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Dance marathon

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Marathon dancing, 1923

A dance marathon is an event in which people stay on their feet for a given length of time. It started as a popular fad in the 1920s and 1930s, when organized dance endurance contests attracted people to compete to achieve fame or win monetary prizes.[1][2] A 1969 film about the fad, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, based on the 1935 book of the same name, written by Horace McCoy who was a bouncer at several such marathons,[3] popularised the idea, and prompted students at Pennsylvania State University and Northwestern University to create charity dance marathons.

1920s and 1930s

One notable account of marathon dancing comes from the early chapters of Anita O'Day's memoir, High Times Hard Times: "It seems unbelievable now but there were once fifteen thousand people-- promoters, emcees, floor judges, trainers, nurses, cooks, janitors, cashiers, ticket-takers, publicity agents, promotion men, musicians, contestants and even a lawyer-- whose main source of income over a number of years came from endurance shows."[4] Photographs from several marathons, menus of food served to dancers at different times of day, the benefits claimed for marathons by promoters, and much rare information about them is preserved in "Souvenir Booklet: The Dance Marathon" (1932), published by R. M. Edwards in Rochester, IN. This booklet, which is unrecorded on Worldcat, states on the back cover "This little booklet is sold to you by one of the contestants and they have benefited by a liberal percentage of the receipts, and they THANK YOU!." Above this claim were lines for the autograph of that contestant and the name of the marathon.

Charity dance marathons

Main article: Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon
A modern charity dance marathon at Pennsylvania State University

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, commonly referred to as 'THON, is a 46 hour-long dance marathon that takes place every February at the Pennsylvania State University with the purpose of raising money to combat children's cancer. It was started in 1973 by the University's Interfraternity Council, and in its first year, more than $2,000 was raised, with 39 couples dancing for 30 hours straight. Today, it is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world[5][6] with $9,563,016.09 having been raised at the 2011 event, pushing the overall money total since THON's inception to over $78 million. In February 2013, THON helped raise $12,374,034.46. The money that is raised is donated to The Four Diamonds Fund, a charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children's Hospital.

Main article: Northwestern University Dance Marathon

Founded in 1972, the Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM) is one of the world's largest student-run philanthropies. The event brings together more than 1,500 students, faculty, and staff to participate in the 30-hour dance-a-thon at the end of the winter quarter. The primary beneficiary is chosen each May, and over 300 committee members work throughout the year to help organize the event and raise awareness. In 2013, NUDM raised $1,214,632 to benefit The Danny Did Foundation. In its 38-year history, NUDM has raised more than $13 million for 30 different charities.[7][8]

Other colleges that have Dance Marathons include the University of Kentucky, University of Georgia, University of Southern California, Indiana University, University of Central Florida,[9] Florida State University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, University of Connecticut, Washington University in St. Louis, UCLA, University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University,Ball State University, University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Michigan, Purdue University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of Utah and University of Missouri. In 2010, the 20th annual Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM) raised $1,602,713.20 for Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.[10] To date, the 36-hour IUDM has raised over $8.5 million for Riley.[11] The University of Florida holds the largest student-run philanthropy in the Southeastern United States that includes over 2000 student volunteers and a fundraising total of over $5.6 million in the last 18 years. Rutgers' 32-hour Dance Marathon has raised over $3 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation, which aids families of children with cancer and blood disorders. Dance Marathon at UCLA, in its 11th year in 2012 and raised a total of $3 million, benefits the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Project Kindle, One Heartland, and the UCLA AIDS Institute. The University of Iowa Dance Marathon was founded in 1994 and in 2013 raised $1,529,650.19 to support oncology patients being treated at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Stanford's Dance Marathon benefits primarily Partners in Health and FACE AIDS, and they also choose a local beneficiary each year.[12] The Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan (DMUM) raises money to support programs at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, part of the University of Michigan Health System, and William Beaumont Hospital.[13] The money raised for these therapies allows DMUM families to participate in various therapies. Participants of DMUM volunteer at these therapies in order to build relationships with Dance Marathon children. Every March, Participants of DMUM stand 30 hours at Michigan's Indoor Track and Field to show their dedication to the children, families, and hospitals they support.

References

  1. ^ "Dance Marathons" by Renee Camus, in: U.S.A. Twenties, Grolier, 2004 hardcover ISBN 0-7172-6019-4, 2005 paperback ISBN 0-7172-6013-5
  2. ^ Frank M. Calabria, Dance of the sleepwalkers: the dance marathon fad. Popular Press, 1993, ISBN 0879725702. Retrieved 2010-01-24. {{cite book}}: horizontal tab character in |publisher= at position 26 (help)
  3. ^ Carol J. Martin, Dance marathons: performing American culture of the 1920s and 1930s. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 1994, ISBN 0878057013. Retrieved 2010-01-24. {{cite book}}: horizontal tab character in |publisher= at position 39 (help)
  4. ^ High Times Hard Times, Anita O'Day, pg. 34.
  5. ^ Hurst, David (2009-02-22). "PSU gives back with THON". The Altoona Mirror. Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
  6. ^ McCormack, Lauren (2009-02-02). "Penn State's THON a charitable tradition". The Daily Local News. Daily Local News. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
  7. ^ http://www.twitvid.com/BO6ZY
  8. ^ http://nudm.org/2011/03/10/northwestern-university-dance-marathon-breaks-a-million-for-the-childrens-heart-foundation/
  9. ^ "Knight-Thon UCF Dance Marathon".
  10. ^ "IU Dance Marathon breaks fundraising record". Indiana Daily Student.
  11. ^ "About IUDM".
  12. ^ [dm.stanford.edu Stanford Dance Marathon]
  13. ^ http://www.dmum.org/about.html

"Souvenir Booklet: the Dance Marathon: Intriguing--Amusing--Sensational--Entertainment" copyrighted R. M. Edwards, Edico Inn, Rochester, IN (1933?)

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