When dancers Sarah Swaintek and Katie McCormick looked up into the stands during the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, they didn't see supporters clad in matching T-Shirts dancing and waving signs.

As independent dancers, Swaintek (junior-nutrition) and McCormick (junior-human development and family studies) had mostly each other to lean on for support.

"It was hard looking up in the stands and seeing all the other organizations that have other people there," Swaintek said. "We had a good amount of visitors, which helped, but it's nice to have banners and stuff."

One of 44 couples chosen to dance independently, they raised $6,000 from family and friends, without the backing of a campus organization.

"It was a lot of writing letters, sending mail, asking friends and family, especially when we were home for winter break," McCormick said.

Swaintek was previously involved as a moraler, but wasn't involved in any groups this year that had dancers. McCormick was Thon chairwoman for her sorority last year but decided to become independent this year and asked Swaintek to join her.

"We only had one dancer spot this year, and there were eight girls that wanted to dance, so going independent was a much better option," she said.

They kept an eye on each other throughout the marathon, encouraging each other to keep moving and to stay hydrated, Swaintek said.

McCormick hit a low spot Friday night or Saturday morning when she began to feel nauseous and couldn't eat.

"I thought, 'I do not think I can do this, I can't believe it.' " McCormick said.

A moraler took her to get fresh air, she said.

"It was kind of like when you get car sick and you need to crack a window," she said. "It was so stale in there."

Fresh air did the trick, she said.

"It was amazing. She came back in -- she had been all white and pale -- and she was like 'Alright, let's go!' " Swaintek said.

Swaintek said she hit two lows over the course of the marathon, early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. A foot massage and a visit from her parents pulled her from the first one, she said, but the second one was harder.

After mail call on Sunday morning, she hit another low.

"I was sort of out of it there, awake but asleep, in that middle stage where you think you're dreaming," she said.

But all it took was a massage to bring her back, she said.

"When I got off that massage table ... with five or six hours left, I didn't really come down after that," she said. "The next four hours were absolutely fantastic, bands playing, movies [playing], families there."

When the end was announced, instead of sitting, the pair squatted until their knees hurt, McCormick said, and then stood on the side.

They sat in the car on the way home, and then tried to make it the full 48 hours.

McCormick said she lasted 30 minutes longer than the goal and Swaintek fell short by 30 minutes.

"So we compensated," McCormick said.