Approximately 75 dancers participated in the second annual Dance Marathon at the Memorial Union this weekend, down by more than half from last year's event. The 18-hour charity event, which raised money for children's AIDS research and care, ran from 7 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Saturday.
While participation numbers fell well below last year's count of nearly 200, committee members noted the Wisconsin vs. University of Michigan football game this weekend as a possible cause for the decline. While organizers estimate this year's event raised approximately $15,000 overall, according to Heidi Chuckel UW-Madison senior and Dance Marathon coordinator of public relations and advertising.
Jake Strand, executive co-chair of this year's event and a UW-Madison senior, said they urged dancers to raise money on top of their $20 registration fee. Fund-raising requirements, previously set at $180, were lifted this year when the committee decided dancers should be able to participate regardless of how much they were able to raise. Strand also said the committee spent more time publicizing the program this year.
A larger following is expected next year as more students spread the word, Strand said. He also said he feels a more extensive information campaign aimed at freshmen is in order for next year's marketing and public relations teams.
Dance Marathon began more than 20 years ago at Northwestern University and has filtered its way through universities across the nation, capturing a reputation as the largest student run philanthropy in the country.
UW-Madison was the last Big Ten school to adopt the trend two years ago when representatives of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Camp Heartland, both founded by UW-Madison alumni, contacted students urging them to get involved.
\We met with the people who would be benefiting and we just felt very committed to the cause,"" Strand said.
This year's proceeds benefit EGPAF, Camp Heartland and the UW Children's Hospital.
While Dance Marathon committee members were already hooked on helping a good cause, inspirational videos featuring children who benefit from the event brought the message home to many of the dancers this weekend. Children from Camp Heartland were also present throughout the night and again in the morning as reminders to the dancers to keep moving.
""You just look at the kids and the videos they show and you see everyone want to get back up and do it,"" said Amy Snyder, a UW-Madison sophomore who participated in the event.
Snyder and her team of six friends giggled as they got down to Richard Simmons' workout routine, but her friend Anne Gore, a UW-Madison sophomore, warned that spirits may not be as high in the hours to come.
""Give us 10 more hours. Right now we're pumped to see our friends,"" Gore said.
Mike of MTV's tenth season ""The Real World,"" acted as host and source of motivation for many of the dancers, entertaining the crowd with personal stories, jokes and suave dance moves. Mike, in turn, gleaned strength from his surroundings.
""When you are on your last straw waiting for the next one to kick in, you just look around at all the faces and you beg for one more [straw],"" he said.
Mike's inner child shined through as he exposed a Mickey Mouse t-shirt he had been hiding for most of the evening and light heartedly demanded, ""Yo DJ, yo DJ ... can we bump this stuff one more tiiiiime?!""
Music and entertainment was provided by The Madhatters, Dance Elite and many others. Committee members and dancers alike said they felt the entertainment this year was a notable improvement over last year.
As Saturday morning slowly slipped into early noon, the level of excitement had faltered little as the UW Dance Team polkaed with the participants. Dancers said they felt when all was said and done, they walked away with a sense of accomplishment, not only for their personal stamina in lasting 18 hours but also for having benefited the children.
""You see the kids and what they go through, and you realize that 18 hours isn't nearly as bad as what they face [every day],"" said Shanley Hamilton, chair of dancer relations and a UW-Madison junior.
Nodding in agreement, her co-chair, UW-Madison senior Jenny Kehl, chimed. ""It sums it up'it's the kids.\
