 Media Credit: photo courtesey RHA Western's Got Talent finalists await to hear who will advance to the final round of competition. Lloyd and Kyle Massey, pictured far right, went on to win the event. [Click to enlarge]
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The unimaginable happened on Thursday, March 2, at Western's Got Talent: Tap dancing became something that made the girls swoon and the guys jealous. That's right: tap dancing. Western freshman Lloyd Massey, who has been dancing since he was four, and his younger brother Kyle Massey were awarded the title of Western's "Most Talented."
It wasn't an easy battle to the top, though. The 12 finalists who made it through auditions didn't hold back when they finally got their time in the spotlight Friday night. Many dance and musical acts had made the top 12, but did not steal the spotlight from more unique acts.
Some of the more unusual acts included Poi, a new age style of juggling, Irish fiddling and a jazzy-modern African-influenced dance.
"I act like two people by myself," explained Western student Masaki Ikeda about his act. Ikeda was everyone from Jackie Chan to characters from the Matrix and Star Wars, with very few props and no costume changes.
The evening unfolded like an episode of "American Idol," and although it was a little longer than most expected, the evening was everything it promised to be. Coordinator of Student Activities Aaron Worley, Resident Assistant Alicia Steinbeck, and Leadership and Programs Coordinator Amanda Rodino served as judges for the event. After each act they gave commentary on the performance and awarded a check mark of approval for the act or an "X" for performances that they thought were less than satisfactory. The audience ultimately had the final vote, though, and sent five acts into the final round.
During intermission, as the results were being calculated to see who would be in the final round, Lloyd Massey said he was a "little worried about the stiff competition" that he saw during the first half of the show, but by the end of the night, the audience assured him that there was nothing to worry about and rewarded his superb talents with a PS3. The Massey brothers have graced many with their tap talent before, but around this campus people just can't seem to get enough of them.
"I thought the program went really well. It showcased a variety of talent that I think was high quality and enjoyed by the audience. It was successful and will probably be a program that we look to do again in the future," said Patrick Moser, the event coordinator.
Moser estimated there were between 200 and 225 people at the event. The next big event for the Residence Hall Association will be a St. Patrick's Dance on Thursday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the Pacific Room. A free souvenir will be given to the first 60 people. Don't forget to wear green!
