Bingle Sêr is back!
After three years one of the North-West University’s most loved events on the arts and culture calendar is back, said Connor Beck, the Arts Vice Chairperson of the Potchefstroom Student Campus Council (SCC). Bingle Sêr will take place on 10 October in the Sanlam Auditorium.
Bingle Sêr is a short musical performance by a ‘team’ consisting of two residences. They perform three to four medleys. It has to include one original song, linked to their portrayal of the year’s theme, which in 2023 is ‘Opposites attract’.
Between the medleys, a quick skit performance is allowed to crossover from one musical section to another. There is no prescribed song, but all teams have to interpret the year’s theme.
There is also no judging process, thus making the event more informal. Preparation usually involves two to three weeks of practice by the two residences who work together as a sleep (an Afrikaans colloquialism describing a couple who is dating).
In NWU Potch campus jargon a sleep is when a men’s and women’s residence and their respective House Committee (HC) members get together and work together for a year on all residence projects and activities.
According to Marius van Rooyen, SCC Arts and Culture Chairperson, the idea behind this event is, “for it to be fun and lighthearted, therefore it is for all those individuals who want to do sêr, but don’t necessarily have the vocal abilities to do so. It’s an overall exciting and fun event to end off this term”.
It is the first time in the history of the event that it will take place at the end of a House Committee term. In previous years, it was usually the first sleep HC interaction of the year.
According to Matthew Smith, Arts HC member of Villagers Men’s Residence the Arts HC members are excited about the return of a beloved event.
Filled with sharp humor and witty skits, Bingle is known for its comical and fun approach compared to the other more rehearsed sêr competitions.
In 2019 the sleep REUSe LAVAi, which consisted of the two residences Laureus and Lavaria, walked away victorious and could be known in history as the longest reigning champions because Covid-19 froze many student life activities from 2020. With the theme back then being ‘Phobias‘ the sleep soared above the rest by portraying the fear of flying, aerophobia, which was 11 minutes of medleys and sharp humor.
According to Heinrich Diedericks, who was part of the 2019 winning Bingle group the event was “memorable and fun”.
“It’s an experience that every student should try to be a part of. There is nothing like it”, Diedericks said.