The cause was the St. Louis Area Dance Marathon (DM), a 12-hour dance-a-thon that raised at least $150,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis.

Around 1,300 registered participants, in addition to local businesses, raised funds to support two St. Louis children’s hospitals—St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center.

Dance Marathon participants form teams weeks in advance and raise funds up to the day of the event. Their efforts culminate in the 12-hour event, which features a different theme for each hour, and participants are encouraged to dance the whole time.

“Everybody who’s there is really pumped up and into it and especially all the people who have their own teams are really amped up. People were still dancing the whole time [multiple hours into the event],” senior Jacob Shaw said.

This year, as an added incentive to encourage donations, students received awards for reaching certain fundraising levels. They also collaborated with a national DM initiative, a national dance competition with Ubisoft’s new game Just Dance 3. The footage of participants dancing will be uploaded to the Just Dance YouTube channel, called justdancegame, next Saturday. The video that receives the most votes will win $4,000.

Senior Claire Pluard, one of Dance Marathon’s two executive directors, said more than 800 people attended the event, with at least 300-400 there for the entire time.

The annual event, which lasted from 2 p.m. on Saturday to 2 a.m. on Sunday, began in 2000 and has grown significantly since then.

Fundraising will continue into December, and members of Dance Marathon’s executive board expect funds to continue flowing in. Last year, they raised an additional $14,000 after the event.

The fundraising amount announced for this year is already higher than last year’s total of $139,000—which excludes the $25,000 donation DM received from the St. Louis Community Credit Union last year.

“I’m extremely proud of what we managed to do,” Pluard said. “Our morale captains…did a great job with emceeing and making things light and funny and still connecting things to the things we work so hard for.”

Earlier this semester, they released their first-ever promotional video.

Throughout the evening, families with children who have been treated in the hospitals benefited by Dance Marathon addressed the crowd.

“My favorite experience of the night is normally being able to interact with the kids because that’s really what it’s all about,” Pluard said. “They’re really sweet; it’s a magical time for them.”

In addition to the dance floor, Dance Marathon featured performances by WUSauce, Wash. U. Hip Hop Union and WUCypher., a silent auction, a photo booth, massages by Stressbusters and free dinner and snacks.

The monetary relationship between Monsanto, a Missouri-based biotech company, and Washington University is hardly a secret. Wash. U. is the home of Monsanto Hall, and the company has a history of contributing money to Wash. U. The president of Monsanto even serves on the University’s board of trustees, but the knowledge that the company engages in ethically questionable practices is far from new information.

Concerns about “greenness” aside, the company’s troubling seed patenting practices, bullying of farmers and investigation by the SEC are well documented. Monsanto is only one among many large corporations that has ties to Washington University. Other board members include the CEOs of Peabody Energy and Arch Coal, Inc. Very few entities, corporations or otherwise, fit neatly into the binary categories of “good” and “evil,” but Monsanto does have a somewhat tainted ethical track record. By accepting money from such institutions, Wash. U. and Dance Marathon are expressing tacit approval for those corporations and a willingness to be associated with them.

This is not to say that Dance Marathon itself is tainted in any way by its participation in the contest. DM is a worthy cause, and we have no wish to hurt its chances of raising as much money as possible. Many St. Louis-area nonprofits are also taking part. It’s not as though Monsanto is paying off these groups to do its will or skew scientific research in its favor, only attempting to ameliorate its image as a corporation by “giving back.”

The combined payout to contest winners is peanuts for a company as large as Monsanto. However, even the third place prize money would allow Dance Marathon to cover a substantial portion of its operating costs and donate even more money to Children’s Miracle Network. There is no question that the money, no matter how questionable the source, would benefit a good cause. The Dance Marathon Executive Board itself had qualms about taking part in the competition, but ultimately decided to do so. Research institutions like Wash. U. face similar conundrums. Scientific research can lead to innovation and progress, but money is always a necessary factor. Corporations can provide funding, but there might be a push to publish research favorably skewed toward the donor.

Dance Marathon is a worthy cause and a Wash. U. tradition. Whether you choose to vote for Dance Marathon in the competition or not, the key is to make a conscientious decision about where the money is coming from and whether Monsanto’s reputation outweighs the need of an institution like Dance Marathon.

Christina Kelley

Ben and Jerry’s on the Loop often partners with campus organizations for charity. This partnership has been called into question after Dance Marathon heard that they would not receive money for their October 12 fundraiser.

Jacob Lenard, the co-fundraising chair for Dance Marathon, had originally scheduled a benefit night at Ben & Jerry’s for Oct. 7, but Ben & Jerry’s moved the event to Oct. 12. After the benefit happened, Lenard said that he did not receive money for either night.

“We called the manager a couple times to get the money. He finally called us back three weeks later and basically told us that he wasn’t writing us a check,” Lenard said. “He told us that we didn’t publicize correctly and that we didn’t know how to do a benefit night.”

The event would have benefited the Children’s Miracle Network, the charity supported by Dance Marathon.

According to Lenard, Max Bierman, the owner of Ben & Jerry’s, told him that the event hadn’t been publicized sufficiently. Lenard also said that Bierman claimed that not enough people had mentioned Dance Marathon while purchasing ice cream.

Lenard said, however, that Ben & Jerry’s management told him that customers did not need to mention Dance Marathon in order for the money to be sent to charity.

Many other student groups have partnered with the franchise for philanthropic events in which the store donated a portion of ice cream sales from an agreed-upon night to charity.

According to Lenard, some of these groups,—such as Delta Gamma, Sigma Nu and Alpha Phi—have experienced similar problems with Ben & Jerry’s management when trying to organize fundraisers.

Following Lenard’s dispute with Ben & Jerry’s, Mike Hayes, executive director of campus life and director of Greek life sent a letter to Bierman expressing concerns about the incidents.

Hayes said that there appeared to be miscommunication on both sides.

“When I talked with Max, I got the impression that it didn’t go down the way it was supposed to,” Hayes said. “They are very philanthropically involved, and they still want to be.”

According to Bierman, the management involved with the fundraiser no longer works at Ben & Jerry’s.

“We want to partner with all facets of the University for a mutually beneficial experience,” Bierman said. “Since 2004, we have given back over $50,000 to charities, non-profit organizations and student groups and have had the opportunity to help raise money for families that are in need of funds related to medical care.”

In order to prevent future miscommunications, Bierman said that Ben & Jerry’s is working on a protocol for both Ben & Jerry’s and student organizations that he will send to Hayes to review.

“We are in the process of developing a ‘Benefit Night Guideline’ document for Washington University,” Bierman said. “I will be sending the document to Mr. Hayes. All groups wishing to host a fundraising event will be required to review the guidelines and discuss expectations and other information required.”

Hayes stressed the need for responsibility on both sides involved in fundraisers.

“There’s a responsibility on Ben & Jerry’s’ side and on the student organizations’ side,” Hayes said. “Students used to stand outside Ben & Jerry’s and tried to draw people in, but this doesn’t happen anymore. My understanding from Ben & Jerry’s is that they only had three customers come in that night.”

Despite the franchise’s attempts to facilitate collaboration with University students, Lenard has no plans to work with Ben & Jerry’s in the future.

“We aren’t working with Ben & Jerry’s again,” Lenard said. “Even if organizations do get the money, it’s not an easy business to work with. It was sad to see someone in our community denying money for [the Children’s Miracle Network].”

Despite these past problems, Bierman is optimistic for future successful fundraisers with the University once the protocol takes effect and communication is eased. He stressed the need for full student participation in all future events, including active promotion of the event and distribution of materials about the charity in the store while the event is occurring.

“I have several very creative ideas for taking our partnership with WU to the next level,” Bierman wrote in an e-mail to Student Life. “I would be delighted to meet with WU to discuss and to also understand what ideas WU may have for how to best leverage our global brand for their betterment.”

They were raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network at Dance Marathon, an event that Washington University has hosted 12 times since 2000.

The Children’s Miracle Network raises money for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Some children from these hospitals were in attendance.

This year marked a milestone in Dance Marathon history. The group raised its millionth dollar since the annual event began in 2000.

“It feels incredible to have been able to give over a million dollars to Children’s Miracle Network these past years,” said Hannah Elkus, co-executive director of Dance Marathon.

This year’s event raised a total of $166,807.65. Last year, the event raised around $130,000, according to sophomore Hannah Snitzer, this year’s dancer relations chair.

Matt Mitgang | Student Life

Josh Nelson, a local high school freshman, crowd surfs at Dance Marathon on Saturday night. Nelson was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease four days after birth and underwent dialysis and a kidney transplant at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Dance Marathon raised $166,807.65 this year to benefit Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit that raises funds for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon.

The fundraising was so successful in part because of a $25,000 donation from the St. Louis Community Credit Union.

Student participation was also at a high. This year, 83 percent of dancers were registered and had paid the ($30) participation fee, compared to 67 percent last year. (This means that they paid the registration fee of $30).

A total of 1,190 people were registered dancers, and 80 percent checked in to dance.

“It was an incredible success. We had so many dancers show up,” Snitzer said. “The twelve hours really flew by. People were enjoying themselves.”

The entire University community got involved in the event. In addition to the usual dormitory floor teams, WUStyle, an African step-dancing group; WU Cypher, a breakdancing group; Wash. U. Hip-Hop Union; and WUSauce, a salsa dancing group, all taught dances to the participating dancers.

This year’s Dance Marathon was also unique in that the University of Dayton Skyped in. Dayton was having its Dance Marathon on the same day, and the two universities danced to nineties music during the same hour. Through Skype, they danced to *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” at the same time.

Greek organizations also had their own teams. Delta Gamma and Beta Theta Pi raised the most of the sororities and fraternities, respectively.

The most spirited team was from Fontbonne University’s Fontbonne Frenzy.

Dance Marathon, an annual 12-hour dance-a-thon, raises thousands of dollars every year for St. Louis area hospitals. Diwali, the five-day Indian holiday also known as the Festival of Lights, is the subject of a yearly performance put on by Ashoka, the South Asian student organization.

(Evan Wiskup | Student Life)

Ashoka puts on Diwali’s three installments in the same weekend—all of which have sold out in the past few years.

In 2004, Dance Marathon was moved from the spring to the fall in an effort to encourage freshman floors to participate together and enjoy a greater bonding experience earlier in the year.

Neither group has much control over determining the date of its event. Edison Theatre establishes the dates for Diwali, while the Athletic Complex chooses them for Dance Marathon.

As soon as this year’s event dates were announced last spring, the two groups  joined forces to better prepare for the fall’s hectic weekend.

“I really had no concern. It was just a matter of ensuring there was open communication [between the groups],” said junior Manjaap Sidhu, co-president of Ashoka.

Representatives from Dance Marathon echoed Sidhu’s confidence.

“The two groups are really working together, and we’re trying to maximize our outreach and the relationship between the two groups as well,” said senior Andrew Seidl, executive director of Dance Marathon.

The groups’ executives will meet on Oct. 2 to iron out the details of their plans.

“We’re trying to make sure that anyone who’s interested in both events can do both events,” Seidl said.

(Evan Wiskup | Student Life)

Ideas for alleviating the overlap of events include giving residential advisors tickets specifically for the Friday and Saturday morning Diwali shows to ensure that as many freshmen as possible can attend both events.

Traditionally, Diwali’s Saturday night show is the one with the greatest number of parents in attendance, which means the impact on attendance due to Dance Marathon would not be too drastic.

Last year, 800 registered dancers attended Dance Marathon and a couple hundred more showed up.

In addition, Dance Marathon has moved its time to 3 p.m. to leave room for the 12 p.m. Diwali show.

In the past, Dance Marathon has taken place the weekend before Diwali, meaning that dancers who participate in Diwali often cannot attend the Dance Marathon due to dry runs and dress rehearsals.

Because the two events overlap on the same day this year, Diwali participants will have some time in between the Saturday shows. Ashoka has encouraged the dancers to drop by Dance Marathon during their breaks.

The only worry for the Dance Marathon executive board, however, is the number of people who hold off on registration for the fundraiser because they wish to participate in Diwali.

“I think that with joint PR, we can counter that effect,” Seidl said. “There obviously will be a lot of people who want to try out.”

Still, each year there are more students who do fundraising for Dance Marathon but do not show up, as well as students who do not register but come to the dance-a-thon.

Ashoka is also offering discounted tickets to the Dance Marathon executive board, though the board will be unable to attend due to planning.

The Dance Marathon board is also considering an early check-in for Dance Marathon dancers Saturday morning show so that they can leave immediately following the Saturday morning show.

Though some people will have to choose between participating in one event or the other, both still remain worthwhile opportunities, students say.

“They’re events that are held for really good causes, and Diwali in particular, because it’s a cultural event,” senior Brandy Randall said. “It’s a good chance for people to get exposed to a culture that they may or may not have had exposure to previously, and also exposes them to our cultural arts department.”

Randall, who is an RA for a freshman floor, is similarly positive about Dance Marathon.

“Dance Marathon is something that is an activity that a lot of students on campus are passionate about, and that passion usually starts their freshman year when they are first exposed to what the program is,” she said.

Despite the work of both groups to coordinate their schedules, some students still believe the competition may have negative impacts on the programs.

Dance Marathon and Diwali organizers, however, say they think the two events will maintain their positions as prominent traditions at the University, even with the scheduling overlap.

“This is something we all participate [in] and are a part of that makes Wash. U. unique and you’re not going to find [that] anywhere else,”  Sidhu said.

Members of the Ashoka and Dance Marathon executive boards have met multiple times and are making the best of this opportunity to work together. By combining the strengths of these two campus traditions, we will ensure that each event is more successful than ever due to this collaboration.

Both student groups are excited about this chance to help each other out. Some actions under consideration right now are to:

• Encourage Dance Marathon participants to attend the Friday night Diwali performance, so they are energized and ready to go for Dance Marathon the next day.
• Have Diwali dance groups perform at Dance Marathon’s annual Dance-In, which will be held Thursday 10/22 and Friday 10/23.
• Have a Dance Marathon check-in station at Edison Theater before the Saturday morning Diwali performance so that Dance Marathon participants can easily go straight from the Edison Theater to the Athletic Complex in time for Dance Marathon Opening Ceremonies.
• Distribute PR materials promoting both Dance Marathon and Diwali.

We would like to encourage the Washington University community to participate in and/or attend both events. With the exception of those who are participating in the skit or one of the major dances in Diwali and the Dance Marathon Executive Board, anyone who wants to experience both events can do so without any hesitation; both groups will continue to work together to ensure that the weekend of November 6,7, and 8 will be one of the best weekends of the fall semester!

Please feel free to contact us for any information regarding this overlap. We would all be happy to answer any questions you might have. Thanks so much!

Neha Agarwal and Minti Shah
Co-Cultural Chairs, 2009 Ashoka Executive Board

Andrew Seidl
Executive Director, Dance Marathon 2009

Bauhaus
Hosted by the architecture school, the Bauhous party takes place under a 120-foot by 160-foot tent on the Givens Hall parking lot in spirit of the Bauhaus movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

“It’s a costume party in a giant tent. Everyone comes and has a lot of fun. It’s a really good party with a DJ and a lot of people, and definitely one of the best experiences you’ll have as a Wash. U. student.”
- Junior Aric Skurdal

Beta Bubbles
A party hosted by Beta Theta Pi where students dance in the bubble-filled basement of the Beta Theta Pi House.

“Last year there were about 850 people, so it’s a very popular event. Everyone looks forward to it and enjoys it a lot—that’s why we continue to do it. It’s a very different atmosphere from any other party and very unique.”
- Junior Tristan Sopp, Beta Theta Pi recruitment chair

Carnaval
A Latin festival with dances from Latin America and Spain in recognition of experiences and challenges faced by Latinos.

“There’s a small Latino presence on campus. It’s great to see our culture magnified on campus. We’re really proud of the turnout that we have every year. It’s always a great show with vibrant colors and slamming tunes. We hope all the freshmen come out to see it this year!”
- Senior Vicky Rodriguez

Dance Marathon
After fundraising throughout the fall, students gather for a 12-hour dance-a-thon with music, performances, competitions and games to raise money for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center.

“It’s one of the greatest events, because you get to meet the Miracle kids and their families. You hear their stories and it’s really inspiring, because so many people work together for a great cause. My favorite part is after the 12 hours [of dancing] when they reveal the numbers—it’s a great feeling to see how much money you’ve raised.”
- Senior Jenny Sha

Diwali
A cultural show put on by the South Asian Student Association with skits, dances, and songs.

“The cultural experience is really cool. You learn a lot of stuff you didn’t know about. It’s cool getting to know different people. It’s a different experience every year.”
- Junior Shobhit Vishnoi

First 40 Days
An exciting series of events designed especially for freshmen. Events include the SUp all Night, which is hosted by Student Union in the D.U.C., where students can grab a snack, dance salsa, watch a movie, play bingo, rock to guitar hero and meet new friends; the Symphony on the South 40, a concert put on by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with special outdoor dining; and the Taste of Wash. U., a non-profit event where students pay $2 for an appetizer and $3 for an entrée from any of 20-25 featured restaurants.

“I love the first few weeks of school when everyone gets back. People haven’t seen each other in a while; schoolwork is light. It’s a great time.”
- Senior Jared Berkowitz

Give Thanks Give Back
Students donate gifts to needy families in support of the group “100 Need-iest Cases,” which battles poverty during the holiday season.
“It’s a very hands-on activity. You feel like you’re actually helping out. You get to wrap presents. It brings the community together. They put on holiday songs and it’s open to anyone.”
- Junior Tina Wang

Holi
A huge mud fight on the South 40 swamp put on by the South Asian Student Association.
“Pretty awesome experience at Wash. U. Most campuses don’t have the experience to throw tens of thousands of water balloons at each other.”
- Junior Matt Vail

Moonlight Breakfast
A free breakfast buffet that used to be offered in Center Court [now the new South 40 House] during the start of every reading week from 10 p.m. to midnight.
“It’s an awesome brunch, because it’s free and brunch is my favorite meal. Also, teachers and administrators help serve. It’s fun to watch them make pancakes. But get there early, because the line is long!”
- Senior Micah Anderson

Red Alert
A spirited fan group for Wash. U. athletics that is open to all students. Members are eligible to attend exclusive events, compete for prizes and receive T-shirts, pizza, headbands and other free stuff.
“Red Alert helps to create a great atmosphere to play under. There’re fans cheering under you. That’s a big push for you to win. I think any sport can say that Red Alert is vital to create a competitive environment.”
- Senior Janice Evans, women’s basketball team captain

Rush
Rush occurs in January during the week before classes begin. Interested students meet with sororities and fraternities for a formal recruitment process.

ThurtenE Carnival
The oldest student-run carnival in the United States, with rides, games and musical productions in themed façades. Greek organizations compete for the Burmeister Cup for best carnival participation.

Vertigo
An all-school party with LED lights hosted by the Engineering Student Council featuring a large-scale, light-up, computer-controlled dance floor.

“Vertigo is a unique event because it’s rare that you can find a place to listen to house music and get the feeling of being at a club with your friends while still being safe on campus. Lopata Gallery is also a great location for the event.”
- Senior Vicky Rodriguez

W.I.L.D [Walk In Lay Down]
A huge concert held every semester by Team 31 on the Brookings Quad featuring famous local bands, recording artists and musical groups.
“My favorite was when the Ben Folds came. It’s a lot of fun, because you’re with all your friends. It was probably one of my best memories. It was pouring rain and everyone was just sliding around. I always look forward to the day when they announce the bands that are coming. They try to keep it as much of a secret as possible. There’s a lot of anticipation.”
- Senior Clint Morgan

Dance Marathon has registered 1,100 students for the event. Last year, which also set a record for number of participants, 1,056 students, local high school students and University alumni.

The event, which will be held in the Athletic Complex (AC) on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m, benefits the Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis, a national non-profit organization that raises funds for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Cardinal Glennon Medical Center.

“Children who are treated at the hospitals that Children’s Miracle Network benefits are called ‘miracle children’ and several of them come to our event and join in the dancing and celebration,” senior Lauren Statman, the 2008 Dance Marathon executive director, said. “The dancers always really like to see that. Every team dances for a child as a mascot, or something to keep motivating them.”

Additionally, this year Dance Marathon is inviting parents and families of students to participate in the 12-hour event.

“Parents can totally dance. It’s a way to join Wash. U. families with those families of the Children’s Miracle Network for Greater St. Louis,” Kate Durso, coordinator for community service and staff adviser for this year’s Dance Marathon, said.

The presence of parents, however, has forced the planners of Dance Marathon to adjust the time of the event.

“One of the decisions that we made in order to cope with Parents Weekend was to push the time of Dance Marathon from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. to 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. so that dancers could spend time with their parents and families in the morning and afternoon and then come to Dance Marathon,” sophomore Alex Mancall, co-chair of public relations for the event, said.

Each hour has a different music and costume theme, and dancers must adapt their respective dances to these themes.

Although the Dance Marathon executive board did not initially anticipate that the event would be held during Parent Weekend, the team was able to come together and successfully incorporate the two events.

“It was definitely a shock at first and we spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to incorporate it into the weekend instead of making kids choose,” Mancall said. “It’s been interesting from the PR perspective, because when encouraging people to register they say, ‘Can’t come, it’s Parent Weekend,’ so then it comes down to how we want the Dance Marathon to be looked upon this year. It’s been a great success, though, all-in-all.”

“You can tell by the fact that our registration numbers are as high as ever that [Parent Weekend] didn’t affect registration. People still want to do Dance Marathon,” Statman said.

Visitors are encouraged to attend from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and are asked to donate $5 at the door. Parents are also encouraged to attend a dinner provided by Dining Services from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Statman said of the dinner, “It’s been a creative way for us to embrace Parents Weekend and raise more funds.”

The Dance Marathon team also dealt with space limitations for the AC because of the vice presidential debate, which was held in the AC on Oct. 2.

“We’ve also made it clear that our schedule is at the mercy of the AC. We get a date from Athletic Complex and we embrace it. Because of the vice presidential debate, scheduling was very limited. We were very happy that Dance Marathon was happening at all.”

Last year, the Dance Marathon team kept the fundraising goal secret until the end of the event. At the end of last year’s Dance Marathon, the group had raised $162,000, but following that deadline, the group raised an additional $14,000 from post-Dance Marathon donors, bringing last year’s total to $176,000.

Statman said, “We keep our goal and our reach a secret until the end of the event. Most executive board members don’t even know.”

Statman believes that having Dance Marathon during Parent Weekend will be a great way of showcasing campus life to the parents and families of students.

“Dance Marathon is a very special event, especially on Parent Weekend, because it actually allows parents to see students taking a part in student life on campus,” Statman said. “They can see what students actually do as opposed to watching and sitting down or taking a tour.”