MU Amps Up May Day Weekend with Airband
Kaleigh Gabriel
As the spring semester of 2019 at Manchester University is on its last leg, students celebrate the final weeks with annual May Day celebrations. Manchester Activities Council curates numerous events for the weekend including the annual trike race, mud volleyball tournament and the Airband contest.
The Airband contest—which took place Friday, May 3 in the PERC—was packed full of students, anxious for the thrilling event.
The crowd sat in silence, wondering what was about to happen, as junior Emily Ewen strutted across the gymnasium-turned-stage in a tutu, leather jacket and blonde wig. As the Hannah Montana medley opened with the iconic song “Nobody’s Perfect,” the crowd cheered in excitement and nostalgia.
Ewen’s performance continued to thrill the audience as she ditched the wig, an homage to Montana’s movie in which she reveals her real identity. However, the crowd favorite came towards the end of the splendid routine as Ewen bounced her way out on a large yellow exercise ball to the song “Wrecking Ball” before, in true Miley Cyrus fashion, licking a sledgehammer.
“To me, Emily’s performance was the best because she was so enthusiastic and her songs were put together to show the evolution of the Hannah Montana we all grew up loving,” said first-year Anthony Harris. “Her use of props was really creative as well, which helped to really entertain her audience.” Up next came a duo of junior Ben Cauffman and firstyear Joel Arney featuring the song “Freaky Friday.” Students throughout the audience cheered and sang along to the track.
For junior Ally Jarvis, this was a notable time. “It was so fun to see all students engaged with the song,” she said. “Seeing things like this on campus reminds me how small and tight-knit the campus really is and that’s a great feeling.”
Next came a trio led by Chief Diversity Officer Michael Dixon, featuring costumes with wild prints and the iconic Will Smith song of the early 2000s, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Students rapped along with the track and cheered on Dixon’s dance team. However, the best reaction during their performance occurred when the crowd went wild when Dixon began doing the classic “Teach Me How to Dougie.”
Next came a group performance from seniors Anjel Clemente and Keiton Hall, junior Jalmen Sullivan and firstyear Bridget Nash, which opened in a crowd uproar as Nash rose from her seat in the bleachers to the opening duet of High School Musical 3, lip syncing with Hall as the group assembled for a performance featuring pop hits such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and its iconic dance moves, and emerging hit “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus.
The contest came to a close with a group led by senior Daisy Byers featuring many contemporary dance hits. At the end of the night, the panel of judges delivered its picks for “Best Group” and “Best Individual” along with its selection of “Crowd Favorite.”
Clemente, Hall, Sullivan and Nash took home the awards for “Best Group” and “Crowd Favorite’” and Michael Dixon’s dougie claimed the “Best Individual” award.