24 hours.
In that time, life-changing memories have been made. Many children who are ill and in hospital beds normally, danced in tutus and face paint. College students normally going out with their friends on Friday and Saturday night spent it with complete strangers, who are also family.
Hundreds of songs, thousands of footsteps, roughly $1.53 million raised later, Dance Marathon 19 has come to an end
After Power Hour, dancers finally sat down for the last hour of Dance Marathon. Twenty-three dancing filled hours had passed and the dancers reveled in their accomplishments.
The closing speaker was the Bryce Campbell family, who lost their son only four weeks ago. The story of Bryce was told and, during difficult moments, the dancers clapped and cheered for the family. Dance Marathon is its own family.
Many tears were shed and only continued during the video showcasing the Dancing in Our Hearts children, who have lost their battle with their illness.
The closing ceremony is usually an emotional one, which hits home with many people.
“I’ve done it for five years and the most emotional part of the ceremony is always the Dancing in Our Hearts video,” Dance marathon alumni Nicole Brokloff said. “Just knowing some of the kids in the video makes it really emotional.”
Twelve-year-old Mallory Traviss also agreed that the Dancing in Our Hearts video was touching.
“I came here because my sister is doing it and I wanted to support her,” Traviss said. “I thought I would just be upstairs playing with the kids, but I got to dance and do all kinds of stuff. At the closing ceremony it was really sad and made me think of all the kids.”
Elsie Perkins lost her son two years ago, and said the closing ceremony helps her remember her child and always keeps him in her heart.
“It’s kind of sad Dance Marathon is over,” Perkins said. “Here you can talk about your family openly, and its really special others open their hearts to him. Now we have to wait a whole year until the next one.”
Dance Marathon will continue to help open people’s hearts, as well as heal others. Dance Marathon is where new friends will be made, and new blisters will settle on the soles of dancers’ feet. Dance Marathon will continue for one sole reason.
For the Kids.
