A dance battle between two wizards competing for the title of High Priest of Camelot broke out in the Plaza of the Americas Monday afternoon after Warlock Corpuis crashed a rally supporting his rival, Salizar The Great.
But this wasn’t just any medieval showdown — it was performance art.
The staged duel was part of a UF studio art class student project designed to satirize modern political discourse. The event quickly took on a life of its own as a crowd of 40 spectators —many donning blue capes and pointy hats — gathered to watch the wizards squabble over made-up policy positions and relationships with Lancelot and King Arthur.
Salizar’s campaign promised more farms, better crops and a reduction in alchemy restrictions while Corpuis vowed to till the fields at quadruple the current speed. When words failed, Corpuis challenged his opponent to settle their differences the only logical way: through a dance-off.
Set to the pulsating beat of “Like a G6,” the battle was fierce. Corpuis’ impressive moves sent cheers through the audience, ultimately securing him the win — much to Salizar’s dismay. Now, the fantastical foes said they’re working to come to an agreement. Salizar has agreed to serve as an apprentice under Corpuis but has plans to one day overthrow his opponent. Corpuis said he’ll thwart Salizar at every turn.
Peyton Hagerty, the 18-year-old UF art freshman who played Salizar, said the duel was meant to be a “commentary on the current political climate of defamation politics,” Her friend, 19-year-old UF art freshman Lia Grace Price, helped bring the performance to life as Copuis.
“We are hating on each other instead of hating on each other’s issues,” she said.
Hagerty said she wanted to draw attention to how real-life political discussions can be hijacked by personal attacks. But, she added, the event was also meant for people to have fun.
“I love that people actually interacted with it,” she said. “I’m very grateful that people care about the wizards.”
The spectacle attracted gamers, Harry Potter fans and other wizard enthusiasts — including a certain white-bearded legend.
Gandalf, played by 18-year old UF electrical engineering freshman Ryan Brown, made a fashionably late entrance after his physics lecture, earning roaring applause from the crowd.
Brown said he saw the event on YikYak, thought “‘you know what? I’m free on Monday,” and ordered the costume.
“It was completely improv,” he said. “I didn’t even have a wizard name before I showed up. They called me Gandalf; I took it. It was great fun.”
Gandalf threw his support behind Salizar’s campaign, posing for photos with his newfound fans.
Nolyn Breuninger, a 20-year-old computer science junior at the University of Central Florida, drove two hours to watch the wizards spar. He couldn’t participate as a voter, he said, because he wasn’t familiar with the wizards’ policies.
Besides, he said, “they didn’t give me any nuclear energy options.”
Salizar and Corpuis missed several traditional hot-button issues, but the crowd was more interested in the tilling speed of the fields. They waved their wands — sticks from the Plaza’s trees — to show their enthusiasm.
Giovanni Gabriel McCoy, a 23-year-old UF environmental engineering junior, said he was invited to the event by the Gator Gaming club’s resident wizard jockey.
He said he enjoyed the deeper story behind the performance.
“[The wizards] wanted the same thing, and I think that was done on purpose so they can make up in the end,” he said.
McCoy said he often sees videos of unique events happening on college campuses but had never been to one himself — until now.
“It was awesome,” he said. “This is the first time that I’ve actually seen one of these whimsical fun events happen, and I would definitely go again. Nerds are stronger together.”
Contact Grace McClung at gmcclung@alligator.org. Follow her on X @gracenmclung
Grace McClung is a third-year journalism major and the university administration reporter for The Alligator. In her free time, Grace can be found running, going to the beach and writing poetry.
