Dance Marathon has existed at Iowa State for 15 years. For Homecoming 2011, the organization is participating in another long-standing ISU tradition: Yell Like Hell.

Yell Like Hell has been an important event for Homecoming and the greek community since 1912.

“Yell Like Hell is a five-minute choreographed skit that involves a lot of moving and, of course, yelling,” said Erin McHale, president of the Collegiate Panhellenic Council. “Its purpose is to be geared around the theme of Homecoming every year and [to] express the traditions of Iowa State.”

Until last year, Yell Like Hell was just a competition between greek pairings. Now, it has been opened to other student organizations, like Dance Marathon.

The Student Alumni Leadership Council performed its first Yell Like Hell skit for the gold division last year. This year, the council has tried to recruit more people to join the gold division.

“The [gold division] is more of a showcase than a competition” said Szuyin Leow, junior in mechanical engineering and co-director for ISU Dance Marathon. “Our rules are a lot less stringent than what the greek pairings have to follow.”

Emily Culp, senior in marketing and advertising and the director of public relations for ISU Dance Marathon, said Yell Like Hell enables non-greek students to participate in Homecoming. 

“It’s another way and another opportunity to get involved in Homecoming traditions without having to be part of the greek community,” Culp said.

Leow said she believes Dance Marathon members will be great participants in Yell Like Hell. 

“Dance Marathoners are very energetic and so we are kind of the perfect fit for Yell Like Hell,” Leow said.

With traditions like Yell Like Hell opening up the gold division for groups who are not in the greek community, Homecoming is becoming a better way for student organizations to show off ISU pride.