Some dancers eventually move on from the art, but others find any new opportunity ERIEsistable.
Senior business administration major Mindy Fulcher and junior journalism communications major Landis Erwin can place themselves into the latter group, as both are members of the dance team for the Erie Explosion of the Southern Indoor Football League.
Erwin said that when she discovered the opportunity with the ERIEsistables, she jumped on it.
“I’m always looking for another dance experience,” Erwin said. “It’s something else to do outside of school.”
The Explosion played their first home game of the season Saturday, falling to the Trenton Steel 65-62 on a field goal as time expired, marking the first game day experience with the team. Fulcher, however, has seen her share of games with the ever-changing Erie squad.
Fulcher, acting as captain in her fifth year with the ERIEsistables, has seen the team change faces nearly as much as Dr. Lao, changing from the Freeze, the River Rats and the Storm before the squad’s current incarnation.
But the constant change within the organization hasn’t affected the camaraderie of the group.
“It’s kind of like a community,” Fulcher said. “We are really close. We spend a lot of time together with the different events we all hold and attend, not to mention the actual game time experiences.”
Fulcher said that they found the chance to dance really exciting, and that the venue and following the Explosion provided made the opportunity one not to pass up.
“I love performing,” Fulcher said. “I love meeting people, and I love dancing. At Erie Explosion games, we can perform in front of a crowd.”
For Erwin, Saturday’s game was the rookie’s first experience on game day, one that she said that she really enjoyed both during the game and after party the dance team holds for the Explosion fans.
“The atmosphere is awesome,” Erwin said. “The games are really intense; it’s just so much fun. It’s really neat meeting all the kids and adults after the game; you really feel important. The enthusiasm of the crowd is a great experience.”
While the actual game time is exciting, the work leading up to and during the event shouldn’t be underestimated. The team trains together every week on Wednesdays and Sundays, working on the choreography that Fulcher arranges and fitness for the upcoming games.
Despite the work schedule, Fulcher said throughout her five years with the ERIEsistables the experience has been worth the extra time.
“When I first started, I was nervous about it,” Fulcher said. “Now, I’m used to it. It’s nice to know you have fans there every game. It’s a lot of fun.”
Fulcher, Erwin and the rest of the ERIEsistables’ next chance to perform together comes at 7 p.m. Friday, as the Explosion host Harrisburg Stampede at Tullio Arena.
