Students donned their finest apparel for the 2011 spring kickoff last Saturday, themed "A Formal Affair." As usual, hundreds of gussied up Goshen College students filled Sauder Concert Hall, anticipating a great show.
Justin Yoder, a sophomore, said, “The variety of acts is one of the best parts of kickoff. It’s always fun to see what unique ideas people come up with.” In the fall semester, Yoder was a member of the cello and drum group “Chell-Yeah” that came away with first place for an original rendition of “The Final Countdown.” This semester, yet another colorful array of creative and surprising acts was in store for audience members.
The string of performances included a group debuting as “The Survivors” who inhaled helium from balloons between lines of “Eye of the Tiger” and a music video performed completely in American Sign Language.
Winning first place Saturday night was the long-awaited “Brooding Love II,” a sequel to the short film by Jacob Landis-Eigsti, a junior, that got third place in last semester's kickoff. The film featured the acting and vocal stylings of over 50 GC students as well as a surprise appearance by President Jim Brenneman rapping as Eminem. “It was so fun towards the end seeing the hard work of so many people come together to make a finished product,” said Landis-Eigsti. “Three all-nighters that week, but it was worth it when the audience got to see it!”
The second place act was a tap-dancing trio featuring Reuben Sancken, a senior, Billy Funk, and Kelly Frey. Patrick Ressler and Emily Trapp took third place with a vocal and piano cover of the songs “Halo” and “Ordinary People.”
Students were then invited to the Kratz-Miller-Yoder connector for the traditional after-kickoff dance party to conclude the night.
