HallyUA, a dance and community organization at the University, hosted its third annual K-UA Fest competition on Saturday from 3-7 p.m. in the English Building theater. The event was open to students and the surrounding Tuscaloosa community and showcased performances centered around K-Pop music from local talents, including solo/duo and group categories.
The audience was full of supporters and K-Pop fans cheering on the performers while waving lightsticks and singing along to their favorite tracks, making the event feel like an exciting concert and celebration of the genre.
MaryElla Woolf, a senior majoring in economics and political science, is director of the organization’s competition team and shared how K-UA Fest is its biggest event of the year.
“We basically invite all the teams in the area to come and compete,” Woolf said. “We like to put together some prizes for them and make it a fun little event.”
Along with the competitors, HallyUA did performances of its own, like “Tick-Tack” by ILLIT and “Boom Boom Bass” by RIIZE, keeping the energy up throughout the night and in between performances with comedic bits from the three presenters.
In the solo and duo category, soloist PANYA won first place for the third year in a row with a performance featuring “Bicycle” by CHUNG HA. Co-founder of Nashville-based dance group TNT-K, PANYA delivered an undeniably energetic performance well-deserving of another win.
Sin-K, a dance cover group from Kennesaw, Georgia, won first place for the group category, going home with a $200 prize and trophies. The group set the bar high with impressive synchronicity, facial expressions, outfit coordination and stamina, which all had the audience dancing along.
The event had multiple other performers, K-Pop trivia, random dance play, crochet, photocard vendors and a guess-the-song segment.
After performing songs by XG including “Howling,” a member of the dance cover group KRUSH from New Orleans won MVP for the random dance play.
K-UA Fest highlighted K-Pop’s ability to inspire talent as each performer brought uniqueness, personality and passion for the music throughout the performances. The night brought together the K-Pop community while showcasing talents from the Tuscaloosa community and beyond.
“I’ve been into K-Pop since around 2015, introduced to me through a friend, and it was a casual interest for a while, but I’ve always loved to dance,” Woolf said. “When I got to UA … I auditioned that first year, and it’s been super fun.”
