With almost three times the dancers, five times the initial funds and a celebrity appearance, coordinators believe the 2004 Boston University Dance Marathon could raise well over the $32,000 mark set last year, making the second annual 12-hour dance party the most successful student charity event on campus.
“It will be a lot bigger because we more than doubled the number of dancers,” Dance Marathon Co-Coordinator and College of Communication junior Caila Ball said, citing the 220 dancers currently registered. “The first year there were only 80 … If every dancer raises the minimum, we will definitely earn as much as last year.”
Hundreds of so-called “moralers,” or students watching and cheering on the dancers, will also attend, along with other students.
While planners last year adopted the idea from similar events on other college campus nationwide, members of the BU Dance Marathon committee said this weekend’s event will be unique.
“[At Penn State University], it’s very hardcore,” Ball said. “There’s definitely more dancing here than at Penn State because there the real challenge is just to stay up.”
Unlike Penn State’s marathon, which lasts two full days, Ball said BU organized the school’s event to run for only 12 hours.
Marathon Operations Chair and COM sophomore Randy Botz said he knows firsthand how extreme Dance Marathon is at Penn State.
“I transferred this year from Penn State where the original marathon was held,” he said. “It was crazy there. It really became a live and die thing for people.”
While many marathons are Greek-oriented, Botz said BU’s event caters to all students.
“[At Penn State], it was largely based on the Greek organizations competing,” he said. “It’s more volunteer-oriented here because there’s a much different Greek system.”
Botz said Penn State asked each dancer to personally raise $2,000, allowing them to net $35 million last year. BU only asks for $150. If all dancers raise the minimum, the event will net $33,000.
Despite the lower participation fee, Dancer and COM freshman Candace Cheong said she is “having trouble raising money.”
“I raised $10 because I don’t like asking people for money,” she said, “but the organizers said that I can still dance because I’m still raising money.”
Dance Marathon finances itself through dancing fees, a yearlong fundraising effort and the support of sponsors. It is not cheap to put on, planners said.
“The event costs just under $20,000,” Finance Chair and CAS senior Jesse Rauch said.
Organizers contacted national and local companies for potential sponsorships.
“Businesses that are directly affected by the student population at BU are often our main targets because they are familiar with the university and are usually willing to support their main consumers,” Local Sponsorship Chair and COM freshman Maura McGreevy said in an email.
But organizers said finding sponsorships was difficult this year.
“I am disappointed at the reluctance of some businesses, but I am so thankful for those who did donate,” McGreevy said.
Ball stressed that it is difficult to predict how much the fundraiser will earn overall.
“Last year, we thought we would raise $12,000, but we actually raised $32,000,” she said.
All proceeds will go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Camp Heartland, which runs camping trips in Minnesota and California for hundreds of kids affected with HIV.
Last year’s BU’s Dance Marathon was so successful that other schools are using the school as a model for starting up other programs, Co-Coordinator and COM senior Jenna Racz said.
But Ball said people need to keep what the Dance Marathon is all about in mind.
“The message is that you’re here for 12 hours, but most importantly you’re here for the kids,” Ball said. “It’s nice to know what we can do for these organizations even though we’re just college students.”
Campus groups including the Dear Abbeys, Chordially Yours, BU on Tap and Sweet Liberty are slated to perform at the event, and Ball said the committee has planned an hourly line dance to track how long students have been dancing.
“Every hour, the dancers do a line dance we created,” Ball said. “It’s a chance to help keep track of time because students aren’t allowed to wear watches.”
Racz added that speakers from Elizabeth Glaser and Camp Heartland will talk before the event. An 11-year-old from Camp Heartland will teach the dancers a dance, she said.
The event will also feature a celebrity appearance – BU alumna Ashley Williams from “Good Morning, Miami” will attend, Ball said.
After all their hard work, Ball said the planning committee is eagerly anticipating the event.
“Dance Marathon has been my most rewarding experience at BU, and I’m more excited about it than Christmas,” Ball said.
The event also creates something BU doesn’t always have, Botz said: community.
“There aren’t many events at BU where everyone gets together,” Botz said.
Dancer and COM freshman Candace Cheong said she is looking forward to the event.
“I’m expecting 12 hours of non-stop movement,” she said. “But the moralers make sure you’re ok, and it will be a chance to meet a lot of people.”
Catering Chair Nicole Maisner, a CAS senior, said the event has an added significance because her “uncle passed away from AIDS, so the cause is close to my heart.”