Dance Marathon executives announced that last year’s popular emcee pair, “TnA,” will be returning to host DM 2006, marking the first time in the event’s history the same emcees will serve for two consecutive years.

Todd Johnson, a Medill sophomore, and Adam Welton, a Communication sophomore, served as emcees for DM 2005, and after keeping dancers enthused for 30 hours the pair choose to re-apply for the position this fall because of a connection they felt with philanthropy and the benefit it has for the Northwestern community.

“We had so much fun and so much support,” Johnson said. “Some of the older committee members brought us along and showed us how to conduct ourselves, and this year we have a little more experience and we thought it would be a great experience once again.”

Welton said he was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of DM again.

“I fell in love with DM,” he said.

Johnson and Welton, who received the nickname “TnA” last fall during an African-American Theatre Ensemble event, became the first freshmen in DM history to emcee the fundraiser last year, said DM co-chairman Ben Woo.

The pair became friends after meeting as freshmen at Communications Residential College and bonding over basketball, family, comedy and music. Welton picked up an application for DM emcees in fall 2004.

“I was trying to find something to do,” explained Welton, adding that he was involved in a lot of activities in high school. “I brought the application back to Todd, we auditioned and they liked us.”

Their form of comedy, which Welton describes as “mad funny,” has to appeal to a broad audience, he explained.

“Our comedy is things that happen every day, while we’re sitting at classes, at a party, at SPAC (Sports Pavilion and Aquatics Center) or on Sheridan Road,” Johnson said. “Our life is a continuous skit.”

Rather than setting higher standards or expectations for themselves, Welton and Johnson said they are not going to attempt to exceed last year’s performance.

“If we try too hard, it’s just not going to work out,” Johnson said. “The standards will take care of themselves.”

DM executives had emcee applicants fill out paper applications and go through an improvisational application process. The top two pairs were then asked to prepare a one-minute skit to present at an all-dancer meeting last Wednesday, and executive members gauged audience reaction to each pair.

“Everybody loved (Johnson and Welton),” said Louis Room Production co-chairwoman Urvi Purohit, a McCormick junior. “They were engaging with the audience nicely.”

Woo, a Weinberg senior, said the success of the pair as emcees last year had no effect on the decision to have them return as emcees this year and executive members kept an open mind during the selection process.

“We went in with a ‘may the best man win’ attitude,” he said.

Reach Marcy Miranda at [email protected].