Talk the Talk Dance Marathon is a celebration. Students from many walks of life gather for one single purpose that is so much larger than themselves. We gather for 12 hours of dancing and games. The whole event is built around joy and laughter. All except for one room. This room is silent, though you hear a sniffle occasionally. Pictures of children are laid out all around. You approach the first picture and begin to read. All of the doctor visits, chemo treatments, medicatio

The loudest, proudest DM’ers on campus. The Morale Captains. Who are they? What are they like? Let’s all take a moment and get to know one! Mariah Staebell is from Rock Falls, Illinois and is in her sophomore year here at UNI. She is currently studying Textiles and Apparel and Public Relations. She is an only child and can play the ukulele! Her passion, her heart, and her spunk make her an awesome asset for UNI Dance Marathon and all the kiddos we support. When and why did yo

Homework. Crying. Work. Crying. Stress. Crying. DM. Smiling. You could say this is a typical week in my life. I know most of you won’t be able to relate to all parts of my week, but if you are reading this, I almost guarantee all of you would say that Dance Marathon leads to smiles and happy tears. We might cry over things like homework and school, but our kiddos cry over things that are so much bigger than us and than we can ever imagine – and sometimes they are so used to t

When I was a freshman, I was afraid to join Dance Marathon. Crazy right? Because Dance Marathon is the furthest thing from scary. But I was new to UNI and didn’t know anyone else in the organization, so I passed up this amazing opportunity. My sophomore year I started to get my act together. I registered as a dancer and was so excited to be part of this wonderful cause. But I was still scared. Specifically, I was afraid to reach the 6 o’clock hour on the day of the Big Event.