Dance Marathon is an organization that many people on Florida State’s campus have become passionate about over the years. With such an incredible cause, Children’s Miracle Network, and the amazing work that the organization does, it is easy to see why people become so involved and dedicated to the kids. While the actual Dance Marathon event only lasts 40 hours, fundraising and preparing for this event is a year long process. Florida State’s Dance Marathon team has raised over $8 million for the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Shands Children’s Hospital, and the FSU College of Medicine over the years and last year raised $1,435,120.32 for the betterment of the lives of kids all over the country. It is Florida State’s job to help provide medical care, treatment, and research to children who need it most. Dance Marathon goes above and beyond to help this cause and it’s one that makes me proud to be a Seminole.

But Dance Marathon at Florida State University needs all the help it can get.

Many people look at Dance Marathon and see that it is a Greek dominated event. While that may be the case, Dance Marathon’s recruitment team is looking to change that. Jenna Layton, the Recruitment Coordinator for Dance Marathon, believes that everyone should have the opportunity to dance and fundraise. Her freshman year, Jenna became a part of Dance Marathon but found it difficult to get involved with it because she wasn’t yet a part of a Greek organization on campus. While she knew that Dance Marathon was something she wanted to be a part of, she saw that attending the event as a solo dancer was kind of intimidating.

Jenna is looking to change that this year and “applied for this position with a mission to make Dance Marathon more inclusive and spread our cause to groups on campus that have never been involved before.” Her goal of making Dance Marathon more accessible to non-Greek groups is becoming a reality as she has “had the privilege to work with amazing organizations like the Marching Chiefs, ROTC, SSF, FSU Navigators, and FSU Athletics." She believes that it is important that Dance Marathon works "to help their organization grow within DM.” The individual dancer team has become a force to be reckoned with raising $12,814 of their $16,000 goal to date. Layton’s goal was to “grow our individual dancer team, Team Miracle, and help students find their home in Dance Marathon just like I did my freshman year.”

Layton and the Recruitment Team hope to spread the love and passion of Dance Marathon to more than Greek life. Anyone who is up for the excitement of fundraising and being a part of such an amazing cause is welcome in the Dance Marathon community. At the end of the day, it is about helping the kids who need the support and care that Children’s Miracle Network can provide. Dance Marathon is about coming together as a community to realize that we can make a difference. Layton argues that she is “constantly inspired by dancer's motivation and passion. Seeing these students who are participating in Dance Marathon, purely out of the goodness in their hearts, is the reason I DM.”