The annual Greek Groove dance competition lit up McAlister Auditorium Friday evening, drawing a sold-out crowd of more than 1,700 students. With every seat filled and cheers echoing through the space, the energy was unmatched. All nine Tulane University sororities and two of the fraternities competed in the highly anticipated dance-off, which was the culmination of a full week of Greek Groove festivities for Tulane University’s panhellenic community.  

Greek Groove extends far beyond a single night. Panhellenic chapters spend the week participating in events such as a Raising Cane’s percentage night, daily tabling on McAlister Drive and a campus-wide banner competition. All of these activities facilitate friendly competition while raising money for charity. This year, more than $40,000 was raised for Grace at the Green Light, a New Orleans nonprofit fighting homelessness. Kappa Alpha Theta took home the fundraising trophy with $10,653 raised, followed closely by Alpha Delta Pi in second and Phi Mu in third. 

Grace at the Green Light is a New Orleans-based non-profit which provides the unhoused population with necessities like food, water, clothing and community. Almost 7,000 New Orleans residents are homeless, according to Grace at the Green Light’s website.  

As the 2025 Vice President of Panhellenic Relations for Alpha Delta Pi, I was responsible for coordinating Greek Groove for my chapter. Everything about Greek Groove is student-run — from the choreography to the banner artwork — which keeps the playing field level and puts the spotlight on each chapter’s talent. Most sororities begin rehearsing as early as September, practicing for hours multiple times a week to perfect their routines.  

The banner competition is its own spectacle. Chapters rally their members to boost likes, comments and shares on Panhel’s Instagram post for each of the banners. This year’s comment sections exploded, with chapters flooding Instagram posts as they pushed to support their banners.  

Sigma Delta Tau ultimately won the banner competition, garnering approximately 2,453 likes, 196,000 comments, 100 reposts and 15,000 shares. Their winning banner featured a detailed SDT-branded sports car weaving through a nighttime New Orleans cityscape to match their “Formula 1” theme. 

Themes are a major part of the fun each year. Alpha Delta Pi embraced a Y2K theme, dancing to songs like “Fergalicious” in matching navy tracksuits with white stripes and white headbands. Phi Mu leaned into their Formula 1 concept with black sweat sets, checkered flags and songs such as Tate McRae’s “Sports Car.” Kappa Alpha Theta introduced a sporty basketball theme with red striped pants and energetic music — a performance that earned them first place in the dance competition. Alpha Epsilon Phi secured second place in the dance portion and Kappa Kappa Gamma came in third.  

A panel of three judges scored each performance, while announcers kept the audience laughing with playful jokes as they welcomed each chapter to the stage. 

From the creative themes and eye-catching banners to the impressive fundraising total and packed auditorium, this year’s competition proves the power of the panhellenic community to come together for a good cause.  

Rachel Hurt is a member of Tulane’s chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and participated in the Greek Groove celebrations.