The audience hooked onto a team of stars.   |   Eliana Park/THE CHIMES
 

After a story of Peter Pan swept the audience, APEX came to Biola from Neverland to land in first place.

A fresh victory

“I’m shocked. I am so excited. I can’t believe this has happened, especially when we’re a brand new team… and even if we finished last place I would feel just as pumped because these people are the best,” said Lauren Peterson, junior public relations major and member of APEX.

APEX’s theme centered around a romance battle between Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Hook and Tiger Lily. The battle began with Hook stealing Tink from a coffee shop and Peter Pan pairing up with Tiger Lily to win Tink back.

“Honestly, there were parts that didn’t even go that well, but we had so, so much fun and there was so much work that led up to this so it’s so rewarding and even to win it was such an incredible experience,” said Samantha Belgum, junior commercial music major and member of APEX. “We had no idea we’d win, like we were just doing it for fun.”

An endless amount of work

The contest was judged by four alumni: Alpha East resident director Tiffany Tomlinson, creator of Young Ones JJ Carroll, previous leader of Xopoc Dylan Sapanza and Chief John Ojeisekhoba of Campus Safety, who also brought his daughter to judge and dabbed on stage upon introduction. APEX felt honored to have been in the top three selected by the judges.

“I loved it, we worked endless amounts of hours on it and we honestly just gave it our all. And being here is me being here for God. And it was amazing,” said Sam Villapando, sophomore journalism major and member of Heroes.

The other two teams in the top three included BroPoc and Pandamonium. Pandamonium featured a skit in which Gordon Ramsay led one of his legendary cooking contests with Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A and Panda Express. After each resturant performed their own dances, the audience voted for the winner of the cooking contest, which was Panda Express.

BroPoc presented a summer camp love story between a freshman and a senior. The performance displayed dances representing various camp activities that served as the backdrop to the romantic narrative.

A crazy experience

“It was fun, it was really fun. I’m really out of breath but it was a blast and these people were so fun to dance with so I couldn’t have pictured a better team to be on this year and yeah it was just a fun to be up there and do it with these people that I love,” said Nicole Demarcus, sophomore intercultural studies major and member of BroPoc.

The other teams featured storylines following Big Hero 6, the story of MOHses and Inside Out. The Inside Out Student Orientation Services theme also followed the emotions of a student coming to terms with his feelings toward a young woman.

“It was a crazy experience, something I never thought, you know. It wasn’t really my childhood dream to be Bing Bong in Mock Rock but I’ll take it, you know, a new found dream. It was just a blast, so much fun,” said Christopher “Kipper” Wagner, sophomore business major and member of SOS.