A blast from the past hits the stage
Bethel students compete for first place with musical acts, which were performed for fellow students at Bethel’s Got Talent Friday.
By Angela Gonzalez | Reporter
Aniyah Robertson pats Esther Adeniyi’s shoulder, as Adeniyi fake sobs about how special this song is to her on stage at Benson Great Hall. Laughter ripples throughout the crowd, this is the first act that has had any comedy in it. The duo wear sweatpants with a black and white flannel over a hoodie. Nothing like the dresses, tuxes and sparkly jackets that previous competitors wore. Robertson and Adeniyi continue to put on a show, acting as if they’re nervous and joking about leaving the stage. The packed audience was eager to know what song they’d be performing. Finally, after the two build up their confidence, the song plays, the girls pose, and the crowd roars in approval. The Boys Are Back.
Robertson and Adeniyi were one of the eight acts that performed at Bethel’s Got Talent Friday night at Benson Great Hall. Organized by Student Activities, it was a night with the goal to highlight all the talent at Bethel.
“It is always fun to watch the audience applaud and support other students when they share a part of themselves,” event organizer Tavniah Dryer said.
Hymns, self-composed songs, and improv were pinged out on the piano by Greta Kilinga, Nathan Holder, and Elizabeth Gerken. Swifty fans sang along when Alexis Patterson sang “All Too Well.” The group, Hexatonix, sang acapella. Malachi Henderson put on a show of dancing to hip-hop. Hannah Bronner and Samuel Schulte sang “The Prayer” accompanied by Signe Penn on the piano.
“We were wrestling with what song to do, but we both knew this song, it was so good, and we had a week. So I said ‘Let’s go for it!’” -Esther Adeniyi, junior
The audience went wild when “The Boys Are Back” from the classic movie High School Musical 3 blared from the speakers. Immediately, both Robertson and Adeniyi ran to the edges of the stage, quickly putting on sunglasses and flipping back white hats on their heads. The crowd went wild and clapped to the beat as they met in the middle, beginning their routine. Halfway through the performance, they went back to the sides to grab something else. They returned with homemade swords wrapped with silver duct tape, and began sparring, a great reference to the iconic scene from the movie.
“We were wrestling with what song to do,” Adeniyi said after the show, “but we both knew this song, it was so good, and we had a week. So I said ‘Let’s go for it!’”
Hannah Bronner, Samuel Schulte, and Signe Penn won the competition, Hexatonic placed second, and Robertson and Adeniyi placed third, all while having a great time. Neither felt nervous or afraid while performing. They had agreed beforehand that it didn’t matter if they forgot any moves. They just wanted to have fun. That night the two of them let out their inner Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth, singing and dancing so well that even Ms. Darbus would be proud.
