (“PIKE”) – Beginning with Fergie’s cliché “London Bridge,” the group had an unimpressive start, which they managed to turn around with a creative dance routine. Donning metallic Speedos, the group energetically danced through “Gold Digger” and then transitioned into a wholesome Moana tribute, equipped with mimed sailing. Their choreography for “Drawing (WATER)” was dazzling; the simple, deft motions along with their flashy costumes were mesmerizing. A dark horse in the running, they did surprisingly well.

Sigma Chi – The frat’s spokesperson, Chris Alleyne, when asked the most embarrassing thing that happened to him, responded with, “It’s about to happen right now.” The group’s levity, down-to-earth vibe, and fun were infectious. Performing alongside his brother Will, Chris’s enthusiasm imbued the performance with a lot of spirit. Classics such as “This Is Why I’m Hot,” “Smack That,” and “I Got It From My Mama” in their setlist were met with applause and yells from wannabe ΣΧ sweethearts–an energetic finale to a fun night.

As the winners were being announced for raffle items, I looked around at a smiling, tight-knit community that left it all on the dance floor. Sometimes, embarrassing yourself and listening to some 90’s pop songs is the perfect cure for the Sunday night blues.

Srat srat srat via Leo Bevilacqua