- 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.
Contents
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" (1933?), 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 Dance Marathon
A modern charity dance marathon at Pennsylvania State UniversityThe Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, commonly referred to as 'THON, is a two day 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. 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 MarathonFounded in 1975, the Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM) is one of the world's largest student-run philanthropies. The event brings together over 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 2011, NUDM raised $1,019,130 to benefit The Children's Heart Foundation. In its 37-year history, NUDM has raised over $12 million for 30 different charities.[7][8]
Other colleges that have Dance Marathons include Indiana University, Florida State University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, UCLA, University of North Carolina, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Purdue University, and University of Florida. In 2010, the 20th annual Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM) raised $1,602,713.20 for Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.[9] To date, the 36-hour IUDM has raised over $8.5 million for Riley.[10] Florida State University holds the largest student-run philanthropy in the Southeastern United States that includes over 2000 student volunteers and a fundraising total of over $3.3 million in the last 16 years. Rutgers' 32-hour Dance Marathon has raised over $2 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation, which aids families of children with cancer and blood disorders. Dance Marathon at UCLA, in its tenth year on February 19, 2011 and raised $2.15 million, benefits UCLA AIDS Institute, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Project Kindle, and One Heartland. The University of Iowa Dance Marathon was founded in 1994 and in 2011 raised $1,220,146.17 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.[11] The Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan 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.[12]
High Schools
District 219 Dance Marathon has been run by Niles North And Niles West High School since 2003 in Skokie, Illinois. Each year a new charity is selected. - 2003, Children's Miracle Network, $8,000 - 2004, Bear Necessities, $23,000 - 2005, Causes, $25,000 - 2006, Rock for Kids, $44,000 - 2007, Have Dreams, $51,000 - 2008, Partners in Health, $70,000 - 2009, Camp One Step at A Time, $83,000 - 2010, Expanding Lives, $83,000 - 2011, Refugee One, $86,000 - 2012, Special Gifts Theatre Students raise money throughout the year and the event is held in May. The website for District 219 Dance Marathon is http://www.dm219.org
A Dance Marathon is run each year by Carmel High School, in Carmel, Indiana. The marathon was started in 2006 in honor of Ashley Louise Crouse, former student body president of Carmel High School. Ashley's family and friends started the first marathon in her memory, raising more than $35,000. Each year, the marathon has raised more money than previously, with the most recent marathon raising over 230,000.
In 2003, Springfield High School (SHS) located in Springfield, PA (Delco) started Dance Marathon at their school. It was started out of inspiration by a SHS teacher named Mr. Steve Stefani. He was a highly praised and respected teacher that everyone knew. When Steve died, many students and staff were heartbroken. This sparked an idea in a teacher named Mr. John Gildea. John started Dance Marathon at SHS in 2003. It was named the "Steve Stefani/SHS Dance Marathon" to respect the great teacher they lost. Every year the Dance Marathon at SHS raises more and more every year. In 2011, the Steve Stefani/SHS Dance Marathon raised $152,850.31. The money raised by the Thon is donated to the four diamonds foundation. The Four Diamond foundation donates this money to kids with cancer.[13]
The largest high school level Dance Marathon is run each year in South Glens Falls, New York. The South High Marathon Dance (SMHD) is an annual charitable fundraiser held in South Glens Falls, New York. Since 1977, students in the town's eponymous high school perform a 28-hour dance marathon, drawing donations from sponsor pledges. It is normally held the first weekend in March every year. In 2009, State Senator Roy McDonald recognized the 32nd annual event with a proclamation saying, "This event is truly emblematic of what young people can do to make a significant difference in their communities.".[14]
The dance began in 1977, with about 50 dancers raising $1500 to donate to the local Emergency Squad, and has grown to include more than 700 dancers (about 75% of the school's population) and in 2010 raised more than $280,000 . In the 33 years the dance has been held, the students, and community, have raised over $2.42 Million Dollars. Currently, The South High Marathon Dance is recognized as the nation's largest Dance Marathon in terms of student attendance and money raised.[15]
In December 2009, Mira Loma High School located in Sacramento, CA became the first high school on the West Coast to pioneer the Dance Marathon movement for Children's Miracle Network. At the Mira Loma Dance Marathon (MLDM), over 200 students raised five thousand two hundred and thirty eight dollars - almost all of it from individual donors - for the construction of a modern Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the UC Davis Children's Hospital, Sacramento, CA and for research on Juvenile Diabetes.
With Mira Loma High School lighting the lamp on West Coast with MLDM09, the High School Dance Marathon movement of Children's Miracle Network continues to move forward with more high schools in California and West Coast looking to organize this event for their students as an excellent project based learning tool while also giving an opportunity for their students to give back to the community and become involved in sharing and caring for the community at an early age.
References
- ^ "Dance Marathons" by Renee Camus, in: U.S.A. Twenties, Grolier, 2004 hardcover ISBN 0717260194, 2005 paperback ISBN 0-7172-6013-5
- ^ Frank M. Calabria, Dance of the sleepwalkers: the dance marathon fad. Popular Press, 1993, ISBN 0879725702. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BnoSrB7LJkIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=marathon+dance&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a&cd=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ Carol J. Martin, Dance marathons: performing American culture of the 1920s and 1930s. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 1994, ISBN 0878057013. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AFSfJ07LlhQC&pg=PA174&dq=marathon+dance&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a&cd=2#v=onepage&q=horace%20mccoy&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ High Times Hard Times, Anita O'Day, pg. 34.
- ^ Hurst, David (2009-02-22). "PSU gives back with THON". The Altoona Mirror (Altoona Mirror). http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/516354.html. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ McCormack, Lauren (2009-02-02). "Penn State's THON a charitable tradition". The Daily Local News (Daily Local News). http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/02/02/news/doc4986ed3f051db739928527.txt. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ http://www.twitvid.com/BO6ZY
- ^ http://nudm.org/2011/03/10/northwestern-university-dance-marathon-breaks-a-million-for-the-childrens-heart-foundation/
- ^ "IU Dance Marathon breaks fundraising record". Indiana Daily Student. http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=78474.
- ^ "About IUDM". http://iudancemarathon.wordpress.com/about/.
- ^ [dm.stanford.edu Stanford Dance Marathon]
- ^ http://www.dmum.org/about.html
- ^ "Steve Stefani/SHS Dance Marathon". http://www.ssdcougars.org/webpages/dancemarathon/.
- ^ "South High Marathon Dance". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_High_Marathon_Dance.
- ^ "SHMD". http://shmd.org.
"Souvenir Booklet: the Dance Marathon: Intriguing--Amusing--Sensational--Entertainment" copyrighted R. M. Edwards, Edico Inn, Rochester, IN (1933?)
External links
Categories:- 1920s fads and trends
- Entertainment
- Competitive dance
- Charity fundraisers
- Dance in the United States
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