Over 4,000 students locked themselves in the tennis center to dance for 36 hours. The 34th annual Indiana University Dance Marathon commenced this weekend.
Students danced, made bracelets, listened to Riley stories, played basketball, and did whatever other activities they could to keep themselves occupied for the 36 hours. While the marathon can be long and tiring, the community keeps each other hyped while reminding one another why they are there.
“Our job is to just be as energetic as possible and bring liveliness to the tennis center,” said senior Tierney O’Daniel.
Senior Tierney O’Daniel explains why she dances and the impact her committee Morale has had on her.
The first marathon was in 1991 and was originally in the hyper. Georgia Jones, a freshman at Indiana University, was able to enjoy the marathon her dad helped create. Jones’s father was the cinematographer for the first marathon back in 1991.
“He did so much in college it all sort of blended together, it wasn’t until high school it set in what he did here,” said Jones.
Out of all those involvements, IUDM has been the one to make a lasting impact on the university and beyond. Growing up she heard about the marathon, but it was not until high school that she decided to get involved with her school’s Leukemia Lymphoma Society which was her first taste of an organization similar to IUDM. Going into her freshman year she sought out IUDM knowing she wanted to be a part of the organization her dad had told her about.
“When he visited, I was like, ‘Oh, like you’re here on Wednesday. I’ll skip my meeting,’” said Jones, “He goes, you’re not skipping that meeting, you go to dance marathon meetings.”
Jones is in FYDE the First Year Dancer Experience.
“We’re just here to learn about marathon and kind of explore the committees and enjoy the vibes,” said Jones.
There are 18 different committees students can apply to be a part of. There are four types of committees including communication, finance, internal and membership. Students of all majors and backgrounds can bring their talents to a committee best suited for them. These committees help put on and run the marathon each year. Since its founding in 1991 IUDM has raised over 53 million dollars for Riley Hospital for Children.
Participants at IUDM share their favorite part about the organization.
Jill Stewart was the founder of IUDM who started the cause for her friend Ryan White.
At age 13 White was diagnosed with AIDs in 1984 after a contaminated blood transfusion. He was told he only had 6 months to live, but still insisted he go to school. Due to the lack of knowledge about AIDs during that time he was bullied and discriminated against. He fought for his right to attend school and became a national figure for education about the disease.
The White family moved to Cicero, Indiana where Jill and Ryan met. Jill was the student body president and had doctors come to the school to educate the children on the disease in order for White to not receive the same discrimination he had faced at his previous school. He was able to attend all of the school dances including prom and even got a job, something his mom never thought was possible.
Doctors had given him 6 months, but White fought for five years. White passed away in 1990, the spring before he was supposed to attend Indiana University. Stewart started IUDM in his honor.
This past weekend IUDM raised over 3 million and 58 thousand dollars for Riley. White’s legacy continues to help thousands get the treatment he never had.
