If you live in our community and haven’t heard of the South High Marathon Dance…well…I’m not sure that’s possible. Just in case it’s your first time reading about this event, let me start out with a little background info.

Basically, every year for the last 39 years, local high school students worked to raise money for our community. (Not just South Glens Falls, but all the surrounding areas as well. Chances are, if you haven’t been impacted by this dance, you know someone who has, even if you don’t live in SGF.) In 2016, they raised over $760,000. Yes, that’s 3 zeros after the comma. Whatever you’re picturing when you read about 800 kids dancing for 28 hours straight, this is better.

Yes, there’s sweat. Yes, they’re tired. But this dance isn’t just about overcoming exhaustion. In fact, this isn’t something one can describe with words.

Truly, the dance is a feeling. A spirit. A movement. You have to be there to feel its heartbeat. Pictures, words, numbers- they don’t speak to the magnitude of this thing. The kids are pouring their souls into showing spirit, however difficult it may be at 3 in the morning, to show solidarity and support for local people in need. To get an idea of what I’m talking about, check out the 2017 promo video.

Let’s stop to think about the magnitude for a minute. These are teenagers. They are the embodiment of all the qualities we hope our children will show someday. They are not only role models for younger children, but also for us as adults! In a world where bullying and negativity about youth plague the news every day, here’s an example of a group of young people working tirelessly to raise money and lift the spirits of others.

I was a dancer myself, and I return to the dance each year in whatever capacity I can. Each year I tell my fifth-grade students how lucky they are to have the opportunity to participate in this event when they get to high school. I talk to them about how we can carry the feeling of community into our everyday lives. How can we be more like the dancers? What are they teaching us about how to move forward after this event? Adults and kids alike can learn from the dancers. Here are 5 ways to be more like a marathon dancer:

1. Give everyone a hug or a high five.

When you arrive at the dance, you’ll notice a lot of hugging and high-fiving. Tons of smiles are being thrown around, and you’ll probably hear some random cheering in the hallways. If you look really closely at what’s happening, you realize what they’re doing is spreading the spirit…with everyone. The kids genuinely want everyone at the dance- visitors, other dancers, recipients, to feel good.

They have a heightened awareness that their actions are contagious, and they choose to spread kindness and love.

We could mimic this in our own lives! When you’re feeling good, smile at someone. When you think of a compliment, say it out loud. You never know what someone else is going through. You never know what one small gesture could mean.

2. Just keep dancing! (Even when times are tough.)

Remember your last all-nighter? Well, these kids stay up from when they start the school day Friday morning at 8 until Saturday at 11pm when they finally arrive home and collapse on the bed. They’re also moving nearly the entire time from when the dance starts Friday evening until when it stops Saturday night.

As a dancer, the worst time for me wasn’t during the night. I still had adrenaline running through my veins during the night. For me, the most difficult part was Saturday, late morning. The rush from the excitement of being at the dance had worn off, my legs had gone numb, and I couldn’t quite muster that SHMD spirit. 

Every dancer probably has some negative thoughts and wonders how they’ll keep going, but somehow they do. Maybe they catch a glance of a recipient, or maybe they see a younger student watching them, dreaming about someday when they’ll get the chance to dance. Somehow they summon the strength to push on through that rough patch, and don’t we all need to do this at one time or another? We can learn from their determination.

3. Work, work, work.

The kids don’t start working on Friday night of the dance. Their efforts begin months, sometimes the entire year, before the dance begins. Students collect bottles, make phone calls, save coins, plan fundraising events, sell baked goods, etc. Whatever they can think of to contribute to the dance, they do it. No one has to remind them. They are a group of motivated youth putting in the time and effort to benefit someone else. 

I happen to absolutely love my job, but there are days when even I wish I could hit the snooze button. (Though my newborn doesn’t always let me do that!) Next time you’re tempted to grumble about extra work, think like a marathoner. You’ve got to keep working, even when the goal is long term. Keep working even when there’s not going to be any gratification today. These little steps and small contributions on the days when you aren’t in the mood are the ones that make a difference in the end.

4. Put others first.

The dancers have one main motivation for all this hard work and dedication: The recipients. They know to smile and say hello to anyone in a yellow shirt because that person has been selected as a person in need. But beyond treating the recipients with respect, the students treat the visitors to the dance, the alumni, and each other with respect. There’s a feeling that we’re all on the same team, and of course, we are.

Every day I urge you to consider what you might have in common with those around you. Smile at one another, open the door for someone, encourage someone, spread a positive vibe. We all need to feel supported and welcomed, and we can use these small gestures to help others feel the same.

5. Have a passion.

The first 4 reasons to be more like a dancer are driven by the passion these kids have for working toward a common goal. If we carry that same passion to use to push us toward our goals in life and toward helping others, the world will be more like SHMD.

So dancers, kids, adults- let’s remember the spirit of this dance, the way it makes all of us feel, and let’s carry that into our community every day. Let’s remember to always be considerate of one another, knowing at any time we could be the ones in need of support. 

To support the dance, please visit www.shmd.org to donate.

If you can’t visit the dance, tune in to the site to see it streaming live March 3rd and 4th. Here’s the schedule of events. The best time for kids to watch the dance is during the costume parties, and of course you won’t want to miss the ending when the recipients speak and the grand total is announced. 

Have you had a positive experience with a dancer? Use the contact form below to share! I’d love to hear your thoughts about this amazing event.

Photo credits: www.shmd.org and Karrie Cook