Penn body builders flex their way to Mr. And Ms. Penn

Thirty-one slicked, tanned, toned, muscular bodies took the stage at the Harold L. Zellerbach Theatre on Monday night.

The 24th Ms. & Mr. Penn bodybuilding competition featured Penn students ranging from doctoral candidates and graduate students to college freshmen who posed and flexed for an excited crowd that packed the venue.

Tony Tenisci, a formerPenn Track and Field coach, hosted the program and acted as mentor and trainer for the student competitors. Tenisci raved about the high amount of participation and the quality of contestants in this year’s competition. The participants worked with Tenisci for eight weeks, staying on a diet, coming up with a routine and undergoing intense training. Tenisci said it was remarkable that no one left the program. The coach said at the competition that he often found that students would, “say the Penn thing, ‘I’m too busy.’” He encouraged audience members who might envision themselves on stage to take part in the competition next year.

College freshman Caroline Mitsch won the title of Ms. Penn, and Mr. Penn went to College graduate and Smilow Center researcher Carl Wittig. Like the first Ms. Penn, Mitsch is a gymnast. Tenisci gave out personal awards for choreography and originality of presentation to first-year candidate for a master's in East Asian Languages and Civilizations Claire Hutchins and College senior Darren Tomasso.

Parents, teammates, significant others and friends cheered on the competitors. Shouts from the audience like, “That’s my girlfriend,” “That’s my brother,” and “That’s my roommate,” sounded throughout the night. Some fans waved big cutouts of the heads of competitors.

Penn Track and Field presented the event and was highly involved with every aspect of the night. The traditional dance medley of The Fly Girls, which is made up of members of the Women’s Track and Field, opened the show, three Women’s Track and Field athletes presented the awards and many of the night’s competitors were also Track and Field athletes.

The event was split into four competitions: tall and short class men and women. Each category involved the contestants completing six mandatory moves on stage together and then doing an individual performance that stressed creativity.

One particularly memorable routine came from the duo of Track and Field athletes and College juniors Mike Benz and Wyatt David who bucked the norm of performing solo. The pair brought most of the audience to its feet while flexing and dancing to an assortment of songs which included everything from Soulja Boy Tell'em’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” to Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles." 

Many of the contestants used various props in their routines — often to the delight of the audience. Wharton senior Jordan Palmer ripped off flyaway pants and Lauder Institute graduate student Jackson Hui worked sunglasses while performing to "Gangnam Style." Some participants sang along to their chosen routine songs. Power stances and flexing poses were intermixed with dance moves. College sophomore Brendan Lilley ended his routine by posing as the Coppertone Baby. Some competitors such as College junior Molly Minnig and College sophomore Monica Benz used their athletic prowess and skills from competitive sports to impress the judges and thrill the crowd. Handstands, flips and cartwheels appeared throughout the night.

Nick Demarie, College junior and the 2015 Mr. Penn, stopped by for a quick performance of the routine he is doing at a professional show this weekend. Tenisci noted the long-lasting value of the competition for its participants. “The truth you get through this journey stays with you the rest of your life” he said.

Tenisci concluded the show by expressing his admiration for the competitors. “This is a testament to Penn and the quality of [a] kid who comes here,” he said.