CAS Style! Centennial Chorus Brings it

For its finale, the CAS Centennial Orchestra and Chorus brought down the house with an actuarial take on Gangnam Style, the “ear-worm-worthy”  song by the Korean power pop sensation Psy. The performance garnered a much-deserved encore. See Ron Lettofsky’s lyrics at right.

As we started to gather expectantly in the rehearsal room, I wondered many things: Had anyone practiced the music beforehand? Are we going to have enough men? Will they sound any good? Can we pull this together in time? And what on earth could they be serving Tuesday night at $350 a plate? But possibly the very last thing I was wondering was, “Can they dance?”

As a side note, certainly anyone sizing up my “not-exactly-lean” 100 kg-plus frame (you do the conversion) could be forgiven for assuming that I was probably some sort of dancer. Ballet perhaps? No. Jazz? Hmm…ah yes, of course: clearly a modern, hip-hop dancing master. But more on this thought a bit later.

The first rehearsal on Saturday progressed very nicely with the chorus and the orchestra, both of which were very attentive, responsive and musically talented. We had more than a chance of sounding good; this concert was really going to shine. But something was missing from the final rap medley … a certain je ne sais quoi, an energy, a liveliness, a shared celebratory experience. I couldn’t put my finger on it then, but it would come to me later in a dream.

As I was lying in the king-sized Hilton bed Sunday morning, I had a vision — a vision of dancing actuaries. A vision of past CAS presidents and chief actuaries, of managers and modelers, leaders and captains of industry, all cutting loose, letting go of inhibitions, shaking their collective booties and downright “gettin’ jiggy wid it!”

Alas, but who to train these yet unsculpted mounds of raw talent? They needed someone to choreograph and rehearse the steps, dance steps which distilled the very essence of being alive and a credentialed actuary. That’s where I came in. Armed with only my humble ACAS designation, I somehow managed to piece together the show-stopping moves which quickly became one of the most watched videos on YouTube!

The CAS Centennial Orchestra and Chorus take a bow.

The CAS means a lot of different things to different people, but I was so very happy that we were able to add a musical and artistic meaning to an organization that has given me so much. More than a fantastic career, the CAS has also given me many friends, great experiences and opportunities. As someone with an advanced music degree, I was thrilled I got to merge both of my worlds, math and music, in a night of celebration with so many others who could share and express the same thing alongside their peers.


When he’s not dreaming up dance numbers, Michael Ersevim, ACAS, is AVP-actuary for AmTrust Underwriters Inc. in Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

CAS Style by Ron Lettofsky, CAS Centennial Orchestra Conductor/Music Arranger

To the tune of Gangnam Style

C-A-S Style, Gangnam Style
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, C-A-S Style
Gangnam Style
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, C-A-S Style

Hey Actuary!
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, C-A-S Style
Hey Actuary!
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, A-a-a-a-a-a

I-L-F, L-D-F, I-B-N-R, A-L-A-E.
My compound Poisson Gamma
process
GLM is Tweedie.

Umbrella, home and auto, GL,
Work Comp, Property.
I’m a P and C Actuary!

Hey Actuary!
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, C-A-S Style
Hey Actuary!
Ope-Ope-Ope-Ope, A-a-a-a-a-a

C-A-S Style!


Ron Lettoffsky, ACAS, works for Fireman’s Fund Insurance in Chicago.