On the count of three, 200 women paired off and began to kick at each other.
One held the other from behind in a choke grip; another grabbed a ponytail and held it in the air.
After a few seconds of struggle, the women pushed their hands between their attackers’ arms in a windmill motion, twisted out of their grip and faced their opponents.
Then they all dissolved into laughter.
What may have looked like a violent scene was actually Pi Beta Phi’s annual self-defense workshop held in Ackerman Grand Ballroom on Thursday.
The workshop, which is in its third year at UCLA, is run by The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, which teaches hands-on self-defense to young women and is open to all members of the Panhellenic sororities as well as members from other chapters of Pi Beta Phi.
Because the event is an official Panhellenic event, about 15 members of each sorority on campus were obligated to attend, said Greek adviser Troy Bartels.
After Alexandra Kemp, a member of the Kansas State University chapter of Pi Beta Phi, was murdered while working at a community pool, her parents helped found T.A.K.E. Defense with help from the sorority, according to the organization’s website.
“There is definitely a lot of awareness that (attacks against women) happen, but this is one of the only workshops that teaches girls about what to do in the event that something does happen,” said Maddie Triplett, Pi Beta Phi president.
The workshop taught women that before they can be put into a violent situation, or if they are feeling threatened by someone, they should start yelling and acting crazy, said Justina Coelho, a first-year undeclared social sciences student.
“Eight out of 10 times, people won’t attack if you’re making noise and acting crazy, so it’s a good preventive technique,” said Rachel Martinez, a first-year pre-business economics student and member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
Instructors also taught attendees which spots to target on an attacker, with emphasis on the nose, eyes, throat and groin, Martinez said.
“(The workshop) showed that women can actually beat guys,” said Shelby Lundahl, a first-year political science student. “It doesn’t matter whether they are bigger or stronger than you, there are still things that girls can do to protect themselves.”
Because of the occasional violent acts that take place around campus, it is particularly important for this event to take place at UCLA, Triplett said.
“Girls walk home late at night and our sorority row is far from fraternity row, so it’s especially good that we’re putting this on,” she said.