After a dance routine from the Nittany Lion, an introduction of the 17 overall chairpersons and a 10-second countdown, more than 700 dancers rose to their feet as Thon 2008 kicked off at 6 p.m. tonight.

The dancers will stay on their feet for 46 hours.

Right now, dancers say they are optimistic.

"I'm feeling a lot of energy. I feel like I can do all 46 hours," Marc Paulhamus (sophomore-computer science), a first-time dancer for the Cross Country Club, said.

After the 2008 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon began, Penn State Fitness instructors led the dancers in a stretch.

Morale captains then took the stage to teach the dancers and spectators the line dance.

Before Thon kicked off, pre-Thon events such as the human tunnel welcomed dancers and got everyone ready for the weekend.

"I've already cried three times," Katherine Stabile (senior-civil engineering) said. "I'm so excited I think I'm going to jump out of my skin."

A press conference took place this afternoon at 3:45, where overall public relations chairman Mike Petrasek and overall chairman Dan Cocco welcomed members of the media to Thon.

Charles Millard, founder of the Four Diamonds Fund, attended the press conference and talked about the fund and its involvement with Thon.

"It was really Penn State students who put the Four Diamonds Fund in the position to do what it does today," he said, adding, as he began to choke up, "It's such an experience to be here every year."

This is Millard's 30th Thon.

Four Diamonds mother Tammy Golden was also at the press conference and talked about how Four Diamonds and Thon benefited her family after her son, Trent, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 4 in 2003.

"We have a hard time seeing our life without Thon," she said. "My kids are coming to Penn State whether they like it or not. They're going to be involved with this for the rest of their life."

Former Four Diamonds child and family relations captain Katie Austin also spoke, followed by Thon 2008 dancers Ali Nicastro (senior-advertising) and Tina Clabbers (senior-advertising).

"We're suffering for a weekend when these children could go through this their entire life," Nicastro said. "It's the least we could do."