You thought the biggest challenge of Dance Marathon was that $400 fundraising goal, right? Well, unfortunately that may have been the easiest part of participating. Dancing for 30 hours might just top that in difficulty. But with the right preparation, you can transform your DM experience from a loud, sleep-deprived passing of hours into the greatest weekend of your life.
Learn Hip Hop Dance (iOS; $1.99)
It may be obvious, but since you're going to be dancing for 30 hours, there's a pretty good chance you'll run out of dance moves. That's where this app comes in handy. Learn Hip Hop Dance will help you spice up your dance routine and impress your dancer group. You'll learn such moves as the Jerk, Dougie and Cat Daddy through HD videos hosted by nationally-known hip hop dancer Brice "Professor Lock" Johnson. The moves you'll learn will keep you dancing long after your friends do the "sleepy shuffle" characteristic of the middle blocks.
iDubstep (iOS; $2.99)
But what's the fun of learning those hip hop moves if you don't have music to learn to? Considering there's a block dedicated to dubstep, take these few days before DM to further acquaint yourself with the genre. iDubstep enables you to make custom dubstep mixes using your own mp3s. Tinker with the beats and effects to create the perfect tracks to try your new dance moves.
Task Timer: The Anti-Procrastination Timer (iOS; $1.99)
Besides fine-tuning your dance skills, you must academically prepare for DM. If you're one of the unfortunate students who has a final exam or project due the Monday following DM, it's going to be an extremely rough Sunday night for you if you leave it all until the last minute. Plan ahead for your school work and combat procrastination with the Task Timer. All you have to do is set a timer for how long you want to do your work, and the timer provides a motivated ticking that reminds you to stay on task. You can also set "snooze" intervals to take a break. Use this app to increase your productivity and approach DM without the added stress of accumulated homework.
Daily Cardio Workout Free (Android, iOS; free)
During the week leading up to DM, it's very important to get a little exercise, especially if that's not normally your thing. You don't want to discover your lack of general physical fitness in the middle of the fourth block. So check out the free Daily Cardio Workout app for your light exercise needs. Follow the video demonstrations featuring five to 10 minutes of the best cardio exercises that will get you in better shape without much pain. This app ensures that your endurance level will skyrocket just in time to dance.
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock (iOS; $0.99)
In addition to exercising, the Dancer Relations committee recommends getting a healthy amount of sleep during the nights leading up to DM. College students often have a hard time getting more than six hours of sleep, but any extra hours of shut-eye can make quite a difference in the case of an event like this. The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock app for the iPhone will help you get your sleep schedule in order. Set a time range for when you want the alarm to go off and sleep with your iPhone in your bed, and this app will detect your sleep movements using proven sleep science. Not only will it save your sleep data and analyze your sleep statistics, but it will detect when you're in your lightest sleep and wake you up at the perfect time so you feel refreshed. With plenty of the right sleep, who said mornings have to be awful?
Stretch Exercises (Android; free)
You're well-rested. You learned some great dance moves and got some exercise in. All of your immediate homework is done. Now you're in the tent and just completed the third block, and, as much as you hate to admit it, you're already exhausted. Nothing rejuvenates you like a good stretch. Take a few minutes out of the 10-minute break provided and consult the Stretch Exercises app. After consulting even a few of the 40 yoga poses provided in the app, you can make your neck and back stop aching. For the best results, lead your dancer group in a stretch session so that all of you will remain pumped to dance.
iDancing Lite (HD) (iOS; free)
It's possible to keep dancing even while you stretch and rest your feet between blocks with iDancing Lite (HD). This app, a take on Dance-Dance Revolution-style games, tests your coordination and rhythm, two of your important motor skills that will wane as the hours pass. Playing this game will help you keep your mind sharp and your mind on the moves. Best of all, it may inspire you to use some new dance moves.
Motivational Quotes (Android; free)
Even after stretching and honing your motor skills, there's a good chance you're still completely drained. You may want to give up. You may want to find a place to hide and take a nap. You may want to cry or maybe you have already. But what you have to remember is that this whole DM thing isn't about the D or the M. It's about the children you're inspiring and the charities you're funding. The key is to look at the big picture, so download the Motivational Quotes app and let the world's most enlightened people keep you going. Any time you feel like throwing in the sweaty towel, take a look at a few morsels of wisdom and save your favorites so that you can take a look at them later.
Catalista: Volunteer Locally! (iOS; free)
Congratulations! You have made it through 30 hours of dancing, and you've benefitted some of the greatest charities out there. The children, their families and the community all appreciate your compassion, hard work and mad dance skills. But you can't stop here. Oh, no. It's simply not an option. Download the free Catalista app, and you can find volunteer opportunities near Evanston and your hometown. Not all foundations are lucky enough to have huge student organizations helping them out. This app will help you locate smaller charities that will be equally if not even more grateful for your work. Keep that philanthropic spirit up, and the world will be all the better for it.
There's a reason some seniors make it to the 120-hour club. DM is one of the most rewarding campus organizations a Northwestern student can get involved with. Whether you're a first year dancer or a soon-to-be member of that prestigious 120-hour club, you cannot possibly prepare enough for the rush of feelings and emotions accompanying the event. For all your dancer preparation and post-DM needs, there's an app for that.