Iowa City, IA- Dancers dance at Dance Marathon 18 during power hour in the IMU Main Lounge on Saturday, February 4, 2011. (The Daily Iowan/ Ricky Bahner)
Twenty-four hours ago, a lime green sea of dancers sat on the floor of the IMU beginning a chant that would follow them throughout the night: “For the Kids.”
A day later, they are ending exactly where they started, sitting together for one goal, one fight.
This year Dance Marathon participants raised over $1.3 million towards pediatric cancer, beating last year’s record of $1.2 million.
Participants immediately jumped up, the room quickly exploding with cheers.
Keely Jarvill, a UI senior, said she was proud of the participants’ ability to raise more money than last year.
“It was a lot of hard work, and I’m so proud of all the dancers and how much we raised this year [and] beat last year’s,” she said. “Good work guys.”
After the final song of Power Hour played dancers were finally allowed to sit for the first time since the event began.
A collective, exasperated sigh filled the room as participants lowered themselves onto the floor.
Dancers were excited to sit down, but they were even more ecstatic to have participated in the event.
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UI freshman Callie Espanto said she’s looking forward to sleeping right away.
“I’m exhausted, but I feel good about myself. It’s a good feeling [to be done], but I’m really tired, and I’m going to go to bed now,” Espanto said, laughing.
Though the dancers have started to exit the IMU, and the Big Event festivities have halted until next February, the memories of Dance Marathon 18′s “One Goal, One Fight” slogan will surely be a longstanding one for all of this weekend’s participants.
“…And the greatest part about Dance Marathon is that we are a family, and families come together,” said Elyse Meardon, the UI Dance Marathon executive director.
— By Kristen East and Jordyn Reiland
