It’s just half an hour before the 30-hour Dance Marathon kicks off, and armed with a variety of costumes, the excitement among the dancers in the check-in area is palpably growing.
“I’m really excited, but it’s really intimidating. 30 hours is a long time,” said DM newcomer McCormick freshman Aaron Goldblum, who is armed with a British flag among other items in his bag. “It’s for a good cause. I really like dancing and jumping up and down in front of concerts, so I’m excited to be doing this for charity.”
Alex Holterman, a McCormick junior, is dancing again after a positive experience his sophomore year.
“DM is cool because it brings all the Northwestern students – all the groups dancing together, and it’s for an incredible cause,” said Alex Holterman. “It’s going to be a long haul, but I’m going to take it one block at a time and just have fun.” His war chest includes jorts and some goofy overalls.
Medill sophomore Amanda Gilbert is dancing for the first time this year, inspired by the success of last year’s DM, which raised about $1.1 million dollars.
“I’m super excited but really nervous because I haven’t had much sleep, and coffee isn’t allowed. I heard the 10th block makes everything worth it,” she said.