University of South Carolina Libraries
Quote of the Day: i ‘To believe yourself to be brave is to be brave; it is the only essential thing.' - Mark Twain Page 6 %\\t (BaiMCOCk Monday, February 28,2000 Participants in the Dance 1 Marathon give one another massages to take a break from all the dancing. Aside from the mas sages, dancers could do crafts, play games and eart when they needed a | change of pace. _mtam-; -1 Amy Goulding Photo Editor One participant's account of the weekend's record-setting marathon by Mark Hartney Staff Writer I've never been awake for more than 24 hours. There have been all-nighters, but I usually wind up in the fetal posi tion a few hours after dawn. Enter Dance Marathon, a 28-hour event beginning early one evening and ending late the next. At USC, I’ve played rugby, campaigned for Student Govern ment president and have been actively involved in other areas, to put it mildly. This was an opportunity to show what a hard man I really was. When I got to the Russell House on Friday, dancer registration was well un der way, with 300 students, countless staff and administration, and a handful of people in “MORALE” shirts signing in. They rounded us up, and we ran in to the RH Ballroom to “2001” and the fight song. One minute down, 1,679 to go. Overall Chair Kate Stewart soon took the stage to welcome the dancers, who were accompanied by members from the Children’s Hospital of Richland Memorial. Then, we heard the rules. (1) No watches. (2) No leaving. (3) No ly ing down. Ed Bender and Jenn Aip head ed the morale team, which would en force the rules with unlimited eneigy. The team demonstrated the line dance, a series of 20 or so songs with infinite dance steps. We were going to leam it. The Soul Mites took the stage, as the ballroom became at once an elementary school playground, complete with four square, a concert, an arts center, and a gameroom. “Gamecock Happy Hour” followed the band, as the morale team bombarded dancers with ffisbees, water bottles and candy. Ray Tanner, coach of USC’s nationally ranked baseball team, took the stage to encourage the dancers, followed by former SG Presi dent Kim Dickerson, herself a former patient at the Children's Hospital. I then joined my morale group. I would be a Big Booty Bandit for the remaining 24 hours. Arp and Ben der showed us what could be won by having boundless spirit. We paraded around with the “spirit stick,” a 7-foot rod of infinite colors. Everyone was a winner, but the BBB was loudest. After the first competition, Arp spoke words t ' that brought cheers of joy from hundreds of dancers. “Dinner time.” Spaghetti, breadsticks and sweet tea followed in the Preston Dining Hall. When we returned, Stone’s Throw, a lo cal band, took the stage, and the bungee run and boxing ring opened for business. No one knew it, but Friday had long since disappeared. Shannon Griffin and Whit Hudson showed us the next installment of the line dance, where dancers climbed “vines,” peeled and ate “bananas,” and slapped their chests to “Brass Mon key.” Fatigue was beginning to set in. Then we learned the third part of the line dance. All weariness was driven out, as the morale team came on and impersonated the Spice Girls, TLC, and, in a particularly touching performance, The Backstreet Boys. Dancers then took the stage to participate in the sec ond part of “MTV Happy Hour,” “Sin gled Out.” The spirit stick was passed on, and the dancers met Girma Taffasee Russell, a child from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Each family that visited re minded dancers why they were on their feet. After a series of eliminations, I was reminded that everyone was a winner at Dance Marathon, even if elementary school kids are better than you in sports. Breakfast was ready, and I watched the sun rise over a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a strawberry Pop Tart. Seeing daylight come meant 1 had about 16 hours to go, and I really needed socks. Morale led us through two more series of the line dance and one series of backyard games. Student Media favorites The Speakeasies then took the stage and played a few’ loyal covers. Jeremy Rip py asked me when they were going to play some “booty music,” and the team answered by performing 1999’s version of the line dance. This was the hardest part of the marathon. I'd been up all night, and all I wanted was my body pil low. Delirium vanished as we stepped outside to Sumter and Greene streets and awaited the arrival of the other marathon, The Olympic Women's Tri als. They went 26.2 nonstop, and we were on our way to 28. Watching them pass the 25th mile gave us the energy to make it until lunch. We crossed into p.m. hours. Ten to go. I was in my fourth T-shirt and grow ing increasingly aware of the 2 p.m. men’s basketball game. As Eidson and Bradley led USC past Georgia, Caro line Parler led us in West African dance. We followed with the fifth and sixth installments of the line dance and head ed to dinner. Kenny, the former frontman of Shades of Grey, was waiting when we came back. USC President John Palms joined the line dance after a short speech. His “sex machine” rivaled that of the best dancers. As my whiskers grew and my legs protested, we entered the last hour. I demonstrated the robot to a group of students, and although Laura, a fellow robotress, didn't show me her version, I started to feel great. Not just great. Amazing. It was dark outside again, and everyone - every one - was dancing. As participants’ fam ilies and guests watched, we performed the line dance with feverish intensity. Next, we circled the ballroom and swayed as “Angels Among Us” played. Afterward, each morale team gave out their “Most Spirited Dancer” awards, and Delta Delta Delta received the Spir it Cup for raising more than $10,000. “2001” and the fight song came on again, as the morale team picked up cards for each character in the total amount raised. They came up in reverse: 0 ... 8 ... 4 ... 0 ... 2 ... 6 ... 6. $66,204.80, more than $10,000 more than last year’s to tal. Tired but inspired, I hugged as many people as I passed when I left. Although I had no trouble getting to sleep, I'm ready to top Purdue's Dance Marathon of 48 hours next year. I hope you're behind me, dancers. Amy Goulding Photo Editor Sophomore Elise Tyndall (left) and freshman Carrie Sanders (right) work on pieces to be sewn into a Dance Marathon quilt during Craft Hour. ( SO MUCH FOR SAVINS ^ MY NABI MONEY^v /^SURE BABY?\ (YOU CAN HAVE < HIM J MABI BioMedical Center 215 Assembly St., Columbia SC 29201 254-2280 Help children, hemophiliacs, and heart patients who receive products made from the plasma of our donors. 1 «--— ^-1 ]L'-— OH, YOU’RE >1 ^THE BEST EVERyj --m— 5 visits $22 Campus Notes Applications ready for Elite Male Pageant Applications packets are ready for any males interested in participating in the 2000 Elite Male Scholarship Pageant. Gill Aisha Taylor at 544-1581 or Jota ka Eaddy at 544-1939. Outreach to call prospective students Girolina Outreach will call students on selected Tuesdays during the spring se mester. From 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Tues day at Lieber College, students can tele phone prospective USC students. Traditional dancing comes to Gallery 701 Traditional dancing front New England with callers Jenny Ashlock and Linda Thomas and live music by Sligo Creek will be from 8 to 11 p.m. March 11 at Gallery 701,701 Whaley St. There will be a dancing workshop at 7:30 p.m. for new dancers. All dances will be taught, and partners aren’t necessary. For more information, call Columbia Tradi tional Music and Dance at 796-8935. Police training course offered to Columbians A free 10-week course is being offered to Columbia residents. Participants re ceive a graduation certificate and are eligible to participate in a 10-hour elec tive ride-along program, which offers ob servation of police work under actual working conditions with an officer. The class will begin March 7 and end May 9. Call the Columbia Police Training De partment at 733-8399. Ambassadors accept new members University Ambassadors are accepting new members. Pick up applications at the Visitor’s Center. Applications are due at the center by 5 p.m. Wednesday. For more information, call 777-0169 or e-mail saralijones@sc.edu. Nutrition, exercise information available Nutrition and exercise consultations, body fat percentage estimations, blood pres sure readings and more are offered in the Open Door Drop-in Center from 10 am. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Student Health Center basement. For more information, call 777-8248. RAD class to have weekend session There will be a Rape Aggression Defense class for females March 18-19. On March 18, the class will meet from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 19, it will meet from 1-5 p.m. The class is sponsored by the USC Police Department, Marriott and the Housing Department. Tuition is $12.50. Call Henry Gaibade at 777-0855 to register. Psychology awards available in Barnwell Undeigraduate psychology awards are available. Pick up applications in Barn well 208. Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. today in Psychology Un dergraduate Student Services. For more information, call 777-7674. Professors can be nominated for award The Amoco Award for Outstanding Teach ing is given annually to an outstanding teacher in undergraduate courses. Stu dent nominations are essential in the selection process. A selection commit tee composed of undergraduates and for mer winners of the award evaluates the 1 nominations and determines the list of finalists. The committee urges the stu dents to nominate their most effective undergraduate professor. Students should write a letter with the name of the nom inee and a short paragraph giving the rea sons for die nominadon. The letter should be addressed to professor Lori Thombs, chair of the Amoco Committee, De partment of Statistics, USC. The dead line is Friday. The winner will be an nounced at the spring general faculty meeting, will receive a check and cer tificate, and the winner’s name will be engraved on a plaque on the main floor of the Thomas Cooper Library. Previous winners are not eligible. Briefs for Campus Notes can be submit ted to Russell House Room 333. We can’t 1 promise to print everything, but we can promise to try. ■ CORRECTIONS The Gamecock strives to report the facts correctly and responsibly. If you come across any inaccuracies in our reportage, t nlease let us know.