Students popped, locked and rocked at the third-annual Rock the U dance marathon during the weekend, raising more than $75,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
More than 300 students helped in the fundraiser for cancer research involving 26.2 hours of dancing that began at 3 p.m. on Friday and ran nonstop until Saturday evening. A board within the Associated Students of the University of Utah organized the annual event.
“This event is dedicated to all of those people who are currently battling, or will battle, or have battled cancer before, and it’s just an awesome experience,” said Brooke Hathaway, development manager of events for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
All donations will go to the area of highest need this year, which will probably be translation research, said Susan Sheehan, executive director of development for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
“It’s seed money, and that’s the hardest kind of money to attract for cancer research,” Sheehan said. “When we have private dollars we can put it toward those (specified), we can get a body of evidence that this is really going to work for cancer patients, then we can compete successfully for those federal dollars afterwards.”
Rock the U raised about $5,000 more than last year. However, it received smaller donations from corporate sponsors than in 2007, when it raised almost $94,000.
Students participated in the dance marathon to raise funds, but some had personal experiences motivating them to dance.
Sydney Osmun, a junior in parks, recreation and tourism and a member of the Rock the U board, was diagnosed with cancer and successfully treated at the cancer institute three years ago. Her mother and father also had the disease.
“Huntsman has done really well for me and my dad and my other family members, so it’s just giving back to something that needs to be done,” said Osmun, who helped collect donations and recruit dancers. The board met every Tuesday since the beginning of Fall Semester and spent hours preparing for the event.
“I think we had an incredible turnout,” said Kirstin Engelby, director of Rock the U. “We had a lot show up that just danced, (who) weren’t registered but came and participated. (They) brought their money with them and so that was cool.”
The board encouraged dancers to stay on their feet the entire time to symbolize a cancer patient’s struggle to undergo treatments. Only a handful of dancers were able to do so, though.
Cameron Hansen, a junior in finance, and four others took on the challenge this year as they did last year.
“This year it definitely was harder to make it through the whole 26.2 hours without sitting down, because the first year, it was just new and so it was easier to get through,” Hansen said. “I’m going to go home, sleep for two hours and then watch the Jazz game at 7, and then go back to sleep.”
Alex Boyé, a local singer, helped the somewhat sluggish group get their spirits up through the last hour. The finale included a 10-minute-long line dance that participants learned in segments throughout the event and closed with Boyé singing an emotional “World’s Greatest” while participants circled together, unified in their fight against cancer.
ASUU will be accepting applications until Friday for next year’s Rock the U board. Interested applicants can find more information at the ASUU office, Union Room 234.
Erik DaenitzMichelle Doong and other dancers at Rock the U practice the line dance that they performed at the end of the 26.2 hours dance marathon. The 3rd Annual Rock the U dance Marathon raised over $75,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Erik DaenitzRay Warner earned the nickname “dancing king” after spending 26.2 hours dancing in the Union Ballroom during the 3rd Annual Rock the U Friday and Saturday.