"Boogie Down" for Girls on the Run: Gamma Phi Beta's Best Dance Crew

On Saturday, March 19, 2022, Christopher Newport University (CNU) Greek sorority Gamma Phi Beta (GPhi) held their first in-person Best Dance Crew event since 2019. Best Dance Crew is an annual dance competition between organizations on campus that Gamma Phi Beta puts on to raise money for their partnered philanthropy: Girls on the Run.    

Kyleen Moradi - Photo Taken by Anna Osenkowsky

Gamma Phi Beta’s Philanthropy Chairwoman, Kyleen Moradi said that Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization “empowering young girls to know they can do anything.” The organization helps girls to “better their physical and mental health through teamwork, exercise, and bonding.”  

The past two years were completely different than what the CNU community was used to with Best Dance Crew being held virtually. When speaking with Alexa Jones, a sister of Gamma Phi Beta, she said, “We adapted with the times and created a virtual Best Dance Crew. We were able to have organizations send videos of their members dancing and posted on our social media account.” With most of the chapter only knowing this event on a virtual platform, Moradi had her work cut out for her. 

Moradi was the primary position in charge of planning the event this year. She began preparations in December 2021 after being elected into her position. However, she had not yet experienced a Best Dance Crew in-person.

Luckily, older sisters who had experienced Best Dance Crew in-person in 2019 were there to support her every step of the way. When asked about the last in-person event, Jones said, “It was nothing short of amazing! As a new member, it was difficult to get a true sense of the sisterhood. Best Dance Crew was the first time I experienced first-hand the true impact we have on our community.” Additionally, Jones said, “When the lights dimmed and I looked around me, it was incredible to see so many members of the CNU community supporting Girls on the Run.”

Moradi said some of the most crucial sisters in supporting her work were members of the executive council, the chapter’s art chair, Moradi’s “big” and her philanthropy assistant. Yet, she also said that there was “lots of guessing” with what might work. The theme became her biggest challenge with her brother giving her the idea for “Best Dance Crew: Boogie down with GPhi-Day Night Fever.”

This year’s Best Dance Crew showcased seven dance teams that were voted on and two “exhibition” teams. The opener showcased both the Latino Student Association and Gamma Phi Beta. Competing teams included Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tau Alpha.  The judges were members of the Girls on the Run Headquarters from Hampton Roads.  

Not only was being back in-person an exciting event, but this year was also the first year that Gamma Phi Beta had its own team performing. While it was only an exhibition team and would not be competing for the title, it was still a new opportunity for many of the sisters on this year’s team.  

Gamma Phi Beta’s Exhibition Team - Photo Taken by Anna Osenkowsky

Sophomore Ashley Sanfacon got involved with the team “to get to know more of the GPhi girls and have a lot of fun.”  Many of the girls on the team shared this reason for joining while fellow sophomore Maria Rivera said “I love to dance and this was a good opportunity to meet new people and get involved.”  While neither of the girls knew many of the sisters on the team before they joined, they were able to strengthen their relationships with those sisters through dedication and teamwork. 

Best Dance Crew is not just a dance competition though. For both younger and older sisters in the chapter alike, it holds a special meaning to them. Jones said, “For younger sisters, it is their first introduction to who Gamma Phi Beta is at CNU. For older sisters, it is one of the bittersweet ‘lasts’ of senior year. Especially this year, our seniors only ever had their first and last Best Dance Crew due to COVID. It is the last time we get to see the true impact our individual sisterhood has on Girls on the Run.”

Phi Mu Representatives Left to Right: Mackenzie Linton, Kendall Clark, and Nalani Barnes - Photo Taken by Anna Osenkowsky

At the end of the event, Moradi presented the awards with the help of a few other sisters in Gamma Phi Beta. Winning the Social Media Award was Delta Gamma. Although this did not play into final scores, the social media challenge for teams was a fun way to get the whole campus involved in the event. Placing first was Phi Mu, second was awarded to Alpha Sigma Alpha, and placing third was Delta Gamma. 

After weeks of fundraising, Moradi announced to a roaring crowd that over $10,000 was raised for Girls on the Run of Hampton Roads. As Jones said prior to the event, “Best Dance Crew is my favorite event! It transcends Greek life into the great CNU community, Hampton Roads Community, and beyond. Being able to see the tangible impact we have and the great things we can do together is truly inspiring.”