'Thon may be outgrowing White Building

Since 1979, the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has called the White Building its home. Now, some involved with the marathon suggest moving the event in order to accommodate increasing attendance.

Both cost and logistics are weighed when the location of dance marathon is considered, he said.

Rec Hall will not accommodate the event's equipment while the Bryce Jordan Center is too large and costly to house the event, Lombardo said.

Sam Schillero, White Building manager, said he believes the facility is ideal for dance marathon. Students are able to move equipment in and out of the building through two large loading docks, a parking garage is nearby and the building is near the center of campus -- characteristics which he said make the White Building the best location for the dance marathon.

Even though the building may be logistically suited to dance marathon, it does impose certain size limitations on the event, he said.

"There are so many students who want to dance," said Katie Schilling (sophomore-accounting), who danced in the 1996 marathon. The inclusion of Commonwealth Campus students has made it clear that more and more students are willing to become involved with the event, Schilling said.

Currently, 270 couples are able to participate in the event, but students who danced in the past said they thought many more would participate if more space was available.

From its inception in 1974 until 1979, the dance marathon was held in the HUB Ballroom. Because interest grew so rapidly, organizers decided that it was in the event's best interests to relocate.

"(Dance marathon) took off almost exponentially when we got involved with the Four Diamonds Fund," said Don Mains, 1977 overall chair.

At the same time that some see the need to relocate, others said they feel dance marathon belongs at the White Building.

"It's been there so long," said Holly Green (junior-administration of justice), a dancer in the 1996 marathon. "It's part of the tradition for it to be in the White Building."