I am officially in the 90 Hour Club after completing my third (of three) Dance Marathons. I have been on the Productions Committee Lighting Team all three years, and there is nothing else I would rather do. I had such an amazing weekend, and I have so many people to thank for making this possible, but first, the story.
This year's beneficiary was the Danny Did Foundation whose mission is to raise awareness about epilepsy and help families affected by epilepsy utilize the resources and medical technologies that help people live full lives with epilepsy. They brought in wonderful speakers of all ages to speak about their experiences with epilepsy, from an 8-year-old who skated 100 miles because he doesn't want his cousin or any kid to die from epilepsy, to a teenage who is struggling to live a normal life, to parents of children both young (18 months) and old (20 years) who have the disease. Their words and stories were so moving and inspired me when I was thinking more about the work of putting on/participating in the event than what the event itself was for.
The tech week leading up to the event was pretty uneventful. I was there each evening after my work day ended, and I took Friday off to be there for the start. We were actually quite efficient about everything, and despite some setbacks due to weather and humans, everything was done in time. I got to program color palettes pretty late in the game (Thursday night/Friday afternoon), and I came up with some really fun ones this year. For the block called "Let's Get Weird: Jhortz and Wizards" (jhortz are jean shorts), I made the Hogwarts house colors. I also had two Joss Whedon-inspired names. There was a very warm color palette that made me think of a sunny day, which brought me to Sunnydale, and therefore I called it Hellmouth. The next one was another warm palette that made me think of Firefly, so I called it Serenity. That creative process is both challenging and fun: challenging because I want to make things look cool and fun because the end product does look cool. Oh, and our committee clothes turned out looking amazing. Our shirts had a plug on them and the words "we run this" on the front with "productions committee 2013" on the back, and our visors were baby blue with white text in a sleek, boxy font that picked up blacklight in a really cool way.
The event itself was AWESOME!! Right before it started, the founder of last year's beneficiary visited the tent and talked to a bunch of us about the impact that DM had for them, and I really liked that organization, so seeing him was really wonderful for me. I always start DM on the tech riser, and I covered a little at the board during block 1. Block 2 was mine and I designed the whole time. The theme for 2 was "Thrift Shop" (like the song), and we had a guest DJ and emcee. I was expecting it to be a lot crazier than it was, but I had a ridiculous amount of fun with awesome music. I even got to do the namesake song, which was really cool for me because it was a big deal. In blocks 3, 4, and 5 I alternately danced, hung out at the board, and took short naps (I had a particularly hard time staying up this year, probably because I've been waking up early to go to my internship rather than resting in preparation). By sunrise, I was up for the remainder, and "Here Comes the Sun" was a really great moment.
I basically rotated between the tech riser and the dance floor when I wasn't assigned to run the lights. There was so much great music to dance to and I had a lot of friends in the tent this year, from my dorm, committee, and on other teams. Speaking of dancing, one thing that was really different for me this year was that I was also part of my dorm's team, so I danced with them a lot. When I was at the light board, they danced in on the floor in front of our riser and we interacted. I loved having those friends out there. I also was friends with one of the emcees from working on a show together earlier this year, and he and I would try to make eye contact while we were on our respective stages during the blocks. We connected a few times, and having a tent-wide dance party was so cool. I became friends with the other emcee through the process of working on DM, and we also connected during the blocks (I think she looked after the other emcee and I said we were doing this). There was one time the three of us were just waving, pointing, fist pumping, and blowing kisses at each other, which I found hilarious and awesome. The feelings of connectedness that this year's committee had with one another made the experience really special.
Block 7: Bringing Down the House was my second and final block at the light board, and I ran all but 20 minutes of the three hours (the 20 minutes were a bathroom break and Sandstorm). I had the time of my life up there!! This block included speakers, the football team, and seriously awesome music. When I was at the board, I was basically dancing the entire time, and when there was a change in the music, I change something. Additionally, when there are things happening on stage (speakers, games, the 30-Hour Dance, etc.) I would have to make that visible and stop the effects. "Changes in the music" to me is a new song or a new thought within a song. A "thought within a song" is like the transition from verse to chorus to bridge, etc. or a moment that builds emotion. For the building moments, I really like to use the sliders to bring the lights down in the current color palette, then simultaneously release the new colors and the brightness when the moment hits. I think it's pretty cool, but I use this tactic sparingly because I know that the dancers don't necessarily see what I'm doing. 7 was also the alumni block, and I got to see some old exec members who graduated and moved away and I wasn't expecting to see. That was pretty awesome as well. I was so hyped up after that block.
The last few blocks were so fun. Block 8's theme was "Space Jam" and block 9 was the block for wearing hour club shirts. A group from my dorm came to visit in block 9, and they brought us smoothies, which was the best treat ever at that point. They were so supportive, and I appreciate their encouragement so much. A few of my alumni friends also visited in block 9, and it was really cool to see them, especially since we had done DM together one and two years ago. I feel like a different person now (not fundamentally, but I've grown a lot developmentally; I can muse on this elsewhere). I was pretty sore by then (throbbing pain from hips to toes and a blister caused and made worse by socks and shoes), and as I was jumping up and down I said, "My knees shouldn't hurt like this; I'm only 21!" and it was the first time I described 21 as "only." That block ended with some fantastic music, and a smooth transition to the end.
Block 10 was my pure dancing block. It began with tons of cheering for hyped up dancers and a food committee deliver of ice cream. Then I danced and danced and danced. Our DJ played the best pump-up music, and I got to dance with all of my friends: committee, dorm, other, and former DM exec. Highlights include being told that I was "killing it" by a DR alumnus for being on track for the 120 hour club, "Call Me Maybe" with last year's Productions co-chair who introduced us to the song, dancing on stage during committee recognition with all the people I had worked with, dancing with my fellow 90-hour club friends, "Cotton Eye Joe," One Direction and "Since You've Been Gone" with the dorm team, and the reveal of the final total. We raised $1,214,632 this year, a record number for DM, and I am unashamed to admit that I shed a tear when I saw how the ambassadors from Danny Did reacted to the sum. This money can help change so many lives, and being reminded of that reality makes all of the work, exhaustion, and pain worthwhile.
Strike was the roughest. I know that I fade fast during that part of DM, and I was pretty sore going into it. It went smoothly, though. However, two people told me that I looked like I was about to cry when I was just walking across the tent, and at the point when I was feeling lowest, my friend who was a producer on the event sent me home something like ten minutes early. Getting back in the morning happened, and that was a very well organized strike. The pancake breakfast we had afterward was heavenly, and I could not have entered the 90 Hour club with a better event.
Of note, I am significantly less sore than last year, I didn't fall in the shower this time, and I fell asleep with my eyes open during a block change. Call it what you will to try to understand, but my mind was in a normal feeling sleeping state while I was watching dancers file out of the tent and listening to the exit music. I had a dream, but just the story part, that came from a song lyric, and then I had a jolt-nod and realized that I had been asleep. It was the strangest thing ever, and I'm kind of proud of the fact that it happened. It was weird and probably dangerous, but since it was DM, it makes for a pretty great story.
People have asked me which DM is my favorite, and my answer is that they are all so different that it's impossible to choose. Freshman year, I had no expectations because I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Everything was a surprise, and it was an amazing thing to be a part of. Last year was completely different because I knew a lot of the returning members of the committee, including a co-chair, and was pretty close with the two lighting directors. I felt very connected to every part of the event, from beneficiary to truss design, and that made last year really special. This year, I wasn't as involved early in the year, but my ties were to my committee because I knew pretty much all of the leaders. I was very invested in the event itself, so I was more about enjoying all of it than just doing lights or just dancing. No year is a favorite because all are amazing. They have traditions that are constant, like sunrise, halfway, Sandstorm, and the 30-hour dance, but there is a new personality with each beneficiary and board, and I couldn't choose one.
Finally, the thank-yous. To team lights for making our subcommittee the coolest place to be for a week. To the Productions Co-Chairs for running the best committee of DM, making this event happen, and staying awesome the entire way. To the emcees for being so genuinely enthusiastic about this event, becoming such wonderful friends, and for having dance parties with me across the entire tent. To the Productions seniors for leading the way and being great friends. To my dorm and dorm team for being caring, supportive, and enthusiastic throughout this endeavor. To the alumni for teaching me what DM is all about and coming back to remind me each year. To anyone who donated to this cause.
Now it's Sunday night. I am very tired and my body hurts everywhere, especially my lower half. I have showered, written, looked through photos, and now my bed, heating pad, and Battlestar Galactica are calling to me.
Today is awesome because I helped raise $1,214,632 and put on the biggest party on campus. To being a member of the 90 Hour Club and next's year's arrival at 120!
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