BY SARAH BROACH

Staff Writer

Disco fever hit Tech at this year's Union Board Talent Show on Oct. 21.

The talent show's theme was Studio 54, and the Student Center, Main Floor was transformed into a night club of the 1970s.

Haley Nardini, head of the talent show committee and a sophomore health information management major, coordinated the event.

"The decorations took all week long to put up," Nardini said.

A disco ball hung from the ceiling in the center of the room, a red carpet lit up with lights welcomed audience members through the door and gold streamers decorated the stage background.

"It took six hours each day from Monday to Thursday, but we've been planning this event since the beginning of the school year," Nardini said.

Nardini said she felt all of the performers displayed great talent.

"It was hard to choose from all the people who tried out, but we chose the best eight performances and I think they all deserved first place," Nardini said.

The first place winners of the talent show were the Dogs of Soul, five Tech football players who played guitars, drums and sang soul music.

The band is made up of Dez Abrams, a junior biology major; Shelton Richardson, a senior sociology major; and Phillip Fontenot, a junior sociology major.

Ryan Moats, a junior sociology major, and Quarvay Winbush, a senior health and physical education major, are also members of The Dogs of Soul.

Fontenot said the group is accustomed to performing.

"This wasn't the first time we've played together," Fontenot said.

"We all play at our churches, and I've been a professional musician since I was 12. We're very familiar with [being on stage]."

Fontenot said performing for a crowd was nothing new since they all play football.

The group performed a song they wrote titled "Every Day."

"We did all the music -- everything we do is original," Fontenot said.

Fontenot said the group gets together during spare time to play music. "We spend so much time together anyway [playing football], so we decided to do something with music," Fontenot said.

Second place went to Alison McDonald, a senior psychology major, who played guitar and sang "I'd Sure Hate to Break Down Here," originally sung by Trace Adkins.

Third place went to Shannin Watkins, a junior medical technology major, who sang a song by Chaka Kahn.

Eight different acts performed and "disc jockey" John Lary, a junior history major, introduced each performer, as well as drew tickets for door prizes.

Businesses around Ruston, including Fatty's, Roxanne's and Cactus Jack's, provided prizes for the door prize winners at the Talent Show.

Among the other acts was singing, dancing and bagpipe-playing. Tilisha Alexander, a senior developmental liberal arts major, and Kenzie Farrell, a senior management major, performed a duet of "If I Ain't Got You," originally sung by Alicia Keys.

Gerard Rome, a sophomore general studies major, worked the show as a doorman.

"I'd say about 400 people came to the show," Rome said. "It was a very diverse crowd. All kinds of people showed up."

Of all the acts, Rome said he enjoyed Rebecca Riisnes' performance the most.

Riisnes, a freshman basic and career major, played music on the bagpipes, including the "Star Wars" theme song.

Copies of the talent show on DVD are available for purchase through Tech TV.

For more information on how to get a copy, contact Jennifer Porter, a graduate student of industrial and organizational psychology, at 257-4917.