The lack of preparation that precedes an all-nighter oftentimes
summarizes the college academic experience.
But in this case, it’s just a weekend on the dance
floor.
When Dance Marathon rolls onto campus this weekend, about 500
philanthropic students will get a chance to strut their stuff in
support of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. For 26
straight hours.
It’s a daunting task and the organizers have taken the
time to offer some tips for this self-proclaimed event of a
lifetime. An informational packet tells dancers how to eat, dress
and exercise properly going into this physically-exhausting event.
There’s even a section to prepare them mentally.
Oddly enough though, the packet doesn’t really instruct
the dancers on how to tackle the dancing itself. Once the music
starts, the students are left to wing it, with nothing more than a
keen sense of rhythm or an unabashed willingness to look silly in
public.
Nevertheless, the dancers don’t seem too worried in the
least bit. I asked some of them what moves they were trying out in
front of the mirror or what songs they were downloading in
anticipation for the big moment, but these things seemed trivial.
Maybe it’s the sports reporter in me, but I kind of assumed
that a grueling 26-hour event would require some sort of practice
here and there.
Instead, the only dancing preparation I saw was the Samahang
Modern hip-hop dance group practicing its routines out on Wilson
Plaza Monday night. The dancers I talked to acknowledged they
didn’t have a specific game plan going into the marathon.
Sophomore Jana Chtchetinin giggled a little when I asked her
whether she planned on pacing herself during her favorite tunes,
admitting that she hadn’t thought much about it.
There’s a lot to plan ahead for during this marathon. Of
course, the naturally gifted dancer can get away with a lack of
preparation by pulling some fancy c-walk or Harlem shake when the
timing is right. But this isn’t some night club where the
disc jockey plays exclusively one brand of music for a few hours
before closing time. Dance Marathon is divided into eight themes,
and inevitably, at least eight different styles of music. What kind
of tricks will the breakdancers have up their sleeve when some
country-western song from the “Wicky Wicky Wild West”
theme starts playing three hours in?
Dancers need to be armed with a repertoire of moves they can use
for any style. When the DJ starts rocking the Eurythmics or the
Go-Go’s, the true marathoners aren’t allowed to retire
and complain about the ’80s. At the same time, the neon and
scrunchie-clad enthusiasts will have to exercise some self-control
and save some energy for later after their synthesized new-wave
gems get laid to rest.
At some time before midnight, a more male-dominated crowd will
likely bombard the dance floor, realizing it’s the cool place
to be Saturday night. The floor will feel compacted and the dancers
will need to be prepared for the limited space they have to work
with. That group of eight sorority sisters may suddenly be
surrounded by a pack of fraternity brothers who will be dancing to
the beat of a different drummer.
To complicate matters further, the Dan Band ““ that group
that appeared in Old School during Will Ferrell’s wedding
““ will be performing live during this period and it’s
got to be a challenge to stay in rhythm once that lead singer
starts throwing in some expletives during Bonnie Tyler’s
“Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
The only thing tougher may be the transition back to an emptier
dance floor once the drop-in visitors call it quits and go home.
Physically and mentally worn down by 15 hours of non-stop dancing,
they will additionally have to adjust to the difficulty of keeping
their feet moving and arms shaking even though the party already
ended.
“It gets really crowded and overheated,” sophomore
Mimi Newton said of the five-hour block between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.
“But then they leave and it’s just the dancers and
there’s not as much support.”
Fortunately, the committee prepared for this potential letdown
by scheduling the “Fast Times at Dance Marathon”
’80s theme to kick off at 3 a.m. Hopefully, the dancers will
likewise be prepared to realize what sweet dreams are made of.
E-mail Finley at afinley@media.ucla.edu if you need a
moraler to get you through the Safety Dance.