THON 2010: Fatigue Starts To Set In

Through their first night, fatigue may start hitting the dancers.

“The dancers are starting to get a little bit tired, a little bit out of it,” sophomore moraler Andrew Montgomery said. “ Everybody’s trying to keep them moving.”

While many dancers are unaware of the actual time, Montgomery said he thought the morning hours are the most difficult for the dancers. The normally crowded floor and stands are quieter and more spacious as many supporters have yet to arrive.

With smaller crowds, even more responsibility falls onto the shoulders of moralers, who are responsible for keeping dancers motivated and happy. 

“The early morning hours are the toughest for the dancers because the stands are so empty,” Montgomery said. “As more people start coming into the stands and more people start cheering and come onto the floor, it’s going to be a lot easier for [the dancers].”

Agreeing with Montgomery, dancer Jason Krauth said he felt energy was down a bit at the Bryce Jordan Center compared with last night, but with time he expects the same electric environment to return.

Despite being on his feet since 6 p.m. Friday, Krauth said the non-stop music was helping him keep his mind off other things like fatigue.

“Just hearing it all the time makes it hard for you to be tired because there is always music blaring,” he said. “We’re just trying to have fun, and the line dance is just something to get your mind of [fatigue] for five minutes.”

The dancers also participate in various activities on the floor to stay engaged.

“We’re supposed to be taking a tour of the United States of America,” Krauth said of an upcoming event. “There are five different stations. You can get married here, there is salsa dancing, all kinds of stuff.”