A Dance Marathon 18 participant fist pumps after 20 hours of dancing. (The Daily Iowan/Asmaa Elkeurti)
The Morale Captains in Training finally got their first taste of the lime light.
MCT’s and Morale Captains performed under the bright lights for the first of two Morale Dances a little while before participants geared up for Power Hour — the final hour of Dance Marathon.
Morale Captain in Training Regan Hulsig said learning the morale dance was her favorite experience, but it was a lot of work.
“I really enjoyed [the dance],” the 13-year-old said. “It’s a great experience because it’s the first time I have ever done [Dance Marathon].”
But Christopher Jones, 13, didn’t feel the same. He wasn’t looking forward to the Morale Dance beforehand.
“I haven’t learned it,” he said with a smile, adding he was nervous about performing in such a large crowd.
Jones decided taking a four-hour nap would be more beneficial.
“It was fantastic,” he said.
Hulsig and Jones both had cancer, and they are here today because of their friends and their personal experiences in the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
“I had cancer, but I am also here to dance for my friends that died of cancer,” Hulsig said. “I would be interested in doing Dance Marathon in college, and I’d like my friends to do it with me.”
Jones said he also plans on participating in the MCT program next year.
“Since I had cancer, [Dance Marathon] has been such a big part of my life when I was in the hospital,” he said.
MCT’s spend a majority of the Big Event interacting with their partnered morale captain, learning the morale dance, and receiving special nicknames from veteran captains.
— Kristen East and Jordyn Reiland
Students dance with the kids at the end of Dance Marathon 18 at 5:00 pm on Saturday. (The Daily Iowan/Jessica Payne)
