SÊR-FINAAL SKITTER MET EERSTEKLAS VERTONINGS EN KREATIEWE TEMAS

Shanell Binedell

@shanell_lalalal

English translation follows

 

Die NWU se jaarlikse sêrkompetisie se finaal het hierdie jaar op 23 Augustus in die Sanlam Ouditorium en NWU Konservatorium plaasgevind. Die groot aanvraag na kaartjies het tot twee vertonings gelei, waarin die sêrgroepe van een lokaal na die volgende geskuif het. Vyf dames en vyf manskoshuise is gekies om in die finaal op te tree. Dié koshuise was Patria, Veritas, Excelsior, Heimat, Laureus, Dinki, Bellatrix, Wag ‘n Bietjie, Oosterhof, en Kasteel.

 

Vier bekwame beoordelaars met uitgebreide ervaring in die kunste bedryf het die vertonings geëvalueer, naamlik Ruan Josh, Langa Lerato, Brian Kenneth, en Valeska Constance. Hierdie jaar se sêr-tema was ABBA, met die hutsmerk #workartplayart. Die aand is deur die 2023/24 Kampusstudenteraad (KSR) Kunste-voorsitter, Connor Beck, georganiseer, wat sy taak met groot sukses verrig het.

 

Elke optrede is deur ʼn video wat die unieke tema van die sêrgroep weerspieël, voorafgegaan. Hoewel die oorhoofse tema ABBA was, het elke koshuis die vryheid gehad om hul eie kreatiwiteit uit te druk. Die aanbieders van die aand was Veritas-inwoner Estiaan Vorster en nuutverkose KSR-lid, Anne Venter. As paartjie het hulle nie net die gehoor tussen tonele besig gehou nie, maar ook onvergeetlike humoristiese oomblikke geskep. Reuben Coetzer, die nuwe KSR-voorsitter, het die gehoor verder met sy indrukwekkende nabootsing van Donald Trump vermaak.

 

Om te verseker dat alle groepe duidelik gehoor word, is handeklap verbied en is die gehoor gevra om stil te wees en slegs te vingerklap en “sêr-handjies” te gebruik om die deelnemers te ondersteun. “Ek dink nie daar is een komponent wat ʼn mens sal kan uit lig en sê is die belangrikste, soos byvoorbeeld oefening, ʼn talentvolle groep, of goeie leierskap, nie. Dit is maar altyd ʼn mengsel daarvan wat veroorsaak dat ʼn groep goed of sleg doen. Maar, ek sal wel sê ʼn groep kan baie verder vorder deur net harder te oefen as wat ʼn mens besef. ʼn Groep met min natuurlike talent kan met harde oefening deur gaan finals toe,” sê Daniel Hauptfleisch, sȇr-afrigter van onder meer Minjonet, Bellatrix en Laureus.

 

Die finaal was net ʼn uitbeelding van die top groepe en die Potchefstroom kampus het gegons oor sȇr groepe wie nie hulle pap werd was nie. “Ek was defnitief geskok deur twee sȇr groepe, Minjonet en LaVaria. Ek was veral geskok deur Minjonet se produksie, maar het beslis die standaard van LaVaria verwag. Ek voel jammer vir die min mense in LaVaria se sȇr groep wat werklik het wat dit vat, maar geen ondersteuning van hul groep ontvang het nie. Ek sou liewers die produksie onttrek het en dink dat dit beslis die toekoms van hulle sȇr deelname gaan belemmer,” sê ʼn anonieme sȇr-kyker.

 

Die vertonings:

• Kasteel, die Atterbury Acapella-kompetisie wenners van 2023, het die gehoor onmiddellik met hul tema “The Future of AI” betower. Die produksie het duidelik baie moeite geverg, en die gehoor kon die toewyding in elke detail sien.

 

• Patria, bekend vir uitnemendheid op alle gebiede, het nie teleurgestel nie. Hul tema “The Jokers” was ‘n kreatiewe en komiese vertoning wat die gehoor se harte gesteel het. Die kombinasie van deeglike voorbereiding en ʼn skerp humorsin het verseker dat die gehoor hul waardering deur klipharde applous gewys het.

 

• Bellatrix het hulself as “energiek en lewendig” beskryf. Hulle het ʼn storie vertel met hul tema “Radium Girls,” wat meer op toneelspel as suiwer sang gefokus het. Hoewel die optrede soms verwarrend was, het die emosionele impak van hul sang die gehoor diep geraak.

 

• Excelsior se vertoning, getiteld “Klokluiers”, het die verhaal van monnike uitgebeeld. Die optrede was beslis nie geskik vir jonger kykers nie, aangesien dit baie vulgêre elemente bevat het wat die optrede oordonder het.

 

• Wag-ʼn-Bietjie het weereens gewys hoekom hulle op alle vlakke uitblink. Hul Egiptiese tema het die gehoor laat hoendervleis kry , met ʼn kombinasie van dans, sang en vertelkuns wat die gehoor gefassineer het. Vergeleke met verlede jaar het elke deelnemer hul volle potensiaal besef.

 

• Laureus het die verhoog met hul tema “The Highlands are Calling” getransformeer. Die manne in kilts het nie net gesing nie, maar ook indrukwekkende danspassies uitgevoer wat die gehoor verbaas het. Bekende Afrikaanse kunstenaars soos Jo Black en Riaan Benade se musiek het ʼn spesiale plek in die optrede gehad.

 

• Veritas het die aand met ʼn energieke vertoning afgesluit wat die gehoor aan die geliefde Disney-program “High School Musical” herinner het. Hul storie van ʼn rugbyspan wat liefde vir sing ontdek het, was vol energie en het die gehoor op ʼn hoë noot gelaat.

 

Wenners:

Soos met enige kompetisie, is daar wenners aangekondig. Hoewel die artikel nie die presiese uitslae noem nie, was dit duidelik dat die aand met talent, kreatiwiteit en die harde werk van elke deelnemer gevul was.

 

Multilingual liedjie:

1. Dinki
2. Patria
3. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
4. Veritas
5. Excelsior en Laureus

 

Eie komposisie:

1. Dinki
2. Veritas
3. Laureus
4. Oosterhof en Patria

 

Voorgeskrewe liedjie:

1. Patria en Veritas
2. Dinki
3. Oosterhof
4. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie

 

Tema:

1. Laureus
2. Heimat
3. Excelsior en Oosterhof

 

Dameskoshuis algeheel:

1. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
2. Bellatrix
3. Dinki
4. Oosterhof
5. Kasteel

 

Manskoshuis algeheel:

1. Patria
2. Veritas
3. Heimat
4. Excelsior
5. Laureus

 

Algehele wenners:

1. Patria
2. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
3. Veritas
4. Bellatrix
5. Dinki

 

Die mans- en damesafdelingwenners, Patria en Wag-ʼn-bietjie, wen elk ʼn R5000 kontantprys. Patria en Veritas wen elk ʼn R1000 kontantprys vir hulle voorgeskrewe lied, geborg deur ATKV. Vir eie komposisie wen Dinki en Veritas elkeen R3000.

 

Patria, Veritas, Kasteel en Bellatrix neem 29 en 30 Augustus aan die Atterbury Acapella-kompetisie in Pretoria se Straatmark en Gala-aand deel.

 

Teksversorging deur Danica Nortjé en Simoné de Witt

 

 

The NWU’s annual serenade competition’s final this year took place on 23 August, in the Sanlam Auditorium and NWU Conservatory.

 

The high demand for tickets led to two shows, in which the serenade groups moved from one venue to the next. Five women’s and five men’s residences were selected to perform in the final. These residences were Patria, Veritas, Excelsior, Heimat, Laureus, Dinki, Bellatrix, Wag-‘n-Bietjie, Oosterhof, and Kasteel.

 

Four accomplished judges with lots of experience in the arts industry evaluated the performances, namely Ruan Josh, Langa Lerato, Brian Kenneth, and Valeska Constance. This year’s Serenade theme was ABBA, with the hashtag #workartplayart. The evening was organised by the 2023/24 Student Campus Council (SCC) Arts Chairperson, Connor Beck, who performed his task with great success.

 

Each performance was preceded by a video reflecting the unique theme of the serenade group. Although the overall theme was ABBA, each residence had the freedom to express their own creativity. The presenters of the evening were Veritas resident Estiaan Vorster and newly elected SCC member, Anne Venter. As a couple, they not only kept the audience busy between scenes, but also created memorable humorous moments. Reuben Coetzer, the new SCC chairperson, further entertained the audience with his impressive impersonation of Donald Trump.

 

Applause was prohibited, and the audience was asked to be quiet and to use finger snaps and “sêr-handjies” to support the participants. This was to ensure that all groups were heard clearly. “I don’t think there is one component that you would be able to highlight and say is the most important, like exercise, a talented group, or good leadership. It’s always a mix of that which causes a group to do good or bad. But, I will say a group can progress much further by just training harder. A group with little natural talent can go through finals with hard training,” says Daniel Hauptfleisch, coach of Minjonet, Bellatrix and Laureus, among others.

 

The final was just a depiction of the top groups. Potchefstroom campus was buzzing about those groups who weren’t worth their weight in salt. “I was definitely shocked by two groups; Minjonet and LaVaria. I was particularly shocked by Minjonet’s performance, but I definitely expected the standard from LaVaria. I feel sorry for the few people in LaVaria’s group who actually have what it takes, but have received no support from their group. I would rather have withdrawn the production and think that this will definitely hinder the future of their participation,” says an anonymous audience member.

 

The performances:

• Kasteel, the 2023 Atterbury Acapella competition winners, immediately wowed the audience with their theme “The Future of AI.” The production clearly required a lot of effort, and the audience could see the dedication in every detail.

 

• Patria, known for their excellence in all areas, did not disappoint. Their theme “The Jokers” was a creative and comedic show that stole the audience’s hearts. The combination of thorough preparation and a keen sense of humour ensured that the audience showed their appreciation through deafening applause.

 

• Bellatrix described themselves as “energetic and vibrant”. They told a story with their theme “Radium Girls,” which focused more on acting than pure singing. Although the performance was confusing at times, the emotional impact of their singing deeply affected the audience.

 

• Excelsior’s performance, entitled “Klok Luiers”, depicted the story of monks. The performance was certainly not suitable for younger viewers, as it contained many vulgar elements that overpowered the performance.

 

• Wag-ʼn-Bietjie once again showed why they excel at all levels. Their Egyptian theme made the audience get goosebumps – with a combination of dancing, singing and storytelling that fascinated the audience. Compared to last year, each participant realized their full potential.

 

• Laureus shook the stage with their theme “The Highlands are Calling”. The men in kilts not only sang, but also performed impressive dance moves that amazed the audience. The music of well-known Afrikaans artists such as Jo Black and Riaan Benade had a special place in the performance.

 

• Veritas ended the evening with an energetic performance that reminded the audience of the beloved Disney show “High School Musical.” Their story of a rugby team that discovered a love for singing was full of energy and left the audience on a high note.

 

Winners:

As with any competition, winners were announced. Although the article did not mention the exact results, it was clear that the evening was filled with talent, creativity and the hard work of each participant.

 

Multilingual song:

1. Dinki
2. Patria
3. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
4. Veritas
5. Excelsior and Laureus

 

Own composition:

1. Dinki
2. Veritas
3. Laureus
4. Oosterhof and Patria

 

Prescribed song:

1. Patria and Veritas
2. Dinki
3. Oosterhof
4. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie

 

Theme:

1. Laureus
2. Heimat
3. Excelsior and Oosterhof

 

Ladies’ Residence overall:

1. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
2. Bellatrix
3. Dinki
4. Oosterhof
5. Kasteel

 

Men’s Residence overall:

1. Patria
2. Veritas
3. Heimat
4. Excelsior
5. Laureus

 

Overall winners:

1. Patria
2. Wag-ʼn-Bietjie
3. Veritas
4. Bellatrix
5. Dinki

 

The men’s and women’s winners, Patria and Wag-‘n-bietjie, each won a R5000 cash prize. Patria and Veritas each won a R1000 cash prize for their prescribed song, sponsored by ATKV. For their own composition, Dinki and Veritas each won R3000.

 

Patria, Veritas, Kasteel and Bellatrix will take part in the Atterbury Acapella Competition in Pretoria’s Street Market and Gala Evening on 29 and 30 August.

 

Translated by Simoné de Witt