Dancers at the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) will spend 48 hours on their feet this weekend in a crowded Rec Hall. Their implementation of common sense throughout the weekend and their pre-Thon practices will be the major factors in how they well fair.

The health of dancers is always a concern during Thon, said Matt Thomas, this year's Morale chair, and in response, organizers have put out a "Dancer's Survival Guide," which outlines the measures that dancers should take to get ready for Thon. The guide also gives important tips for staying energized and making it through the 48 hours.

Ellen Nagy, University Health Services marketing manager, said the most important thing for dancers to keep in mind is that planning ahead for Thon will help determine the side effects incurred after a sleepless weekend.

"The better you are prepared, the more level-headed you will be throughout the weekend," Nagy said.

She said dancers should try to end dependencies on caffeine and sugar, should avoid alcohol, and get lots of sleep and exercise. To avoid unnecessary stress the week after Thon, Nagy suggests that dancers keep up with their schoolwork and try to get any assignments done ahead of time.

"After a weekend of exhaustion, that following week can be difficult for students," Nagy said.

Mike Kennedy (junior-finance) danced for Undergraduate Student Government last year. He said he went into Thon knowing all the guidelines but had trouble finding time to get enough sleep in the weeks before Thon.

Kennedy's main preparation was staying physically fit by running. "I knew it was going to be brutal on the legs," he said. He also gave up caffeine two months before Thon and tried to cut down on sugar.

Nagy said in addition to preparing for Thon, there are also measures dancers can take during the weekend to stay healthy and energized.

Proper footwear will help prevent fallen arches from standing all weekend and they will also minimize blisters, although these may be inevitable. Nagy said having more than one pair of comfortable shoes will further prevent these problems.

Thomas had several pieces of advice that will keep dancers healthy and energized during Thon. He said dancers should have both shorts and comfortable pants as well as long and short-sleeved shirts because the temperature in Rec Hall tends to fluctuate throughout the weekend.

Thomas said dancers should remember that the weekend is not just physically tasking. "You're going to be sore and have trouble walking after Thon but the biggest challenge is what goes on in your head," he said.

He said many dancers start to hallucinate and almost all go through some sort of mental trauma.

To reduce these effects, the moralers plan different events throughout the weekend. The goal of these events is to change the feeling in Rec Hall so dancers do not feel confined.

Thomas said his best advice to help dancers avoid the mental challenge during Thon is to remember why they are dancing. "No matter what happens, think of the kids," Thomas said.