By Tom Ackerman and Beau Bowman

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@Tom_AckermanDI and @beauknows2

Now in the morning hours, exhaustion and sleep is beginning to test Dance Marathon dancers.

Dancers have moved away from the main ballroom and started taking breaks by listening to speakers and taking a breath.

“My [brother] is giving me tips on how to stay focused,” said Maddie Walsh, a first time goer and University of Iowa student. “The first year is the craziest because you don’t know what’s going on.”

Walsh said she is a dance major and has had a hard time restraining herself from using all her energy in the ballroom. Her brother Jackson, said he has been to Dance Marathon before, and he stays motivated through the message of the event.

“We’re here for the kids,” Jackson said.

Jake and Jeff Goetz, UI sophomores, said they had to move around a lot to stay awake.

“The giggles are actually helping,”  Jake said. “Everything became funny so that kind of provide a surge of energy.”

Dancers were also forced to come up with creative ideas to stay awake and alert throughout the night. They could be found walking around, splashing water in their faces and leaning against the walls.

“It’s all about location,” Tyler Beary, a UI sophomore, said. “The key is to move around a lot. A change of scenery can really help keep us awake.”

Some dancers also took advantage of the treadmill fundraiser where students can run at fifteen minute intervals. For each mile ran, Running Wild —an athletic shoe store, will donate a certain amount of money to Dance Marathon.

“I’m about to go run on the treadmill in a little bit,” Jake Rodgers, a UI freshman, said . “I’m really hoping that will wake me up a bit. I really struggling right now.”

For parents with young children, the 24-hour haul provides both excitement and a necessary patience in coping with the unusual hours.

“It gets a little easier each time,” said Johan Smith, a father of two, who has been going to the event for 10 years now. “The kids are out of treatment now, but it’s a good opportunity to see the people we know.”

Based on the anticipation from his children, Smith said, no extra preparation was needed other than toughing through the hours.

“The kids are get very excited,” he said. “They count down the weeks for Dance Marathon.”

There were multiple places around the Iowa Memorial Union where dancers could get food and beverages to energize them. Banana, granola bars and Advil were also provided for dancers with head aches and other aches and pains.

Others, like UI students Dalton Speak and Nathan Mark, said staying awake can be done by being around others and maintaining a positive attitude.

“There’s a lot of energy,” they said. “Once you are with other people, you will be fine. Remember the ultimate goal.”

Claire Romee, a UI Hospitals and Clinics employee, said she is used to the late hours, but nonetheless, she enjoys speaking to families and engaging with the activities at the event.

Getting involved will help, Romee said, as she did last year when working to stay awake.

“People who don’t love it here are the ones who don’t do anything,” she said.