For 48 hours, they danced.

And as the Interfraternity/Panhellenic Council Dance Marathon came to an end last night, Penn State showed its heart.

The packed White Building shook when members of the marathon's Overall Committee held up cards reading $785,835.35, -- the amount the event raised to support the Four Diamonds Fund, which provides money to research treatment for child cancer patients at Hershey Medical Center. The total is the most the marathon has raised in the 15-year history of the event.

Eight Greek teams each raised more than $15,000, and three of those groups each raised at least $75,000.

When the party began Friday evening, 544 dancers swayed to the music and 529 of those dancers showed the strength and courage necessary to survive, remaining the full 48 hours.

Entertainment Committee Chairwoman Kirsten Vensel said the groups inspired the dancers and "the fact that only 15 (dancers) dropped out shows us that our efforts to keep them into things were worth it."

Throughout the weekend-long event, dancers experienced periods of exhaustion as well as periods of euphoria.

"You start out at a very high high and then you drop to a very low low," Beth Malinowski (senior-French business) said as she danced to the local band Stolyn Hours. "You do get more energy with the help of the morale workers --I don't know what I would have done without my foot massages."

Dancers agreed that Morale Committee members did a commendable job of combating fatigue, boredom and pain.

"The pain you've got in your feet makes you appreciate a lot of things," Michael Gilbert (junior-agronomy), a dancer, said. "Sometimes you take things for granted; seeing these (Four Diamonds Fund patients) really wakes you up."

Even during the most difficult times the dancers showed signs of life as they assembled for the line dance, which was choreographed by Morale Committee members to the song "Stop" by Erasure.

"My feet feel like swelled melons," joked dancer Brian Ray as he participated in one of the line dances.

Overall Chairman Marc Hourvitz felt the marathon went smoothly and "it really shows the camaraderie and heart that the students here at Penn State have."

During the event, members of the various committees ran around trying to keep the event running smoothly while also accommodating the needs of the dancers, said Chris Hiedrick, Internal Coordinations Committee Chairman.

"For as long as I live, I will never admit that a marathon was better than the one I helped to organize this year," Hiedrick said. "It may sound selfish, but I will have a hard time telling someone that the work we did here this weekend wasn't the greatest."

Many dancers, organizers and audience members cried as the end of the event drew near.

Over 20,000 people entered the marathon throughout the weekend, including an inspiring crowd yesterday, which joined the dancers during the final hour as they swayed to "Lean on Me" and "We Are the Champions."

Immediately following the final second of the 48th hour, Hourvitz announced the results of the spirit competition and he presented trophies to the groups that raised the most money for the event.

Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, 328 E. Fairmount Ave., and Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, 101 S. Cooper Hall, combined to raise $147,931, the most among Greek organizations for the eighth year in a row. Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraternity, raised $9,723, the most among independent organizations.

The spirit competition independent group winner was Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and the Greek organization which came out on top was Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave, and Zeta Tau Alpha, 2 Ritner.