As the lights onstage dim, a murmur runs through the crowd. Five figures stride out, striking a kingly pose. As the beat pulses, the kings begin to dance, and the crowd goes wild.

One of the most highly anticipated events of the year is the king pageant. Five candidates, elected by their senior peers, compete for the crown and the title of king during the annual competition on Oct. 22.

“I’m really looking forward to watching the king pageant this year,” Dori Richardson, ’05, said. “Each year it has been the best part of Homecoming Week, and I know that it will be equally hilarious this year.”

Nominees will be required to model formal fashions, perform a choreographed dance and use their best pick-up lines to try and win a queen candidate.

“I had a lot of fun helping create the king dance for this year,” Johanna Iest, ’05, said. “It was a lot of work, but we had a great time practicing it and then helping the guys learn it; it’s going to be great!”

Another highlight of the pageant is the premiere of a video taped by the king candidates, in which they mock each other and themselves.

“The king video was a lot of fun to make,” Chris White, ’05, said. “We had a lot of fun ripping on each other, and the crowd loves to watch it each year.”

This year’s nominees for king include Carson Belmont, Jesse Madsen, Nic Westburg, Josh Wright and White.

“This year’s group of kings are a really good group of friends,” White said. “It makes the pageant that much more fun when we are all getting along and just having fun together.”

The pageant took place on Oct. 22 during chapel in Ground Zero with White winning the popular vote as the 2004 Homecoming king.