Dance Marathon isn’t what it sounds like. Rather than a racing heartbeat from cardio, this program is a heartbeat for hospitalized children and a philanthropic opportunity for students to pour their hearts into.
Dance Marathon, an international program that partners with local hospitals, aims to save lives and raise awareness for children growing up in the hospital. Marquette University is one of over 400 college and high school campuses with the student-led philanthropy.
Through various events and fundraising efforts, Dance Marathon supports 12 million children in America and Canada annually. Marquette University Dance Marathon partners with Children’s Wisconsin, one of 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, to help fund life-saving treatments, toys and Child Life resources.
MUDM students keep ties with Children’s Wisconsin throughout the year with hospital visits and continuous fundraising.
“It changes you when you’re able to actually have a connection with [the kids] in person,” Marketing Chair Anikah Kienzle, a senior in the College of Business Administration, said about partnering with a local hospital.
The program celebrates with a “finale” each April. The last hoorah is an all-day event that embodies the program’s motto to “dance for those who can’t.”
“It’s not running a marathon, and you don’t really need to know how to dance,” Co-President Cortney Kriens, a senior in the College of Nursing, said.
The idea of a “dance marathon” stemmed from an early 20th-century tradition that brought joy throughout the “Roaring Twenties” and into the 1930s. Partners danced nearly non-stop for days, or even months, at a time to provide entertainment, food, shelter and prize money during the Great Depression.
The organization, Dance Marathon, founded in 1991, then created its own modern spin on the tradition, rooted in solidarity, connection and philanthropy. The program’s finale is such an integral part of their mission that it became its namesake.
To support families and hospitals, “dancers” participate in activities with children and fundraise throughout the finale. Participants are encouraged to dance and stay on their feet the entire 12-48 hours.
“We’re dancing for them and their futures,” Co-President Grace Kronfeld, a junior in the College of Nursing, said.
As “One month, one mission,” an international fundraising effort with weekly challenges and opportunities to raise money for prizes, wrapped up last week, MUDM is shifting their focus to inspiring Marquette students to be involved in the cause.
MUDM aims to highlight what it’s really like to spend much of childhood in a hospital and doesn’t simply focus on raising funds, Kriens said.
“I see the difference that the hospitals can make,” Chair of Operations Jori Izenstark, a first-year in the College of Nursing, said. “I wanted to make a difference in kids’ lives and try to bring a smile on their face.”
MUDM has been on campus since 2010 but aims to regain traction after the program was disbanded during COVID-19 because the pandemic “broke morale within the team,” Kriens said. Now in “full swing,” the group is seeking people passionate about their mission since the group rekindled in 2022.
MUDM is currently made up of 86 active members, 32 of which have their own fundraising pages. MUDM raises money throughout the year by hosting events and receiving donations through Donor Drive, an online donation platform through Miracle Network. Participants make their own pages to ask for and keep track of donations from family and friends.
MUDM partners with other Marquette student organizations to participate in Donor Drive teams, where groups can register to compete in fundraising against others on campus. Students interested in fundraising can also make a personal page to support the Child Life program at Children’s Wisconsin, which offers education on medical procedures, therapeutic services and family support to kids and families dealing with hospitalization.
“We’re always looking for more campus involvement,” Kronfeld said. “[We’d] love to give other organizations on campus the opportunity to make a difference.”
Through their dedication and care for the cause, the program works hard to provide financial help to Children’s Wisconsin. In 2019, MUDM raised $121,000 with the help of 487 participants — a record high donation amount for the program, it shared with the Wire. MUDM raised $1,343 in 2024 but climbed to $7,794 in April 2025 and looks to reach higher goals down the line.
Those interested in joining MUDM’s mission can follow their Instagram page to stay in the loop and sign up for their Turkey Trot in November. Participants will walk or run the “Marquette Miracle Mile” on Nov. 23 at 11 a.m. to raise funds for Children’s Wisconsin.
All of Dance Marathon’s hard work directly helps children, parents and hospitals, Kienzle said. As MUDM looks to the future and seeks more participants devoted to their mission, they’ll continue dancing to the beat of their philanthropy.
This story was written by Elena Metinidis. She can be reached at [email protected]
