Ryan Carp is a committee member on the Public Relations Committee
On March 22nd, 2019, hundreds of UNC students will step into Fetzer Hall for their first UNC Dance Marathon, standing for 24 hours to support the patients and families of UNC Children’s. I talked to two of these first-time dancers, Miranda Black and Emily Stolzenbach, to get a better understanding of the perspective of new dancers heading into this year’s Dance Marathon.
Miranda and Emily both share a passion for the cause that CFTK represents – a passion that led them to become a dancer at the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon. For Emily, her connection for CFTK partially comes from her desired career path; “I am aspiring to be a pediatrician, so I am very passionate about children's healthcare. Therefore, CFTK was a great organization for me to get involved in.” Miranda also felt closely connected to CFTK’s cause; “I adore kids, and I love the idea of standing for those who don’t get to sit down and rest. By putting ourselves in the shoes of those who are suffering, we can understand their endurance on a new level.” As a result, Miranda and Emily decided to dance at this year’s Dance Marathon.
Miranda and Emily are both incredibly excited to experience the UNC Dance Marathon for the first time. “I’m looking forward to the sunrise walk in Kenan Stadium and all the fun activities that the committees have been planning,” said Miranda, “but most of all, I’m looking forward to hearing people’s stories of how CFTK has directly impacted them. I love hearing people’s stories, and knowing that I had the chance to be a small part of that impact means the whole world to me.” Emily shares this sentiment – “I am also really looking forward to hearing from the children and families of UNC Children's because it makes our fundraising efforts so much more rewarding when you get to see actual lives it will impact.”
On March 22nd, 2019, hundreds of UNC students will step into Fetzer Hall for their first UNC Dance Marathon, standing for 24 hours to support the patients and families of UNC Children’s. I talked to two of these first-time dancers, Miranda Black and Emily Stolzenbach, to get a better understanding of the perspective of new dancers heading into this year’s Dance Marathon.
Miranda and Emily both share a passion for the cause that CFTK represents – a passion that led them to become a dancer at the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon. For Emily, her connection for CFTK partially comes from her desired career path; “I am aspiring to be a pediatrician, so I am very passionate about children's healthcare. Therefore, CFTK was a great organization for me to get involved in.” Miranda also felt closely connected to CFTK’s cause; “I adore kids, and I love the idea of standing for those who don’t get to sit down and rest. By putting ourselves in the shoes of those who are suffering, we can understand their endurance on a new level.” As a result, Miranda and Emily decided to dance at this year’s Dance Marathon.
Miranda and Emily are both incredibly excited to experience the UNC Dance Marathon for the first time. “I’m looking forward to the sunrise walk in Kenan Stadium and all the fun activities that the committees have been planning,” said Miranda, “but most of all, I’m looking forward to hearing people’s stories of how CFTK has directly impacted them. I love hearing people’s stories, and knowing that I had the chance to be a small part of that impact means the whole world to me.” Emily shares this sentiment – “I am also really looking forward to hearing from the children and families of UNC Children's because it makes our fundraising efforts so much more rewarding when you get to see actual lives it will impact.”
With this excitement, however, comes some first-time nerves. “I am a little nervous about the 24-hour time commitment,” said Emily. “I can honestly say I have never stayed up for 24 hours in a row, so this will be a big first for me!” Miranda is also facing some jitters related to the nature of the Dance Marathon; “I’m a little nervous that I’m going to have trouble standing up for 24 hours.” Nevertheless, Miranda doesn’t see the Marathon’s difficulty as prohibitive or overly daunting – instead, she and Emily view the Marathon as a tremendous opportunity for learning and personal growth.
Overall, Miranda and Emily embody the emotional state and perspective of first-time dancers at the UNC Dance Marathon: somewhat apprehensive and unsure about what to expect, but mostly ecstatic to participate in this UNC tradition for the very first time. We hope that the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon is an experience that Emily, Miranda, and the rest of the first-time dancers will never forget.
Overall, Miranda and Emily embody the emotional state and perspective of first-time dancers at the UNC Dance Marathon: somewhat apprehensive and unsure about what to expect, but mostly ecstatic to participate in this UNC tradition for the very first time. We hope that the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon is an experience that Emily, Miranda, and the rest of the first-time dancers will never forget.