Dance Marathon celebrated the “30 days to 30 hours” milestone Tuesday at the 2004 Kickoff with skits and a video to excite and inform dancers.
The video, starring emcees Rachel Chadderon and Brian Yeado, announced this year’s dancing themes. Dancers will boogie down to everything from “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1980s music) to “Rolling with the Homies” (rap and hip-hop).
Dancers are encouraged to dress in the appropriate motif during each of 10 dancing blocks during DM’s 30 hours.
Co-chairpersons reminded dancers to abstain from alcohol, tobacco and even caffeine during the event.
Although there were a few new requirements this year, second-year dancer Krissy Lee said the information session brought no surprises. “(Themes) are kind of similar to last year,” the Weinberg sophomore said. “There are the same rules.”
DM co-chairpersons and affiliates from the philanthropy’s primary beneficiary, Have Dreams, an autistic children’s services group, emphasized how important dancer contributions — fund raising, dancing and the new community-service requirement — were to the spirit and success of the event.
Kathleen Kennedy Martin, a clinical psychologist from Have Dreams, said this year’s event is likely to encourage more students to volunteer with Have Dreams and to help begin an enduring partnership with Northwestern.
Have Dreams hopes to be able to expand out of its location in Park Ridge “once we get a solid program in,” Martin said. Eventually, she added, they will assist children with autism in other local communities.
Ellen Malone, who also spoke on behalf of Have Dreams as a parent of an autistic child, compared raising a child with a disability to preparing for a trip to Italy but instead diverted to Holland, which at first appears less exciting.
“It’s not what you planned, but you can’t mourn it if you want to enjoy the very special, lovely things about Holland,” Malone said.
Have Dreams taught Malone and her son how to cope with his disability, she said.
“You get through those day-to-day challenges with places like Have Dreams,” Malone said.
After the kickoff dancers could volunteer making school supplies at Have Dreams to fulfill some of the three required community service hours.
“It’s really important since we’re donating to Have Dreams that we’re helping Have Dreams and the environment for autistic children,” said Jennifer Sommer, a dancer and Education freshman.
DM themes
Philanthropy sets 3-hour music blocks
* Absolute Fever — disco
* Vogue — early 1980s
* Everybody Wants to Rule the World — 1980s
* Destination Anywhere — world music
* Rolling with the Homies — rap and hip-hop
* Hang Time — basketball-inspired
* E! — soundtracks
* And the Beat Goes On — oldies
* My Fifteen Minutes — one-hit wonders
* Shout it out Loud — top-40 hits.
