By Reagan March, Public Relations Coordinator ∼
Not many people get the opportunity to perform in front of 300,000 people, let alone kick off the largest student-run philanthropy event in the entire country. For two dance teams, this unlikely scenario became their reality last weekend at Penn State’s annual THON event.
THON is perhaps the biggest event of the year in State College, where thousands of students unite to help raise money to combat childhood cancer.
707 Penn State students committed to standing on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center for 46 hours– almost two full days of no sleep, no breaks, and absolutely no sitting. Because of these hefty hours, it is important to keep these committed students energized and on their feet. What better way to keep everyone entertained than by showcasing some of Penn State’s finest visual arts?
In reality, THON is much more than just a fundraiser–it’s a showcase. All types of arts and music teams are given the opportunity to perform in front of an audience of around 15,000 attendees and 200,000 live-stream watchers. For most, this is the biggest audience they will ever stand in front of.
While these numbers aren’t constant throughout the three-day event, it’s clear that the largest audience viewers are when THON begins and when it ends. So for the two teams that got to kick off THON this year, JaDhoom and Urban Dance Troupe, this opportunity was huge.
In January, Penn State’s Bollywood fusion dance team, JaDhoom, competed against 12 different performance groups at THON Showcase and won first place, which consisted of 3,000 dollars toward their THON org and an opening slot at THON weekend.
JaDhoom auditions for their place in THON. Credit: Sami Reilly
Since then, they worked hard practicing for hours every day of the week to put on the best performance possible.
Urban Dance Troupe (UDT) is Penn State’s first official hip-hop dance team. Back in October, UDT competed against multiple performance groups at the Homecoming FTG Talent Show. The hip-hop group showed off their incredible moves to win them first place at the event, securing their spot at THON.
UDT performing at THON. Credit: Sophie Yadzinski
UDT kicked off THON with a lively “Through the Decades” performance. The talented dancers rocked the stage, dancing to hits like “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” “Jenny from the Block,” “P.Y.T,” “Say So,” and more hip-hop throwbacks.
“In the moment I kind of blacked out,” said Makenzie Leitzel, a freshman dancer for UDT. “But after, I felt really honored to perform. FTK!”
Makenzie Leitzel of UDT performing at THON. Credit: THON
JaDhoom took the stage next, dancing to an incredible and energetic Bollywood fusion mix. Both teams entertained the eager THON dancers sitting on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center, awaiting their 46-hour reign.
Just after the two Penn State campus dance teams, plus a performance by a local studio called The Dance Academy of State College, the 707 THON dancers finally stood on their feet, where they remained for the next two days.
The many performances at THON are great reminders of the talent here at Penn State and the importance of keeping the arts alive and inspiring others to do the same. THON wouldn’t be possible without the multiple dance, music, and performance groups on campus.
These groups aren’t just performing either–they are performing for a cause; every act at THON has dedicated itself to fundraising thousands of dollars each year. While doing this, they have also been working hard to put on entertaining performances for the many students that participate in THON and the THON families that attend the event.
“Performing at THON was very rewarding knowing we impact, even if small, on the kids,” said freshman JaDhoom dancer Renita Fredrick. “Showing them our commitment shows our support for them.”
You can watch clips of JaDhoom’s and UDT‘s performances on their respective Instagram pages.
Reagan March is a first-year student studying Public Relations/Advertising. She is currently the Public Relations Coordinator for KLIO. She is also on the PR staff for VALLEY Magazine where she runs a Spotify playlist. She is a member of ED2010. She loves to consume media, whether that is having movie marathons with her family, cracking open a new book, or binging a new TV show. She has been involved with the creative arts her entire life and has always had a passion for art, music, and writing. She hopes to continue expanding her PR experience in the future.