Countdown to a Cure

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

The final total

Final amount raised by Dance Marathon 2007: $708,711.20, including donations of goods and time.

$423,027.68 of the amount raised will go to CURE and $47,003 to the Evanston Community Foundation.

Text: Libby Nelson/The Daily Northwestern

Photos:
(Top and middle)
Susan Axelrod, President and founder of CURE looks on as the DM executives thank students for their partication in the event.

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern


(Bottom)
Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

The Biggest Winners of DM

The Delta Gamma and Zeta Beta Tau fundraising chairs had to bring their money in duffel bags.

It wasn't until the DM fundraising chairs counted it that they found out they'd not only raised more money than any other group, but that they'd raised $65,000 more.

"It took lots of hard work — thousands of hours of canning, thousands of letters, all across the board," ZBT fundraising chairman Phillip Reich said.

Philanthropy chair Peter Koelsch said the realization the two groups raised more than $83,000 still hasn't sunk in yet.

"It still hasn't hit me," the Weinberg sophomore said. "The sheer amount of money we were able to bring in is astounding. I'm excited, tired and happy for us - this is fulfilling."

It was a mutual feeling for Delta Gamma, said Katherine Veeder, a Medill junior and a member of Delta Gamma.

"It's a lot of hard work, standing out in the snow and rain, asking for money," she said. "But it's bigger than you or I or the dancing- it's about the beneficiary and finding a cure."

The two groups will take home a tall trophy. The couple who raised the most money are taking home a little bit more — an eight-day trip to London and Paris.

This isn't anything new for Weinberg sophomore Joe Bellanca and SESP sophomore Lilly Hubschman, who were the winning couple last year too and just returned from the trip they won at DM 2006.

Their secret? Letters, and "making it clear why you should support it," Hubschman said.

The two plan to dance all four years, she said.

Text: Libby Nelson and Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern


Members of Zeta Beta Tau hoist their trophy high above the crowd after learning they raised over $83,000 for DM.

Photo: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

The last hour

(Bottom)
SESP senior Lauren Parnell dances on the shoulders of a friend during the last hour of DM 2007.

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Breaking it down

The dancers learned the 30 Hour Dance during DM, learning a small piece before each break, and performed it just before midnight Sunday morning.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Celebrities Support DM

Although they aren't dancing, many celebrities supported Dance Marathon by donating movie posters, DVDs and other paraphernalia to this year's silent auction.

The DM celebrity auction netted $7,181 total over the course of the event.

The items for auction were donated to DM by the celebrities themselves.

"People are definitely pretty impressed by how big some of the people are that signed this stuff," said Sean Crow, a McCormick freshman who was watching the auction for his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon.

The auction ends at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Text: Elise Foley/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

Johnson still strong in 30

While he may be losing his voice, DM emcee Todd Johnson feels fine.

This is the Medill junior¹s third year co-hosting the event with friend Adam Welton.

"It's a perfect situation to work here with Adam and to be around a group of people who share the same dedication to a cause," he said.

Both Johnson and Welton studied abroad fall quarter. Johnson said while this year may not be considerably different than other years, the fact that they've been away makes this year's DM special.

"People have just embraced us as if we never left," he said. "It's a great feeling to have."

While they have energized the crowd for almost 90 consecutive hours of DM, Johnson is humble about his contribution to the event.

"We contribute to their experiences, enhance their experiences," he said. "But the dancers make up DM. We don't. They are DM."

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Wearing White and Winding Down

Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

Welton "ready to crash" for 800 hours

After 27 hours emceeing, Adam Welton said he is "ready to crash" for 800 more.

"If I could do that, then I'll be good," the Communication junior said.

This is the third time Welton has pulled his own 30-hour marathon emceeing DM with his partner, Medill junior Todd Johnson.

"It means a lot to me, to be able to come out and do that," he said. "I want to be here my fourth year."

Welton said a performance by his brothers, Joshua and Kyle, helped him to keep going.

"I didn't know I'd cry," he said. "It's awesome to be able to share something so close to my heart like DM, and to have all three of us on stage at the same time meant a ton to me."

"Both my family and DM are so close to me and that they were able to unite tonight is a big deal for me," he said.

A short nap also helped the night go by, Welton said.

"It's been going better than expected," he said. "I expected to be tired. I'm sure that nap benefited both me and the dancers."

Despite having to fill 30 hours with material, Welton said he doesn't do much to prepare.

"We have to come up ideas for the block videos and go to some events, but otherwise it's all improv," he said. "I had some tacos beforehand – they weren't very good – but it's not like I have some sort of ritual or anything to get ready."

Text: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Weinberg junior Jen Horne rocks out to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Nick Infusino/The Daily Northwestern

Ninth and Final Break

Jocelyn Cohen was sick when Dance Marathon began. Twenty-seven hours of dancing haven't helped.

"It's not been fun," the Weinberg freshman said during the ninth and final break.

Nevertheless, Cohen said she was excited for the final block, "Rx for CURE." She said she didn't know what she would be thinking when the marathon ended in three hours.

"Right now, I'm a bit delirious, so who knows?" she said.

Perhaps in future years working on a committee may be a better way to be involved in DM than dancing, Cohen said.

Weinberg senior Kiran Dhiman said she was surprised that her first DM has gone so well.

"Last night was a little rough, but today's been better," she said.

Dhiman said she would be focused on the CURE during her last block.

"I'll be thinking about all the stories we've heard and all those kids who were dancing with us," she said. "I'm glad I did it."

Text: Dan Fletcher

Welton Brothers Join DM

Joshua and Kyle Welton, the younger brothers of DM emcee Adam, performed for dancers just after 9 p.m.

Joshua, 17, sang, played the saxophone and danced. Kyle, 13, danced as well.

"Adam called us up and asked us to come out and perform and we were glad to do it," Joshua said.

Joshua was in a BET reality series that followed his band, Fatty Koo. He said it was a 13-episode series that aired in 2005.

"We put an album out and everything," he said.

Kyle said he hopes to follow his brothers into performing.

"I dance and I rap a bit," he said.

Joshua said he was glad to come out and support DM, an event he said he loved.

"I think it's great to come out and raise money for a nonprofit," he said. "It's great for the community and it's great for a school like Northwestern."

Text: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern
Photos: (Top) Nick Infusino/The Daily Northwestern
(Bottom) Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Time Out for Purim

The echoing bass blaring from the Louis Room and the sounds of Boomshaka warming up outside in the hallway stood in contrast to the silence of the more than 70 people sitting in Norris's Big Ten Room to observe the Jewish holiday of Purim.

Inside, readers sang the traditional text called the Megillah as the audience sat quiet in prayer. The only noise came whenever the name of the villain Haman was read, when the audience would jeer and ring bells.

Rabbi Josh Feigelson of Hillel said that despite the quiet, Purim is an upbeat holiday. He was dressed in one of his wife's old bridesmaid dresses to symbolize a theme that Purim represents.

"Purim is the day of reversals," he said. "The book of Esther switches from tragedy to joy, and that's what the holiday represents."

Feigelson said the traditions of Purim mirror DM well.

"Purim is one of the most festive holidays," he said. "It fits with the theme of DM. It's festivity combined with an awareness of the suffering in the world."

During the day-long holiday, Jews are required to collect funds for gifts to the poor and contribute money toward preserving the Jewish faith.

Dancer Andrea Katz said she was glad she had an opportunity to observe the holiday.

"I thought it was nice," the Weinberg junior said. "I'm glad they were able to work out a way for DM dancers to participate."

Katz said that she didn't think the nearly forty minutes she spent sitting in observance would make it hard to continue dancing.

"I just want to make sure I stretch out before I go," she said. "It actually was harder to stop moving and sit than I think it will be to start again."

Text: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

DM dancers speak to Rabbi Josh Feigelson of Hillel
Photo: Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Dancers exhausted but remain energetic

(Top)

Mike Casas, a Weinberg sophomore, sleeps during the eighth break. He said although he was exhausted, he is excited to enter the final two blocks.

(Bottom)

Dancers line the second floor halls and attempt to get in much-needed sleep between the eighth and ninth blocks.



Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Which is harder: Running or dancing a marathon?

Michelle Faierman is about to become one of few people who has both danced and run in a marathon.

The Weinberg freshman ran a marathon in Carlsbad, Calif. during her sophomore year of high school. She said the experience is "quite different" from DM, though both are physically grueling.

"You train more for a marathon, so you're better prepared," she said.

Six hours into dancing, Faierman said that her muscles didn't hurt, but her feet were in pain.

"My feet didn't hurt this bad (during the marathon)," she said.

She said marathons are typically run during the day and only last around six hours. DM lasts 30 hours and goes into the wee hours of the morning.

"You're on your feet for longer (dancing) and it's not the same motion over and over like running is," she said. "A marathon is hard on your muscles, this is harder on every other part of your body."

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Hard work takes toll

As the dancers dance, the workers work. DM volunteers continute to toil tirelessly as the event nears its end.

Weinberg junior Jack McQuiston said while the dancers are tired, the workers are as well.

"It's even harder being here, I mean, they're dancing, we're sitting," he said.

The DM staff working on 30-hour committees such as the Finance and Dancer Relations commitees don't get a chance to sleep during the event.

"We get breaks, but we're technically not supposed to sleep," said Weinberg junior Katie Ude.

Chris Yun, a Weinberg senior, arrived at Norris at 4:30 p.m. Friday and took a short nap around 3 a.m. Although he said he is exhausted, he is still excited.

"I'm really looking forward to the last few blocks because we've finally fough through the 30 hours," he said.

(Top)
Chris Yun, a Weinberg senior, naps during the eighth block.

(Bottom)
Weinberg junior Jack McQuiston can barely keep his eyes open as he sits with other Dancer Relations committee members.

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Dinner recharges dancers

It is dinner time at Dance Marathon. Participants sit in neat rows inside the Louis Room. Some are sifting slowly through plates of salad and pasta in the hopes of elongating their breaks as much as possible. Others are waiting patiently for the large screen to flash their number and signal that it is their time to eat as well.

“It’s nice to be able to sit,” Communication sophomore Marisa Lopez said. “I’m sure everyone is not going to want to get up, but it’s good that we get to relax for a bit.”

The stage is illuminated in the otherwise dark room as groups like Boomshaka and the Graffiti Dancers take to the stage to entertain the marathon dancers during their brief intermission.

“I like the performances that they brought,” said Lydia Colunga, a Weinberg senior. “It is cool to see the dancing groups on campus supporting the DM dancers.”

As the participants eat their food, they reflect on the marathon so far and think about what is left before them.

“It is kind of crazy when I think about how long it has been and how long we have actually been inside Norris,” said Meaghan Joyce, a Weinberg sophomore. “But it is also really exciting, and I’m excited to get to the last block and have everything finish up.”

The energy levels are rebounding from a slump earlier in the day.

“The energy really comes in waves,” said Jessica Williamson, a Weinberg senior on the food committee. “People were not in a good mood at all around lunch time, but it seems a little livelier now.”

Dancers agree that the energy levels are on the upswing with most of the dancing behind them; however, the effects of dancing for almost a full day are starting to take their toll.

“I’m not as tired as I thought I would be,” said Colunga. “I’m just surprised that my feet are hurting as much as they are.”

Text: Tiarra Medley/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Nick Infusino/The Daily Northwestern

Taking it tropical

Students dance during the "Catch a Wave" block.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Night journey for fruit tests persuasion skills of exec members

An oft-repeated saying among dancers during the 30-hour marathon is "sleep is overrated." For DM executive committee members, that motto includes the night before DM.

At about 2 a.m. Friday morning, about 20 members of DM exec piled into five cars and drove to Chicago's South Side - to a warehouse known as the "Water Market." It's a tradition that extends back at least three years, according to DM Food Committee Co-Chair Ruby Sheikh, a Weinberg senior.

At the market, members of the exec team solicits donations of fruits and vegetables for use during the event. This year's haul, according to Medill senior Zach Samson, the other food committee co-chair, had less celery than usual but also included papaya and canteloupe.

Sheikh and Samson disagreed on how the produce was collected. According to Samson, the girls were sent out to ask for donations while the male members of exec waited inside the cars.

"The girls go out and beg for food," Samson said.

This approach is more effective, according to Samson, because the vendors are more likely to respond to requests for donations from females. Another exec member referred to the trip as "flirting for fruit."

Sheikh laughed when asked about the nickname.

"They're a little more perceptive to women," Sheikh said. "But last year, the guys did much better."

The trick to being successful at the Water Market, Sheikh said, is just to be nice.

"If you ask nicely, they'll give it to you," Sheikh said.

Exec didn't make it back to campus until about 6 a.m. Friday, Samson said, and both he and Sheikh were awake by 9:30 a.m.

Despite their different accounts of the trip, both Sheikh and Samson agreed it was successful. Inside the kitchen attached to the Louis Room sat boxes of bananas, apples, cantaloupes and oranges, ready to be consumed by DM participants.

"I really like bringing out trays of food," said food committee member Joanne Kim, a Weinberg senior. "It feels really good."

"This year, it feels good to be serving," said another committee member, Medill sophomore Grace Bahk. "It boosts my self confidence when everyone runs at me smiling."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

NU DM goes global with live webcast

All across the world, family and friends can watch a live feed of Dance Marathon from their computers at home.

According to Medill junior Andrew Prince, the Louis Room Productions’ co-chair, DM has been running a webcast for all three years that he has been involved.

The broadcast shows viewers at home the same thing that the dancers see on the big screen while they are dancing. All of the messages that the dancers see and any videos that they watch are also parts of the webcast.

Northwestern students can view the webcast on NU Channel 1 on NUTV (available in all residence halls via this link) and is available for all Internet users at the Northwestern DM Web site.

“We basically built a mobile T.V. studio,” said Prince. “(There is a) five-camera system with two cameras on the floor, two cameras on tripod, and one on the ceiling.”

Also available on the DM site is a video of the world's largest "Thriller" dance, which involved 78 NU students and attracted national attention.

The purpose of the webcast, Prince said, was to get as many people exposed and interested in DM as possible.

“(We just want to) get everybody involved in seeing how big DM really is,” said Prince. “We want to reach a bigger audience than just the people here on campus who can visit.”

Text: Talia Alberts/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

Dancers' "second wind" sweeps through Louis Room

Twenty hours into Dance Marathon, the mood inside the Louis Room has started to lift, as participants enter the seventh break and final third of DM.

"I stopped feeling pain a long time ago," said McCormick senior Leslie Gittings, who is participating in her first DM. "Now it's just adrenaline."

Gittings said her energy level at any given moment "depends on the song." Her favorites include anything she can sing to.

One such song was the 1980s classic "Take Me Home Tonight." Several circles of dancers jumped up and down, pumping their fists and yelling the words.

"There's like a second wind going through the crowd," McCormick freshman Kalan Kirchner said. "It feels electric."

McCormick sophomore Lauren Smith said DM has been "exhausting, but rewarding."

"It helps to keep optimistic, knowing that you're two thirds done," Smith said.

There's no real strategy to surviving the last ten hours, said Weinberg sophomore Allison Hansen.

"I really can't feel my feet anymore," Hansen said. "Just suck it up and finish."

"I'm just going to keep it going and keep partying hard," Kirchner said.

Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern

Surfing the crowd

Stacy Dodd, 8, gets a ride through crowds of dancers Saturday afternoon. Stacy has suffered from epilepsy almost her entire life.

Lauren Pond/The Daily Northwestern

Real Lunch rocks out

The band Real Lunch, which includes Weinberg junior Ryan Brady on keyboard, entertained the dancers Saturday afternoon.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

For co-chairs, DM serves as "culmination"

McCormick fifth-year student Chip Newcom and Weinberg senior Nadia Rawls didn't sleep much in the week leading up to Dance Marathon.

Rawls estimated the two put in "80 to 100 hours" of work for DM and skipped almost all of their classes.

But the effort is worth it, they said.

"We've worked our way up," Rawls said. "It's kind of like the culmination of years of work."

So far the event has gone almost completely on schedule, which has allowed both Newcom and Rawls to enjoy the event.

"It's just so exciting because we've both been working on this for such a long time," Newcom said. "I'm so excited to see the next couple of hours."

Both of the executive co-chairs said they felt their goals coming into this year's event had been accomplished. Rawls said she was most proud of how all of the DM committees, especially the public relations committee, had improved. Newcom said the event allowed a large group of Northwestern students to work toward a common cause.

"(DM built) a sense of community based upon the idea that we can all change the world," Newcom said. "If we can do that from an outreach standpoint, we'll really have succeeded."

Newcom and Rawls have both participated in DM since they were freshmen and their feelings as DM enters its final hours are bittersweet.

"On the one hand, it'll be exciting," Newcom said. "But at the same standpoint, it'll be coming to a close."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Profs spread Saturday night fever to dancers

About 15 Northwestern professors broke out their John Travolta impressions Saturday afternoon, to the delight and shock of Dance Marathon participants.

Led by publicity committee members, the professors pointed to the crowd as they shook their hips to "Stayin' Alive."

Psychology Prof. Eli Finkel danced in DM as an undergraduate in 1995.

"It was far less exhausting," Finkel said.

History Prof. Ed Muir admitted he thought he didn't dance well.

"But I had fun," he said.

After the dance, professors dispersed into the crowd and mingled with their current and former students. Willie the Wildcat also joined the party and shook his tail to Sam Cooke's "What a Wonderful World."

Many dancers enjoyed the display. Weinberg sophomore Ben Brabston said that on a scale of one to 10, the professors' dancing skills earned "an 11."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern
Photos: Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Traveling through another 3 hours

(Top)
Tired dancers shuffle their feet Saturday afternoon during the 7th block of Dance Marathon, which was sponsored by STA Travel.

(Second from top)
Friends from the outside visit with dancers to keep their spirits raised.

(Third from top)
A group of dancers massage each other's shoulders.

(Bottom)
Dancers move to the music.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Bringing in the Pros

A select group of dancers recieved foot rubs from a professional during the fifth and and sixth blocks.

Students raising more than $1500 were given foot massages by professional reflexologist, Amy Rose. More than 60 participants raised enough.

Rose, who has a daughter in DM, drove in from Cleveland to donate her time.

"There are reflex points on the hands and feet," Rose said, "And when you work on these reflex points with the thumb and fingers, you release tension and give the body a chance to heal and repair."

Communication sophomore Courtney Wilson's feet ached when she came to see Rose. Wilson said she loved every second of the massage.

"It feels great," she said, "It just feels like she's getting the knots out of my feet."


Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

120 Hour Club dances during DM's 7th block

"120 Hour Club" members are going strong during the STA's Road Trip block.

Cathy Barrera and Michelle Rheinschmidt, seniors who have danced in DM every year during their time at Northwestern, said they feel good in their 19th hour of dancing.

"It's weird how you don't really get to rest but you still feel totally awake," said Barrera, a Communication major.

The dance partners said they were most tired at sunrise but have more energy now.

"Really the only time they play slow songs is during sunrise, when you have this lull of energy," Barrera said. "But then they start trying to pump you back up."

Breaks to eat make the marathon go by more quickly, said Rheinschmidt, a Weinberg senior.

"Now we can finally start counting down," she said. "Before there were too many blocks left."

Text: Elise Foley/ The Daily Northwestern
Photos: Lauren Pond/The Daily Northwestern

CURE reps urge dancers to keep going

As the Dodd family took the stage, all eyes focused upon 8-year-old Stacy.

Stacy had her first seizure seven years ago, her mother Kathy Dodd said. Doctors originally said Stacy had the flu, until she suffered another attack the next day.

"Stacy will live a life of complete dependency on other people," her mother said.

Stacy might experience as many as 100 attacks in one day, Kathy Dodd said, and she suffered a seizure early Saturday morning.

But on stage Stacy's energy was infectious. She walked around the stage with her sister Cameron as their mother spoke. And when she got the mic, Stacy delighted the crowd.

"Thank you," she said cheerfully. "I love you. Can I dance?"

To this, the hundreds of dancers let out a resounding "Yeah!"

Medill sophomore Jennifer Barnes said the presentation was "very moving."

"It definitely encourages us to keep going," she said.

Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, the main beneficiary of Dance Marathon, provides seed grants for doctors to conduct research about epilepsy, Bob Dodd said.

"We have grown from being a small organization of five or six mothers to a nationwide organization raising half a million dollars each year," he said.

The proceeds from DM should double what CURE raises in a given year, he said.

"It's incredibly inspiring," Dodd said. "There are times when you feel hopeless, but you look at that group in there and you feel so much hope."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern
Photo: Lauren Pond/The Daily Northwestern

Brightening DM

Dance Marathon received $3,000 during Winter Quarter from Associated Student Government to help defray lighting expenses.

In this year's DM, 20 moving lights and 24 stationary lights were hung from the ceiling trusses where they projected colorful beams onto the dancers below. A disco ball circled overhead during some songs, complementing the music.

The market-rental price for such equipment is about $16,000, said Dave Leuchter, a second-year lighting veteran and McCormick senior. According to Leuchter, DM pays "much less than that." DM requested $7,732 from ASG to help fund the lighting expenses.

Corporate sponsorship also helped DM slash costs this year. Computers donated by Apple Co. were used to help monitor and operate the lighting devices.

Still, all the new technology in the world might not keep students awake.

"It's really hard staying awake for 30 hours," Leuchter said.

Good thing lighting operators work in shifts.

Text: Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern
Photos: (Top) Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern; (Middle and Bottom) Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern