Dance Marathon to keep students dancing all night

By Elizabeth Kassab

Daily Staff Reporter

An estimated 250 people are expected to exchange their snow boots for dancing shoes tomorrow morning for the third annual Dance Marathon.

The student-organized philanthropy event, which has students on their feet for more than 30 hours, will raise money for the pediatric rehabilitation center at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. This year proceeds will also go to Ann Arbor's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

Dance Marathon Executive Director Brian Ackerman said the children and their families are invited to come see the dancers and speak to them.

"When you see a child who has been through difficult conditions and see how well they've improved, it's amazing. It keeps your mind off of how much your feet hurt,"said Ackerman, who has been working with Dance Marathon since its first year at the University.

The event began at the University in 1998 with 73 dancers raising nearly $35,000, Ackerman said. Last year's 250 participants raked in almost $90,000, but Ackerman would not estimate how much money is expected from this year's event.

"We're just trying to make the best marathon ... a good event to help the kids and do well for the hospitals," he said.

The dancers raise money through donations from sponsors such as friends, family, and various campus organizations.

"It's a campuswide event," entertainment committee member Najia Sheik said. "Everyone from athletes to profs are there." Sheikh will also serve as a moraler at the event to keep the dancers on their feet for all 30 hours.

Moraler Julie Shah, an Engineering junior, said the job of a moraler is to "keep them pumped" by offering a word of encouragement and an occasional massage. Games, entertainment, and refreshments will be provided for the dancers.

Ackerman said it's taken a year and a central planning committee of 22 students to coordinate the event. An additional 80 students assisted with the mechanics of the marathon from recruiting local bands to play at the event to collecting donations from campus organizations, he said.

"It's a lot of stress, but it's worth it when they bring the kids in. Everyone comes together," Sheikh said.

While the event only started a few years ago at the University, Penn State students have been holding marathons for more than 25 years. Similar events are held at more than a dozen other universities, including Indiana, Florida State, Bowling Green, and Northwestern.

The event begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Indoor Track and Field Building and lasts until 4 p.m. Sunday. Moralers are still needed for the event. Students interested in participating as moralers can attend a meeting today at 4 p.m. in the Michigan Union.