There has to be close to 4,000 spectators in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) this weekend to raise the curtains on the Interfratenity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

Currently, the top tier of the BJC is hidden by a black curtain to make the arena look smaller. This weekend, Communications Committee members will be anxiously waiting to raise those curtains and make room to accommodate the venue's maximum of more than 13,000 spectators -- which is triple the amount of seating in Rec Hall.

"We have to encourage people to get in the Bryce Jordan Center and just create the environment that we all know and love in Rec Hall," Communications Chairman Dan Cocco said.

The idea began as Cocco and Communications Captain Alex Middleton were walking through the BJC and noticed the layout of the building.

"We realized for the first year of Thon in the Bryce Jordan Center we want to have a huge crowd ... come in with a bang," Middleton said.

At first both Cocco and Middleton were a little worried about the size of the BJC being an issue. But now, Middleton said he's not really worried.

"Thon has it's own atmosphere," Middleton said of the event. "I think people are going to come and love it."

Middleton said the Communications Committee's target audience is everyone on campus.

Whether the BJC is packed or not, Cocco and Middleton said that they are hoping for an energetic crowd.

"It doesn't matter if the stands are packed or if they're half full," Middleton said. "As long as we get an energetic crowd it will make the atmosphere."