On 11 May, Stuku hosted the highly anticipated annual Step It Up competition – a cherished tradition among the university’s residences and structures. Over the past few months, the participating groups have dedicated countless hours perfecting their skits, choreography and musical performances for this event.
The preliminary rounds, which are known as Step Outs, took place on 7 and 8 May. Each structure performed their routines six different times at different venues on their designated night of performance to secure a place in the finals on 11 May. Only 12 of the 20 structures that took part in Step Outs made it to the finals.
The finals were hosted at both the Aula and the Amphitheatre and opened with an address from the acting Vice-Chancellor of Student Life, Prof. Flavia Senkubuge. She explained the significance of events like Step It Up, which contribute to the holistic well-being of students, and she emphasised the university’s mission of encouraging life beyond academics.
Step It Up can only be described as a “you just had to be there” event, and the Stuku members evidently worked tirelessly the entire day to ensure smooth ticketing operations, hosting and performances. The energy was electric from the onset, as House Tau kicked off the evening with their rock-based performance, “My Chemical Bromance”.
The themes explored by each performance were as diverse as the participating structures themselves, ranging from Asterhof’s whimsical “The Marvellous Aster Circus” to Nala’s competitive “East Coast versus West Coast Battle” and Mopane’s charming “Mop’s Garage”. The musical selection featured hits like Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”, Tyla’s “Water”, and Sho Madjozi’s “Huku”.
Despite all the effort that went into these exceptional performances, there could only be one winner. Curelitzia secured the top spot with their inspiring space-themed performance that left a lasting impression on the audience members. This is their second win of the year, following 1nSync in February.
TuksRes also unveiled their own set of results, not affiliated with Stuku’s rankings. Mopane claimed the top position, with Madelief securing second place, followed by Curelitiza and Tau in third and fourth, respectively. Each of these residences was awarded a share of a R20 000 cash prize from TuksRes.
Stuku awards:
Most multicultural – Asterhof
Overall best band – House Mopane
Overall best theme – Madelief
Overall best choreography –
Asterhof
Most creative costume – House
Mags
Overall best stage presence –
House Mopane
Best challenge showcase –
Curelitzia
Best social media presence –
Curelitzia
People’s choice award – House
Mags
Fifth place overall – House Mags
Fourth place overall – Ukuthula
Third place overall – Madelief
Second place overall – Asterhof
First place overall – Curelitzia
