University of Michigan students will be on their feet for 30 hours straight in support of pediatric rehabilitation programs at Mott Children's Hospital and Beaumont Hospital.
The 16th annual UM Dance Marathon will go down from 10 a.m. April 6 to 4 p.m. April 7, at the Indoor Track and Field Building. There are opportunities for the general public to visit the event, including "Stand With Us Sunday" from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 7.
The 30-hour marathon is the culmination of months of fundraising. U-M students have been out on the streets with buckets and inside their classrooms spreading the word. They host fundraising events, ask everyone they know for donations, and generally work their behinds off to raise money.
The students—grouped into teams and then into larger "pods"—get competitive with each other. The goal is to be the one who raises the most money for children with physical, developmental, or other rehabilitation needs.
In the past, it has really paid off. Last year, U-M Dance Marathon participants brought in over $500,000.
"There is a competitive edge" to the Dance Marathon, according to U-M psychology sophomore Izzie Osiniecka.
"Teams get really invested in raising as much as possible leading up to the marathon. Sometimes there will be prizes for things like the team that raised the most that week. And they all want to be on the team that wins the whole thing at the end," Osiniecka explains. This year, "pod wars" have been a big deal.
Mini-marathons were held at area schools. Mill Creek in Dexter and Greenhills in Ann Arbor did mini-marathons. The Boys and Girls Club of Huron Valley also hosted one. And Churchill in Livonia hosted a volleyball marathon for the cause, Osiniecka reports.
Beyond raising money, U-M Dance Marathon students have also been volunteering. "It's about connecting with the kids they are helping. We have hospital volunteering and also what I like to call 'fun therapies,' like bowling therapy, martial arts, and tree climbing," Osiniecka says. "Volunteering shows them where their money is going to how much the kids love them for doing it."
Then comes the actual Dance Marathon event. It is hard for anyone to stay awake and on their feet for 30 hours, but there will be plenty going on at the event to keep people energized.
Watch a time lapse video of the 30 hours:
"Morale captains" will take the stage every so often to teach everyone this year's group line dance. Marathon participants learn it in pieces and then perform it all together at the end.
When participants are not dancing—they are not required to boogie down the entire time—they can visit booths, do activities, and socialize. There will be massage therapists and stretching exercises to keep them feeling good. Information booths on the pediatric programs and more is included.
First-year public health graduate student Firas Shalabi is doing the U-M Dance Marathon for the first time this year. "I didn't do it as an undergrad. So I thought, this is one of my last chances. It was something I wanted to cross off my bucket list at Michigan," he laughs. Formerly an R.A. at Mary Markley Hall, Shalabi joined a team with a bunch of his old dorm buddies.
Shalabi is not worried about getting tired. Thinking about the kids that benefit will get him through, as he predicts. "This is only 30 hours of my own physical discomfort compared to the long struggles that some of these kids have gone through. They are brave. So, we can stand for 30 hours. It's just a small blip in our lives to do that," he says.
The general public is invited to "Stand With Us" on April 7, anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., for the final hours of the marathon and the closing ceremonies. "The most exciting part is at the end. That's when a lot of families come and speak, and we find out how much we raised and do the line dance all together," Osiniecka explains.
Anyone can also stop by April 6 during Saturday visiting hours, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. And you can take a marathon tour every 30 minutes, April 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will also be tours on April 7, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Visit www.DMUM.org to find out more about the group's fundraising efforts and the UM Dance Marathon on April 6 and April 7. If you are interested in donating to team fundraisers or the cause in general, you can do so online almost up until the end.