Three thousand students jumped up from their seats and began doing the Cha-Cha Slide while the performers from the fourth floor of Clevenger Hall in LaFollette Complex, with flashlight silhouetted faces, lip synced the lyrics. The group, calling themselves C-4, won the crowd favorite and residential category awards.
The winners of the 2009 Homecoming Royalty were also announced at the end of the event. The title of Homecoming king went to William Garnes of Alpha Phi Alpha, while Lauren Petersen of Baker/Klipple was crowned queen.
"Last Spring Semester, my hall nominated me," Petersen said. "And my partner and I participated in the talent show where they announced the king and queen."
"Basically my frat [Alpha Phi Alpha] wanted a Homecoming candidate and I volunteered," Garnes said. "I definitely would've never dreamed of anything like this."
With 20 groups performing, including greek, residence hall, and Student Life organizations competing for several titles, the night proved to be exciting.
"Outlet" dance team member Antonio Lee attributed the intense practice schedule and random dance number to the team's win.
"We've been practicing since the beginning of the semester, while some of the others only started last weekend," Lee said.
Some in the Air Jam audience traveled several hours to see the show.
Richard Lance, high school principal of Tecumseh Junior Senior High in Lynnville, Ind., said he and his wife drove five hours to see if their son would win Homecoming king.
"We have never seen [Air Jam] before, but our son says it is a lot of fun," Lance said.
Many students found Air Jam to be exciting.
"I'm having a blast," freshman Joselyn Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith heard about the event from her friends in the Delta Zeta sorority and was at the show to see them perform.
Not only were audience members excited, but so were last night's performers.
Jan Abbs, a Ball State University alumna and first-time Air Jam attendee, said she was impressed with how fun and exciting the event was.
Chris Rios, a performer with Spectrum, said the group was there to defend last year's crowd favorite award and they had fun.
The Code Red dancers topped off the night with an energetic dance number.
"It was a tiring dance, but it was fun," member Caitlyn Pohland said.
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