February 15, 2013 at 9:34 PM

Two Whiplash Dance team members kicked off their first ever THON experience with a performance on stage during pre-THON activities.

Whiplash, along with two other dance teams, the Penn State Blue Bandmdrumline and the Nittany Lion, all performed the hour before THON began.

Julia Depeppe (freshman – psychology) and Nina Marchesani (freshman – math education) had no idea what to expect when they walked on stage earlier this evening, and were awe struck by the colors represented in the Bryce Jordan Center.

“There is no way that you could have put [the performance] into words,” Depeppe said. “Just walking out on stage and seeing all of those people, with different colors and letters and lights… it’s breathtaking.”

Depeppe said the team had put in countless hours preparing for their performances this weekend. She said the team thrived on the energy from the crowd to overcome and nerves.

“I think we all went out, took all of those hours we all put into it and we went out and did it for the kids,” Marchesani said.

With their first experience at THON, Depeppe and Marchensani felt intimidated at first, knowing that they would be performing in front of a packed arena, but then remembered what THON was about.

“Everybody is here for the same reason, for the kids. I thought it was really inspirational… it just made me feel like we were a whole big family,” Depeppe said.

Marchesani, a New Jersey native arrived at Penn State knowing little about THON and what it was all about, but quickly felt at home in the THON community.

“Once I got more into [THON], I was like ‘is this real?’ It really is magical,” Marchesani said.

Whiplash will be performing again Saturday evening.