On Jan. 26, those eager to dance will be congregating by the dozens for a cause requiring participants to dance for 15 hours straight.

The event is known around Iowa State as the largest philanthropic event on campus – and they call it Dance Marathon.

With the event in its 11th year, Amanda Crawford, Dance Marathon president and senior in journalism and mass communication, said there are nearly 900 dancers registered, and this year will once again be a great opportunity to help families in need.

“Everybody says this, but, for me, the best thing, for me, is the kids,” Crawford said. “The great thing about Dance Marathon is that you’re donating and giving time to a good cause, and you can see it pay off, because the kids are actually there running around with more energy than the students, even if they’re hooked up to oxygen tanks or struggling with other disabilities.”

This year, the event will continue to be run in correlation with Children’s Miracle Network, and proceeds will go straight to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

When it comes to fundraising for the event, Dance Marathon does specific events like “Taco Tuesdays” and “Canning on Welch Avenue,” but each dancer that registers to participate is responsible for raising a minimum of $200.

Hanna Peterson, director of public relations for DM and senior in advertising, said the event “has her hooked” and the night of the event is even more than its name would indicate.

“The event is 15 hours long, from 9 a.m. until midnight,” Peterson said. “It’s not just dancing. Although we do have a DJ, we are going to have different games to play, and Best Buy is helping out a lot with TVs and games. There’s really a lot to do.”

Crawford said if Dance Marathon could recruit 1,000 dancers it would be a phenomenal feat, but the biggest concern for the entire committee is retention.

“Retention was our number one goal for a reason this year, because it’s something that we’ve struggled with in the past,” Crawford said.

“Usually what I tell people is, ‘If you give it a shot for just one day, you’re going to keep coming back and getting involved.'”

Both Crawford and Peterson agreed that Dance Marathon is an event that really means a lot to those who donate their time and money, but it means even more to the families that benefit from the event.

“There are a lot of really good causes on campus, but this is one where you can actually see where your money is going, and it really touches you in a different way,” Crawford said.