The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate has decided to postpone this year's Dance Marathon until next fall, citing problems stemming from the current financial crisis and a desire to minimize superfluous spending.
Senators looked into holding the charity event in the Gantcher Center or Cousens Gym. Associate Treasurer Lauren Levine, who co-chairs the Senate's Special Projects committee and is one of the senators spearheading the project, said that a combination of factors made both venues unworkable. Last year's Dance Marathon was held on April 4 and 5 in Cousens Gym.
"The primary reason was that Cousens Gym is under construction starting from spring break," said Levine, a sophomore.
As a result, the event will be held in Gantcher this year. Due to Gantcher's larger size, though, the location change would require approximately $4,000 more in funding to cover the audio and visual costs associated with the marathon, according to Levine.
"During a time of economic crisis, we're trying to be conservative with money," Levine said.
As part of last year's 12-hour event, which began at 6 p.m., teams of 10 to 12 dancers raised money for the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund, a statewide nonprofit organization that combats child abuse and neglect by working with parents and families.
Themed music was played at the event and there were live performances by student groups. Half of the members of each team had to be dancing at all times.
Senators had restarted the event after a three-year hiatus, then-TCU President Neil DiBiase, now a senior, told the Daily.
In the past, the event was held on a smaller scale with sponsorship from Hillel and the Leonard Carmichael Society. It was inspired by events like those initially held at Penn State University in the 1970s. At Tufts, it was hoped that the reintroduction of the event would become a yearly event.
The Senate now hopes to make the marathon an annual fall tradition, barring any further unforeseen obstacles.
The proceeds of this year's Dance Marathon were going to be donated to the construction of an alternative energy education center at McGlynn Elementary and Middle Schools in Medford. If the project is completed before next fall, however, the Senate will have to find a new charity to contribute to.
"We're looking for something green and something local so students can see the effects," Levine said.
Although news of the Dance Marathon's cancellation had not yet reached all students, those who participated last year found it to be a disappointment.
Sophomore Erica Zahka had organized her dorm-mates to form team "O-Zone" for last year's Dance Marathon because most of the team lived in the basement of Houston Hall.
"It was fun because there was a good amount of people there," Zahka said. "I would definitely do it again. It's too bad it was cancelled."
Last year's event featured music by the decades, a theme that added excitement to the event, according to Zahka.
"You just got to dance the whole night and hang out with friends," she said. "It was very relaxed."
Zahka had not yet signed up for the event, claiming she had not yet heard about its planned occurrence. She mentioned it might not have been sufficiently advertised.
"I hadn't heard about it at all," she said. "I was more disappointed that I didn't even know it was happening in the first place. I definitely would have signed up again, and the rest of my team would have too."
Other students had already signed up for the marathon and expressed similar disappointment.
"I participated last year as part of [Alpha Tau Omega] with other members of my pledge class, and we had a blast," sophomore Maureen O'Neill said. "I think it's a shame that a fun, and more importantly charitable, event would be cancelled."
But O'Neill, a member of the swim team, was happy to hear that renovations were finally being made to the gymnasium.
"At the same time, as an athlete, I'm glad they're starting renovations on athletic facilities," she said.
Michael Del Moro contributed reporting to this article.
