Everything you missed at Dance Marathon

At this point in the year, it would be surprising to me if you haven’t yet heard about Dance Marathon. I am pretty sure that I have seen more Facebook posts regarding the esteemed fundraiser than sorority girls changing their profile pictures for philanthropy events.

That being said, the commitment and dedication that Vanderbilt students have to this cause is absolutely astounding. For those of you who haven’t yet heard, Vanderbilt Dance Marathon raised $230,099.16 for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital this past Saturday. Their fundraising goal? $200,000.

The event spans 13 hours, and is filled with food, activities, adorable miracle children running around, and (you guessed it) LOTS of dancing. I attended the big event for one hour, but for those of my friends that are committee members, I wanted to see what it was have experienced Dance Marathon in all its glory – for the full 13 hours.

Here is what sophomore Thetas Shelly Feldman [fundraising committee], Allie Love and Holly Friedlander [both on family relations committee] had to say about the experience:

Hour 1:

Everyone is exhausted from setting up all morning and the night before, but ready for the event to begin. The kids arrive ready to go: their excitement culminates to them bouncing off the walls – they’re all so hyper.

It’s going to be a long (but fun!) day.

Hour 2:

The opening ceremony starts, and all of the kids walk down the yellow carpet: they feel like mini superstars, and getting their name called on stage makes their faces light up with happiness. Excitement is still in the air, but the nerves start to set in because there are only 13 hours to make the goal.

Whisperings culminate around the SLC that we are close to the goal, but there is still a considerable amount left to raise throughout the day. The pressure mounts.

Hour 3:

The hourly dance that the morale committee creates commences. The kids are nuts, and we run around chasing after them, making sure that they stay entertained.

Between playing with the miracle children and dancing like crazy, this hour flies by with no time to think of anything else.

Hour 4:

A ballet barre class and puppies are the highlights of hour 4.

Getting to see the kids play with tiny puppies was cuteness overload, and my butt is still sore from too many pliés. It seemed like a good idea since it was early in the day…

Hour 5:

Chic Fil A arrives, and people flock to the food table in order to get their fill on chicken sandwiches and nuggets. At this point, the kids have realized that we will do anything they ask, and so they got pretty bossy.

Holly got persuaded into letting one of the miracle children paint her entire face.

Hour 6:

Things are starting to get fuzzy – the drinking of coffee and Red Bull begins.

Gotta stay amped for the remaining 7 hours. Almost halfway done with the big event!

Hour 7:

The halfway point. Everyone is wondering if we are close to our goal, but only the Director of Fundraising, Jordan Detar, knows the total.

Everyone is trying to read her expression – she seems calm, but a little nervous. Everyone is frantically texting their friends to stop by the event and buy a ticket.

Hour 8:

All of the committee members are getting sick of the hourly dance, an 8 minute routine that consists of a mashup of popular songs.

Chuys also arrived – the moment everyone had been looking forward too all day. We were already full from all of the BBQ and Chic Fil A from earlier, but the exhaustion made us want to stuff our faces. Never been more full in our entire lives.

Hour 9:

The younger miracle children, knowing they would have to leave the event to go to bed soon, were using the inflatable slide and bouncy house for one last time.

The committee members said their goodbyes to all of the children, knowing that in a few short hours, they would be changing their lives forever!

Hour 10:

Since you cannot sit down for the entirety of the 13 hours, all of the committee members’ feet are starting to ache.

At this point, most of the children had left, so at least the committees had a reprieve from running around after children.

Hour 11:

All a blur.

Hour 12:

Sugar and caffeine is needed. Just waiting for the cookies to arrive to stuff our faces…

Hour 13:

Excitement and anxiety builds, with the committee members knowing that the total is about to be announced. The nerves start getting to people as the anxiously wait for Jordan to go up to the microphone with the final sum. Once she announces the total amount of money raised, every committee member goes wild.

Everyone is sobbing and hugs are doled out to each person. Everyone is so happy that seven months of hard work has finally paid off, yet saddened that the one day to celebrate the kids has come to a close.

I am so proud to be a part of a community that shows this level of dedication to serving others.

I know that in years to come, Dance Marathon’s fundraising goal will continue to increase, and Vanderbilt students will keep on raising the bar to meet it. That’s just who we are. Well done VUDM.