Serenades set up homecoming pairs

Some say it's done for tradition. Some say it's for fun. Others think it's pointless. \nStill, each year around Homecoming many greek houses take part in serenades. Wednesday night, several sororities and fraternities took turns singing, dancing and performing skits for each other. \nAlthough not a national greek system tradition, each school and chapter makes the decision to take part in serenades. IU greek chapters have an opportunity to participate in the event twice a year, during Homecoming and Little 500. The purpose of serenades is for the houses to get to know each other so they can choose pairs for the event. \nEach house can serenade up to four houses. Afterward, houses rank who they want to pair with for Homecoming.\nJohn Perry, a senior and president of InterFraternity Council, said 11 fraternities and one sorority could not take part in serenades or homecoming activities this year due to probation, rush violations or academic issues.\nJennifer Teipen, a senior and vice president of membership development for the Panhellenic Association, said the system had problems with the dances and the performances being inappropriate in the past. She said this year they encouraged their members not to perform lap dances.\n"It's up to individual chapters to do lap dances," Teipen said. "Panhel encourages them to portray themselves in a positive way this year." \nTeipen said PHA would deal with any reported inappropriate behavior.\n"If they didn't want to perform it in front of their house mom, then it wouldn't be appropriate."\nSerenades at Sigma Nu fraternity, 1015 N. Jordan Ave., had a party-like atmosphere. Many people were talking and dancing to popular songs, but quickly cleared the floor when it was time to begin. Several fraternity members went on stage to sing love ballads to the members of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. \nSophomore Chris Graebe, a Sigma Nu member, performed a solo for the women. He said he takes his performance seriously.\n"This is what I want to do for a living -- be a performer," Graebe said. "It's a fun thing for the house, but I'm filming this to send out to record labels."\nAfter the men's performance, the women went on stage to perform a fast dance number followed by a slower one.\nSophomore Ali Gardner, an Alpha Chi Omega member, said serenades provide great entertainment for those involved.\n"I\'m having a great time, it's wonderful and in good fun," Gardner said. "We tried keeping our performance clean."\nBut Stan Sweeney, associate director of student activities for greek affairs, said serenades don't have value for the greek system.\n"From what I have seen in the past, it wasn't positive," Sweeney said. "I've seen people put themselves in compromising situations just to get picked. (Serenades) should be light-hearted events -- nothing to degrade yourself as a woman."\nSweeney said the system is moving in a positive direction by trying to implement random pairing in the future years.\nMelissa Weir, a senior and president of Delta Delta Delta sorority, said they decided not to participate in serenades this year.\n"It brings out competition. What's the use?" Weir said. "There is no purpose behind it; the dances get out of hand"