Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
Dance Marathon 2015: Block 2 recap
March 7, 2015
With their energy levels high and fists pumping in the air, dancers, committee members and Hero Program families marched back into the tent to commence Block 2.
Sean Su/Daily Senior Staffer
Dancers persisted despite speaker and microphone malfunctions that lasted about 10 minutes and cut off music inside the tent. Additional problems plagued the celebrity video portion of the block, which featured a video from William Daniels (Communication ‘49), known for his role as Mr. Feeny on “Boy Meets World,” and a video from “Today” show stars Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. The videos were replayed in full later in the block.
Sean Su/Daily Senior Staffer
Sean Su/Daily Senior Staffer
Evanston Community Foundation President Sara Schastok spoke during Block 2 about Dance Marathon’s long relationship the nonprofit. This is Schastok’s 15th and final DM as president and CEO before she retires later this year. In a speech to the dancers, she reminded the crowds of the support they give to the Evanston community.
“It takes a whole lot of community-wide solutions to address those problems and that is why ECF was founded,” Schastok said. “We are so glad to have your support year after year. It’s made a big difference in what we can do for our community.”
After her speech, the emcees called Schastok back onto the stage and honored her with a T-shirt for her involvement in DM, becoming a member of the “450-hour club,” indicating the many years she’s participating in the 30-hour marathon.
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
Eileen Heineman, the racial justice program director at the YWCA Evanston/North Shore, thanks students for the support DM has given to the YWCA through ECF.
“We were able to do some of the things we do just because of you, because of the Evanston Community Foundation supporting our work,” Heineman said.
She said DM’s support of the YWCA will help fund a new program that “helps organizations and businesses look at themselves … to change so (they’re) more equitable and inclusive.”
Sophie Mann/The Daily Northwestern
Students kept spirits high as they entered their fourth hour of dancing. Medill Junior Kristin Mathuny still made it out to the tents ready to dance despite having pink eye just two days before DM began.
“I’m tired from my week,” Mathuny said. “But I am not tired of dancing.”
Sophie Mann/The Daily Northwestern
Sean Su/Daily Senior Staffer
Weinberg sophomore Marissa Hastings reminisced about her past involvement in DM as a veteran dancer.
“It’s my second year dancing,” Hastings said. “So far it’s been really good. My energy is really high right now, and I’m really excited for the rest of the dance.”
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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @sophiemmann