This year's dancers will have been on their feet for thirteen hours before the Phyrst Phamly takes the stage at the Marathon.

The Phamly will be just what the dancers need in order to forget their aching feet. The dancers will be too busy singing the lyrics of "The Brady Bunch Theme" or "Gilligan's Island" to concentrate on the pain.

The five-member Phyrst Phamly usually plays exclusively at the Phyrst, but the group feels The Dance Marathon is a worthy reason to leave the bar and take to the stage at White Building.

Ernie Oelbermann, owner of the Phyrst and the band's leader, has participated in the last ten Dance Marathons. He said the Marathon has a special significance for him.

"One of the reasons I like to play at the Marathon is that we (Oelbermann and his wife) had a boy, ten years old, who died of cancer in 1971. It hits home," Oelbermann said.

He said he believes the presence of the kids from the Hershey Medical Center inspires the dancers.

"They see the kids and it helps them go on and on," he said.

For the past decade, Oelbermann has seen thousands of dancers withstand the grueling Marathon weekend. "Those people are marvelous," he said. "They deserve so much credit."

A Phyrst Phamly performance staple is audience participation. "When everyone gets together, they really get into it," Oelbermann said.

However, the Phamly has modified one aspect of participation for the Dance Marathon. "We bag the foot stomping; (the dancers') feet will hurt too much," Oelbermann said.

Dancers will be looking forward to the Phamly's performance for some comic relief.

"They do really silly songs but everyone seems to like them. They get the crowd really pumped up," says Rich Lewis (senior-African / American studies), a dancer in this year's Marathon.

A former dancer agreed. "People from 21 to 81 enjoy their music. They're very family-oriented. They're a little hokey, but who doesn't love the theme from Gilligan's Island? They really bring you to life," Mark Rogoff (senior-management) said.

With a repertoire that includes everything from "The Hokey Pokey" to the Penn State Fight Song, the Phamly will keep everyone involved.