Early start doing its part

Dance Marathon leaders brought music, dancing and neon shirts to Bruin Plaza on Wednesday to kick off the first day of registration.

Informational fliers were handed out and computers were available for students to sign up immediately.

Those who sign up as dancers will participate in a 26-hour dance party, pay a small registration fee, and raise a minimum of $225 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation.

Last year the event raised over $330,000, said Taylor Wirth, public relations director for the event.

“We are the largest student-run philanthropic event on the West Coast, in terms of money raised,” he added.

Dance Marathon Executive Director Billy Gellepis said the idea behind the day’s events was to create a level of engagement and excitement that fliering alone cannot provide.

To grab the attention of the passing students on Bruin Walk, Dance Marathon organizers donned Halloween costumes and bright shirts and led groups of students in dance.

Some of the dances that students performed were routines done by participants from previous years, known as morale dances, which Wirth said he hoped reminded past dancers of their experiences and encouraged them to sign up again.

“We were trying to get new people, but it’s also a push to get returning people to come back to the event,” he said.

Wirth said he was pleased with the attention that the day’s activities drew.He said all 1000 fliers that had been printed were handed out, and it was estimated that 100 people were watching the event at a time.

“I think we saw a pretty good crowd. We got the chance to show the school what the event is about,” he said.

Though Dance Marathon isn’t until Feb. 16, participants are encouraged to register early and begin the fund-raising process, Gellepis said.

“We try to encourage them to fund-raise as much as they can, which can be a difficult and challenging process … but in the end it’s worth it,” he said.

Wirth echoed this sentiment, saying that students should begin their involvement immediately.

“We’re not just one weekend in February,” he said. “This starts now.”

He added that there is plenty of support for students who need help raising funds and that students shouldn’t be intimidated by the commitment.

“Our hope is that they feel comfortable coming to us if they have doubts about raising the minimum amount,” he said.

One student who signed up today was second-year neuroscience student Phyllis Huang. After participating in Dance Marathon last year, Huang said she was really excited to see so much publicity for it.

“Everyone’s heard about Dance Marathon but by going out there (we’re) showing we actually do a lot of work; we’re passionate about it,” she said.

Ultimately, Gellepis said, all the excitement surrounding Dance Marathon is no substitute for actually participating, spending the 26 hours dancing with friends and helping the cause.

“Its hard to explain unless you go through it,” he said.

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