Dance Marathon

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This article is about Dance Marathon fundraisers. For the early 1900s events, see marathon dancing .
THON 2006
THON 2006

Dance Marathon is a charity event originating from Penn State University. Over 80 schools host dance marathons across the country raising more than $12 million per year benefiting local children's hospitals and other charities. On almost every campus where it is held, the dance marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy[citation needed].

Christina does not dance In describing the events today, "dance marathon" is a bit of a misnomer because the events are no longer focused on the dancing of the students. For 8-48 hours (depending on the event), the "dancers" stand on their feet to show support for the families and children of the event's charity and to generate awareness about the cause.

Contents

[edit] University Dance Marathons

[edit] Planning

While the typical Dance Marathon culminates in a one- or two-day event, Dance Marathon is a student-run organization that works year-round to put the main event together. In addition to planning for the event itself, Dance Marathon participants spend the year preceding the event fundraising, planning events for families and their children and building general community awareness.

[edit] Event

The Dance Marathon event varies in length from 8 to 48 hours. Generally, students will stand on their feet for the entire time without sleeping. They are entertained by music, student performing groups, bands and other student volunteers.

Most Dance Marathons also have a signature line dance. The line dance is generally created for that year's event and provides a needed source of energy for students while dancing throughout the night.

In addition, most Dance Marathons have an emotional "family hour" close to the end of the event. During this time, representatives from the charity benefited by the event as well as families and children receiving support from the charity thank the students and volunteers for their efforts throughout the year.

[edit] Across the Country

According to the Children's Miracle Network, over 80 Dance Marathons take place on college campuses across the country.

University Charity Date of 1st Year 1st Year 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 To Date


American University [1]
 Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation 2007 $20,632.37 $20,632.37 $20,632.37
Appalachian State University [2] Western Youth Network 2003 $8,000 $21,000 $27,000
Boston College [3] Franciscan Hospital for Children 2003 $28,000 $73,000
Bradley University [4] Children's Hospital of Illinois 2001 $22,000 $250,000+
Boston University [5] Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Camp Heartland 2003 $30,000 $56,000 $38,000 $240,000+
Bowling Green [6] Mercy Children's Hospital 1995 $38,500 $173,610 $164,617 $1.6 million+
University of California, Berkeley [7] Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation 2006 $12,500 $12,500 $23,615 $56,115
University of California at Davis[8]
 Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (85%), Sahaya International (15%) 2008 $7,400+ $7,400+ $7,400+
University of California, Irvine [9] Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) 2008 $5,932.86 $5,932.86 $5,932.86
UCLA [10] Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Camp Heartland, Project Kindle 2002 $28,000 $268,881.31 $330,245.70 $384,507.80 $1,400,000
University of Colorado [11] Children's Miracle Network: Children's Hospital of Denver 2003 $40,000 $53,000 $125,000+
University of Florida [12] Shands Children’s Hospital [13] 1995 $361,455 $362,378 $2.3 million
Florida State University [14] Shands Children's Hospital [15]/FSU COM [16] 1996 $270,511.25 $312,281.78 1.5 Million
University of Georgia [17] Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 1995 $250,000 $302,701.43 $1.8 million
Indiana University [18] Riley Hospital for Children 1991 $11,000 $920,386 $1,041,197.20 $4.9 million
University of Iowa [19] University of Iowa Children's Hospital [20] 1994 $31,000 $686,251.12 $880,903.13 $1,003,646.14 $6.5 million
Iowa State University [21] University of Iowa Children's Hospital 1998 $20,000 $146,000 $160,000 $1 million+
University of Kentucky [22] The Golden Matrix Fund, UK Pediatric Heath Care 2006 $123,333.16 $123,333.16 $241,514.64 $424,855.89 $789,703.69
University of Michigan [23] C.S. Mott Hospital, William Beaumont Hospital 1998 $35,000 $326,000 $351,060.07 $428,109.79 $2,391,635+
University of Nebraska-Lincoln [24] Children's Hospital in Omaha 2004 $35,000 $54,000 $60,000 $150,000+
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [25] NC Children's Hospital 1999 $40,108 $201,142 $236,876.12 $321,938.53 $1.65 million
Northwestern University [26] Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation / Evanston Community Foundation 1975 $9,105 $686,377 $708,711.20 $933,855.42 $8 million+
The Ohio State University [27] Columbus Children's Hospital 2002 $32,475 $35,000 $45,000 $180,000+
University of Oregon [28] Children's Miracle Network: Sacred Heart Medical Center and Doernbecher's Children's Hospital 2007 $17,800 $17,800 $32,000 $50,000+
Penn State University [29] The Four Diamonds Fund [30] at Penn State Children's Hospital at Hershey Medical Center 1973 $2,000 $4.2 Mil $5,240,385.17 $6,615,318.04 $52 Million+
Purdue University [31] Riley Hospital for Children [32] 2005 $25,000 $64,000 $75,500 $160,000+
Rutgers University [33] Embrace Kids Foundation 1999 $113,000 $186,666 $220,018.41 $318,989.08 $1.6 million+
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame [34] Riley Hospital for Children 2005 $21,407.42 $47,129.60 $85,296.33 $150,000+
University of South Carolina [35] Palmetto-Richland Children's Hospital $83,000 $102,000 $500,000+
Stanford University [36] Partners in Health 2005 $52,000 $58,000 $150,893.62 $121,868.92 $380,000+
SUNY Fredonia Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) 1971
Syracuse University Muscular Dystrophy 1972 $1,000,0000
University of Tennessee [37] East Tennessee Children's Hospital 1995 $77,000 $770,000
University of Texas [38] Children's Med. Ctr. of Texas 2003 $12,000 $34,000 $35,000 $124,000
University of Toledo [39] Mercy Children's Hospital 2002 $18,126 $32,844 $159,619
University of Utah - Rock the U [40] Huntsman Cancer Institute 2006 $93,000 $93,000 $73,000 $166,000+
Vanderbilt University [41] Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt $112,433 $163,915.05
University of Virginia [42] UVA Children's Hospital 1997 $65,000 $71,000
Washington University in St. Louis [43] Children's Miracle Network 2000 $29,755 $123,452 $176,342.47 $662,687
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [44] Children's Miracle Network: St. John's Children's Hospital in Springfield 2008 $6,058.38 $6,058.38 $6,058.38

[edit] High and Middle School Dance Marathons

High School and Middle school students also hold marathon dances across the country. The events are similar in their purpose and structure, in relation to the dances at universities. Many of these take place in conjunction with local University Dance Marathons.

The most fiscally successful High-School Marathon Dance in the nation is the South High Marathon Dance (SHMD), which has raised over $1.8 Million since 1978 for local causes. (see link below)

The longest running is the Brockport High Dance marathon, which has taken place since 1974.

High/Middle School Location 1st Year (Date) Number of Hours Current Year To Date
Bishop Chatard Indianapolis, IN 2000 $24,316
Bloomington North Bloomington, IN 2005 $6,002
Bloomington South Bloomington, IN 2006 ($4,100) $4,100
Brockport Rochester, NY 1974 24 hours $24,000 $260,000
Carmel H.S. Carmel, IN 2006 ($35,028) $129,866.31 (2008) $223,064
Cheltenham High School Wyncote, PA 2008 10 hours $20,173.12 $20,173.12
Columbus East and North H.S. Columbus, IN 1999 12 hours $34,000
Cumberland Valley High School Mechanicsburg, PA 2006 12 hours
Deep Run High School Glen Allen, VA 2007 27 hours $106,000 $177,000
Franklin Cedar Rapids, IA 2007 ($7,000(rounded)) $7,000
Mill Creek Middle School Dexter, MI 2006 ($2,800+) 3 hours $7,245
South Glens Falls South Glens Falls, NY 1978 28 Hours $245,141.19 $1,882,825.87
Southport Southport, IN 2003 $5189
Springfield H.S. Springfield, PA 2003 ($12,000) $92,475.35 $253,000
Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School Wake Forest, NC 2006 $13,659.25 $22,359.32
Washington H.S. Washington, IA 2002 $7,000 (2007)

[edit] External links

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University Dance Marathons