For most dancers, this past weekend's Interfraternity/Panhellenic Dance Mara-thon flew by in a series of moments, not minutes.

"I think having a lot of things to do helped to pass the time," said Sara Colson (junior-agricultural engineering), a dancer for Alpha Zeta fraternity, 360 N. Burrows St.

The dancer manual recommended that participants leave all cell phones and watches at home, and all committee members were required to hide their watches and not mention times around the dancers.

"It helps not to know the time," said Lachelle Anderson (freshman-business management), an East Halls Residence Association dancer. "If I had on a watch, I would be consumed with checking the time."

Laura Lewandowski, a first year medical student at the Hershey Medical Center, agreed. "If I had access to the time, I would be checking the clock all the time."

Most dancers found different ways of telling time without the use of a clock. "The population of the crowd changes," Lewandowski said. "Hardcore Thon supporters will be here in the wee hours, but parents will come during the day."

Stefano Barbosa (sophomore-business administration), a dancer for Zeta Beta Tau, 238 E. Fairmont Ave., said he could get a general idea of what time it was by the amount of sunlight coming through the door windows and in the locker room.

Many dancers said their friends helped them keep track of the time.

"When my family and friends come, I know what time slot that is," Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity dancer Carolyn Powell (junior-marketing) said yesterday morning. "Right now is the time that is most unclear for me because there are so many people here."

Andy Dempsey (senior-psychology), a Special Olympics Club dancer, said her friends "slipped up" by telling her what time they would be back to visit her again.

However, not everyone listened to the dancer manual's recommendation.

"I brought my cell phone, so I could call my friends and family, and I've checked it every three or four hours," Colson said.

Jodi Fetterolf (senior-English education) a Penn State Thespians dancer, said she also brought her cell phone with her.