
Audience members filled CSU-Pueblo’s Occhiato University Center to watch CSU-Pueblo’s Got Talent Feb. 28. Students, along with a few parents, came to show support for participants of the spring talent show, which was hosted by Student Engagement and Leadership.
The event provided students the opportunity to show off their talents, and the best performances were awarded prizes. First place won $300, second place won $200 and third place won $100. Performances were scored by a panel of three judges, which was composed of CSU-Pueblo faculty members.
While the judges were polite, they were not shy about which performances they enjoyed. One the judge kept saying “Nice shoes,” while struggling for a response to a performance. Judging criteria was not disclosed.
The show consisted of a variety of musical and dance performances and one juggler. Many of the performers were new to the stage, while a few were obvious professionals.
First place went to Josh Floyd.
Floyd, who has been playing the piano since he was seven, made the room stand still as he sang and played an untitled song he’d composed on the piano. He described the piece as a personal song he wrote while going through a difficult time.
A few of the participants took some time to talk about their performances, but all of the performers were excited to get to share their talents.

Mass communications major, Dale “Dale-A-Mania” King-Adade, who won second place, performed a rap single from his new album, “Claim to Fame.” Toward the end of his performance, King-Adade did an attributive dance to Michael Jackson.
“Michael Jackson wouldn’t want it any other way,” King-Adade said. “He is my biggest influence.”
Music duo Black Phoenix performed the R&B single “Vixen” by artist Miguel. The duo is made up of “Smurf,” who is a mass communications major, and “Sambo,” who is business marketing major. The performers asked to be referred to by their stage names.
Smurf played the electric guitar while Sambo sang. The pair said they went through a few different songs before finding “Vixen.”
When choosing the song, Smurf said “I can do that.”
“It was an accident,” Sambo said. They described it as the “Frankenstein of musical work.” This was their first public performance.
Another act to share a first-time performance was Sherri Kidner.
Kidner, a nursing major, performed the Kutless song “What Faith Can Do,” combining vocals and American Sign Language. Kidner has been singing for most of her life, performing in her church choir. However, she has only been signing American Sign Language for a year. CSU-Pueblo’s Got Talent was her “first time signing and singing,” Kidner said. The judges commended her for her performance.
The most unique performance was Nicole Hulet’s juggling routine. Hulet, who is a junior biology major, started juggling as a street performer in Boulder when she was nine.

She performed off and on until she was 17, but CSU-Pueblo was her first performance in 7 years.
Hulet included a mix of balls, rings and clubs in her set and even impressively included all three at the same time at one point. She said she doesn’t go on stage with a set routine but focuses on the music and alters her routine based on the audience’s reaction.
It’s really “about pleasing the people,” Hulet said.
Third place went to Avion Perkins who performed an original rap about trees.