UNC Dance Marathon to Feature Special Guests

The Clef Hangers, Chapel Hill Players comedy troupe and UNC football coach John Bunting are among those expected to raise the spirits of the 320 already-committed dancers during their 24-hour fund-raising stretch.

The marathon, which is scheduled to begin the night of Feb. 23, is the largest student fund-raiser at UNC and raises money for UNC Children's Hospital.

The money will aid parents in paying hospital bills that their insurance will not cover, as well as covering the cost of housing and clothing during the children's hospital stays.

Patients will be present at the Dance Marathon, and students will get a chance to meet the children for whom they are dancing.

"I think the reason why everyone gets involved is because it's an incredible cause," said Cristy Irvin, the coordinator of the Dance Marathon. "I want to take that cause and take it to the entire campus."

Irvin said the marathon will feature three times as many dancers as last year. "We've had to beg and plead our friends to come out in the past," she said. "Now everyone is excited."

The Dance Marathon raised more than $70,000 last year, bringing the total amount raised to $110,000 since the first marathon in 1999. The Dance Marathon also is the largest single donor to the Children's Hospital. "We don't have a monetary goal," Irvin said. "Money is very important, but it is one of many goals."

One such goal of the Dance Marathon is to have a diverse group of people participate in the festivities.

The marathon will include performances by the Black Student Movement Gospel Choir and local bands Runaway Cab and Roads Turn Grey.

The coordinators also boast journalism Professor Chuck Stone as one of the event's speakers, as well as UNC's cheerleading mascot Ramses, who will make an appearance leading the dancers in stretches.

One of the more popular events in past marathons has been the lip-sync competition, which will feature 10 UNC athletic teams this year. The teams will be chosen by how much money they raise for the event.

The night's proceedings also will feature Mr. UNC, Will Lloyd, as the emcee. He said there will be 60 "moralers" present whose job it is to keep the energy of the crowd up during down time. "Every person knows about the Dance Marathon," Lloyd said. "Spirit is going to be absolutely incredible."

The dance will begin at 7 p.m. and will last for 24 hours. Students are free to come and go as they please. "If there is a message we want to get out to the students -- it's for everyone to come out," Irvin said. "We just want everyone to see it."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.