By Rowan Kruger
We did it! Dance Marathon 2024 has come to an end and oh what fun it was. On April 6, students gathered from all corners of UCLA to dance, watch incredible performances, and celebrate our work to achieve an AIDS-free generation.
Music kicked off at 11am as the dancing began. Throughout the day, dancers could visit tables to make beaded bracelets, play games, and write emails to their representatives to increase access to PrEP, a life-saving HIV medication. Dancers answered trivia questions at Cause Corner to earn raffle tickets for big prizes and participated in Color Wars activities such as a trash fashion show with our youth ambassadors as judges, of course. Every year, PAC is fortunate to host our youth ambassadors from the Laurel Foundation at Dance Marathon. They are an integral part of our community and always bring the most joyful spirit to the event.
In the evening as energy wound down before dinner, PAC’s Cause and Community Relations Committee and Family Relations Committee hosted “Vigil,” where every year we honor the cause that brings us together. Several Laurel ambassadors had the opportunity to speak before PAC presented the glow stick tradition designed to unify everyone in vulnerability, solidarity, and commitment to an AIDS-free generation.
The rest of the evening continued with dancing, band performances, and even a special visit from Hokey Pokey LA catering ice cream to keep the night going.
At midnight, after one last morale dance, everyone took a seat as the fundraising total was revealed. This year, PAC and our supporters raised $48,070 for our beneficiaries fighting pediatric AIDS. With transparency, this number takes into account the total operating costs of Dance Marathon (in contrast to previous years), and represents the amount going directly to our beneficiaries: The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, The Laurel Foundation, and the UCLA AIDS Institute.
Thank you to everyone who showed up this year. Dance Marathon could not happen without our incredible dancers, supporters, and all of you in community with PAC.
“When there’s a cure, we’ll dance for joy. Until then, we dance for life.”
Pediatric AIDS Coalition 