Daily Collegian - Airbands displays student talent (Omega 1st Place)

Airbands 2009 host and Real World Cancun cast member Bronne Bruzgo admitted that he wasn't quite prepared for the hosting gig.

"They called me at 11 o'clock last night while I was cramming for a test," he said in his opening monologue.

Bruzgo (senior-history) welcomed attendees to the show, one of many events in celebration of Homecoming this week. At Airbands, fraternities, sororities and other organizations showcased their jazz squares and pirouettes in competition.

Each performance was based around a theme and featured costumes, custom music mixes and complex choreography. Many of the groups chose to take inspiration from movies and television.

At the end of the night, the groups were judged and ranked.

The show also gave the 2009 Homecoming court a chance to be in a spotlight, as members of the court introduced the performances and even gave one of their own.

Ann Marie DiPietro, special events director for Homecoming, said the event was a great chance for the court and the student groups to show how much they really care about the university and their respective organizations.

"You can tell they really put their heart into it," DiPietro (senior-nursing) said.

Students at the event said they recognized the clubs' efforts in the performances. Cydney Actie (freshman-public relations) said she came in support of her friends and loved many of the night's dance numbers.

Regardless of effort, only two groups could reign supreme at the end of the event. Theta Chi and Phi Sigma Rho's Toy Story themed performance took first among the greeks and the Lion Ambassadors' journey through Penn State's history reigned supreme over the independent clubs.

DiPietro said she hopes students that were in attendance take away a good time and an understand of the love different organizations have for PSU.