DM parents impressed by courage, spirit of children

Jim and Laura Hartke stood on a small platform near the Louis Room entrance and kneeled to talk to their daughter Trisha, a Weinberg sophomore.

The Hartkes were two of several parents present at Dance Marathon, cheering on their children.

"It's nice to see the students get together for such a good cause," Jim Hartke said.

Laura Hartke said she was "surprised" by the number of people packing the room and said she was proud of her daughter.

"It's a fabulous experience watching all the students participate," said Heidi Randhava, the mother of Weinberg senior Ravi Randhava, a finance committee member.

Gustavo Colunga, the father of Weinberg senior Lydia Colunga, called DM "very exciting."

"It's a good cause and we support her in what she wants to do," Gustavo Colunga said. "It's exciting to see that she has a good heart and cares about these causes."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern

Photo: Lauren Pond/The Daily Northwestern

The 'Cats hit DM

As DM emcees Todd Johnson and Adam Welton talked about Johnson's prowess as a high school football player, one of NU's most distinguished players came up from behind and grabbed Welton.

Former NU linebacker and current head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, took the mic from Welton. He brought with him five members of his team.

Fitzgerald congratulated the dancers for finishing 16 hours and then told the crowd he wanted to sing a song he planned to sing "a lot this year."

The song, of course, was "Go, U Northwestern," which the team sings to the student section after each home win.

Dancers, committee members and football players broke into a rousing rendition of the fight song. Hundreds of fists pumped three times in the air and the cries of "Go, Northwestern Go!" echoed through the room.

"Keep it going," Fitzgerald shouted. "Tonight you guys are doing a great job. Go 'Cats!"

Fitzgerald then led his players off the stage and toward the main entrance of the dance hall, where he pointed one thumb towards the dancers. Led by defensive end Corey Wootton, the team filed onto the dance floor, giving out handshakes and hugs to many glassy-eyed dancers. But Fitzgerald didn't practice what he preached.

"I can't dance," Fitzgerald said, laughing, when asked why he wasn't joining in. "My guys are dancing."

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

A Run Through Norris

At 10:37 a.m., DM emcee Adam Welton gave the dancers an ominous warning.

"For you naked people, I feel sorry for your genitals," the Communication junior called out.

With that, one of the most recognizable movie themes in recent memory, "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky, came on. Welton and co-emcee Todd Johnson, a Medill junior, directed the dancers to the Louis Room's exit, where it was time for the infamous run outside Norris University Center.

The dancers left the room with their hands in the air, many of them holding up their fists Rocky-style, singing along to the theme.

But the March snow kept the dancers inside this year. Instead, everyone filed down the Norris stairs at varying speeds to the food court on the ground floor before heading back up to the second floor.

As they returned, many of them had smiles on their faces, even as their shoulders slumped from exhaustion.

"I wish we could have gone outside," SESP senior Amanda Dixon said. "It was energizing."

"There's so much energy," said Katie Bacon, a Communication freshman. "I'm really having a good time."

"It was refreshing," Weinberg freshman Alex Drake said. "We're halfway done. The second half's going to be much better."

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern

Photos: Lauren Pond/The Daily Northwestern

The Videographers Upstairs

In a cramped room on the third floor of Norris University Center, three men huddle around a vast array of video, television and graphics equipment. They are the ones controlling the television and projection screens as well as the live webcast on DM's Web site.

"This is as important as the lights, music, sound... every piece in the Louis room," said Andrew Bloustein, a four-year Dance Marathon veteran and Communication '06 graduate.

Although he's a recent graduate, Bloustein was asked by DM to help out with visual production because of his professional experience in the field. He and his two colleagues edit and stream video, as well as design graphic logos for the eight television screens scattered throughout Norris.

"DM is one of the greatest productions at NU," Bloustein said. "The excitement, fun and energy drew me back."

In addition to the three people managing graphics and video, there are six more during each dancing block operating the four cameras on the dance floor.

The majority of the camera, graphics and video equipment are rented out by DM, Bloustein said.

"I basically built the setup," Bloustein said. "I saw this operation grow significantly, from projection screens to plasma, Web feeds, DVDs and videos."

New in the video and television arsenal are the two monitors attached to the sides of the main trusses. The 40-inch screens were donated by Apple Co. specifically for the event. The technology company also donated computers for use during DM.

The visual operations trio that includes Bloustein has been working since Fall Quarter to prepare for DM.

"The hardest part of my job is not trying to stay awake. That's the easiest part," Bloustein said. "Figuring out the how to get the most of what we have is hard."

Text: Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

Photos:

(Top)
Medill junior Todd Johnson watches the live feed on the 30-inch televisions set up outside the Louis Room.

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

(Bottom)
Kenan Mir shoots video for DM. His video is broadcast live over the Web.

Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

Halfway Home

As 10:00 a.m. — Dance Marathon's halfway point — approached, the dancers on the floor seemed most excited to have made it through the first night of the event.

"I didn't really know what I was going to be in for," said Weinberg freshman Erin Royals, who is dancing in her first marathon.

For Royals, the traditional opening of the Louis Room blinds at sunrise "put into perspective" how long the dancers had been going.

Weinberg senior Adeeb Hakim predicted the second half of DM would be easier. He said he anticipated "the second wind" to carry him through.

Weinberg sophomore Ariana Vergara said her experience in DM last year helps with the onset of fatigue.

"I know it's going to happen," she said. "Knowing everything's going to happen makes it funner."

But the dancers' excitement was muted as the break finally began. Most just found a spot on one of the walls outside the Louis Room, propped their legs vertically and closed their eyes for some much needed shut-eye.

Text: Nomaan Merchant/The Daily Northwestern

(Top)
Weinberg sophomore Laura Colee tries to catch a few ZZZ's during the fifth break.

(Bottom)
Beverages were handed out between the fifth and the sixth blocks.

Photos: Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Team Spirit

(Top)
Matt Chastain, a McCormick sophomore, dressed as a cyclist from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The block was titled "DM's Workout Plan."

(Bottom)
Meredeth Schwartz wore a football jersey during the fifth block.


Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Rhythm is a Dancer

At about 7:30 a.m. the Northwestern University Marching Band drumline performs for the dancers as they eat their breakfasts.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Bags, Bags, Everywhere!

A DM participant searches for his bag amidst the hundreds of personal belongings Saturday.

Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

Finance Fatigue

As the dancers deal with sore feet and exhaustion, the finance committee works tirelessly a few steps from the dance floor.

Finance committee co-chairs Jessica Sher, a Communication junior, and Julie Braeutigam, a Communication senior, lead a team of more than 15 people.

“We’re counting money from dancer registration and the various events in and around Norris,” Sher said.

The committee began working at 3:30 p.m. and will work until the end of the event.

“We will be counting money until right before the big checks are given out Sunday morning at around 12:45 a.m.,” Sher said.


Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Orange Juice and Cereal are Welcome Relief

Dancers received a breakfast of Cereality, orange juice and muffins at 7 am. It was the first meal dancers have received, and it comes after twelve hours of near-constant motion.

Top: Mike Mcgee, a Weinberg freshman, is one of the first dancers through the line.

Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

Exhaustion Sets in During Fourth Break

(Top)
After 12 hours of dancing, students close their eyes to rest during their 10 minute break before breakfast.

(Middle)
While their breaks were filled with conversation and laughter in the beginning, the fourth break is silent.

(Bottom)
Communication junior Jennifer Lozano takes a drink and watches the sun rise as their first night came to end.



Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Awaking the Dawn

As the sun rose, ballons fell. Dancers greeted the dawn with a celebration of yellow and orange balloons.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Muslims Find a Quiet Place to Pray

Aamna Anwer had a place to pray. She just didn't have something to cover her head.

The Weinberg sophomore was one of three Muslims who left Dance Marathon to fulfill their prayer obligation. The Muslim religious code asks women to cover their heads during their prayer, so Anwer settled on a shirt from the DM office.

"We have to make do," said Adeeb Hakim, one of the three students and a Weinberg senior. "It's not that bad."

Weinberg senior Adnan Javed said Muslim-cultural Student Association President Amir Siddiqui helped to arrange the prayer times with DM administrators in advance.

"We have to pray five times a day," he said. "When we need to pray, we can take five minutes and go do it."

Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

The Graveyard Shift

Although Norris usually closes at midnight, there is no rest for the concierge staff during DM.

"It's been pretty quiet," said Demetrius Harrison, a Weinberg sophomore. "I'm planning to go upstairs and visit some friends later."

Harrison and Luke Rouser, a Norris staffer, signed onto an extra concierge shift Saturday morning from 2 to 8 a.m.

"I did it for the extra money," said Rouser, a Weinberg sophomore.

Although Harrison said he could use some extra cash, he saw the graveyard shift as an unique opportunity.

"It's a way to randomly meet people," he said.

Rouser and Harrison have been working with DM security to enforce the DM lockdown from 2 to 8 a.m.

"We've had a couple of instances where people who were drunk wanted to get in," Rouser said. "(The DM security) have been pretty tough - they took care of a lot of things."

Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

More People Falling Asleep

At 5 a.m., Dance Marathon staff seem grateful for the new Norris couches.

Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

(Top)
Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

(Bottom)
Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

At the Third Break, Dancers Wear Down

At their third break, dancers were starting to show signs of fatigue.

“I started to deteriorate at an hour-and-a-half,” said Alison Lynch, a Communication freshman. “But I’m hanging in there.”

Lynch said she thought she would survive, though she said she doesn’t know how.

“That’s a good question,” she said. “I have no idea how people do this every year and stay awake and come out saying it was so much fun.”

Other dancers were cramming food into their mouths, while others fell asleep — energy bars in hand.

But when it was time to reenter the Louis Room, the first dancers ran in jumping and screaming. They said they were ready for the next theme: ”Kick off Your Sunday Shoes,” a mix of Motown, salsa and swing.

Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern

Get down tonight

(From left) DM partners Aleisha Fetters, a Medill sophomore, and Amanda King, a Communication sophomore, dance during the 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. block Saturday.

Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern

Blast from the Past

Last year's DM executive board cheers dancers on Saturday. Some of the executive board flew in for the event. This year's executive co-chair Nadia Rawls said this could become a tradition in the future.

Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern

Refresh and Reboot

Students said they felt rejuvenated after given the opportunity to wash, shower and receive a foot massage around 2:40 a.m. Saturday.

"I feel much better," Ajay Vaidya said after taking a shower. "The foot massage will help too."

DM participants showered in shifts during the third block. Males and females were segregated and brought down to the basement bathroom of Norris in a spacious elevator.

They were allowed 90 seconds to wash their sweaty, tired bodies.

"They enforced it pretty strictly," said Vaidya, a SESP senior. A 30 second courtesy warning was given.

Upstairs, a long row of students lined up along the second floor corridor to receive much-appreciated foot massages from DM volunteers.

Donning latex gloves, DM volunteer Stephanie Lecci helped pamper students' feet.

"Foot massages aren't the most pleasant experience," the Medill senior said. "But I think (the dancers) feel better afterwards."

Lecci, who is slated to dance between 6 and 9 a.m., coaxed students' feet out onto the plastic tarp, massaged them for two minutes and applied a variety of soothing lotions such as Purell and baby lotion.

The scent of baby powder emanated through the second-floor corridor as Lecci and other volunteers finished their massages.

"The baby powder is key," Lecci said. "It dries the feet."

As an amateur masseuse, Lecci said she hopes her foot massages have a positive effect on tired dancers.

"Although I did foot massages last year, I mostly do whatever I think would feel good," she said.

Students seem appreciative of the volunteers' efforts to make their experience comfortable.

"I'm ready to go back now," Vaidya said.

Text: Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

Photo:
(Top)
Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern

(Bottom)
Joanna Allerhand/The Daily Northwestern