Dance marathon
Encyclopedia
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (novel)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is a novel written by Horace McCoy and first published in 1935. The story mainly concerns a dance marathon during the Great Depression...
, written by Horace McCoy
Horace McCoy
Horace McCoy was an American writer whose hardboiled novels took place during the Great Depression. His best-known novel is They Shoot Horses, Don't They? , which was made into a movie of the same name in 1969, fourteen years after McCoy's death.-Early life:McCoy was born in Pegram, Tennessee...
who was a bouncer at several such marathons, popularised the idea, and prompted students at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
to create charity dance marathons.
1920s and 1930s
One notable account of marathon dancing comes from the early chapters of Anita O'DayAnita O'Day
Anita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
'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." 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
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
with the purpose of raising money to combat children's cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. 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
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
in the world 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
Four Diamonds Fund
The Four Diamonds Fund is a charitable organization based out of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Its ultimate objective is to "conquer childhood cancer"....
, a charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children's Hospital.
Founded 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.
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. To date, the 36-hour IUDM has raised over $8.5 million for Riley. 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
University of Iowa Children's Hospital
The University of Iowa Children's Hospital is a teaching hospital for children founded in 1919, located inside University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. It benefits from the services of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.-National Distinctions:...
. Stanford's Dance Marathon benefits primarily Partners in Health and FACE AIDS
FACE AIDS
Established 2005. Executive Director: Julie Veroff Managing Director: Nicole Krenitsky Rwanda Program Director: Cher-Wen DeWitt Chapter Support Director: Eve Fine Recruitment and Partnerships Director: Austin Carroll Keeley...
, and they also choose a local beneficiary each year. The Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan
Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan
Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan is a philanthropic dance marathon held annually at the University of Michigan. It is one of the largest student organizations on campus and raises money for the C.S...
raises money to support programs at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, part of the University of Michigan Health System
University of Michigan Health System
The University of Michigan Health System is the wholly owned academic medical center of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. UMHS includes the U-M Medical School, with its Faculty Group Practice and many research laboratories; the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, which includes University...
, and William Beaumont Hospital
William Beaumont Hospital
Beaumont Hospital is a regional medical system in the greater Detroit, Michigan area. It first opened with a 238 bed hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1955...
.
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.
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.".
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 2011 raised more than $320,000 . 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.
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.