Walking into Johns Hopkins Children’s Center on a Saturday, you may not expect tutus, dancing, life-sized Jenga and lip-sync battles in the lobby, but on Nov. 11 that’s exactly what you would have seen. At the first-ever Miracle Network Dance Marathon in the country to take place in a children’s hospital, 97 registered dancers stayed on their feet for six hours at Baltimore Boogie.
Members of the Teen and Children’s Council (TACC) started Baltimore Boogie, the Children’s Center’s inaugural community dance marathon event, as a way to fundraise for the hospital.
“After two successful proms, we decided to try something new. One of our advisers suggested a dance marathon and we were all happy to come together to start planning,” says TACC member Brenna Hohl.
Setting a goal of $5,000, they spent a year working with their staff advisers to solicit sponsorships, plan activities and recruit members of the Johns Hopkins and greater Baltimore communities to attend their first dance marathon.
On the morning of the event, TACC members and staff advisers learned the line dance they would teach to other dancers throughout the event and helped set the stage for hours of activities, including Oreo races, Zumba and face painting.
Even Tina Cheng, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Co-Director, and Patrice Brylske, director of Child Life Services, joined in the fun playing life-sized Hungry Hungry Hippos.
“When they invited me to Baltimore Boogie I didn’t know what to expect. I’d been to our collegiate dance marathons but was excited to see the innovative way we’d incorporate a dance marathon into our hospital,” says Cheng. “It was incredible. Seeing our inpatients with their IV poles smiling while interacting with members of the community was extremely touching. It’s truly humbling to see our former patients so passionate about giving back.”
After six hours on their feet, TACC members and patient ambassadors lined up to reveal whether or not they’d hit their goal. From cents to dollars, one by one they raised their posters to show their numbers. Cheers, applause and even some tears filled the room at the number that far exceeded their $5,000 goal: $18,395.01—the penny symbolic of the year of the event.
“At that moment, I felt proud to be a part of something bigger than myself, supporting kids and families who are going through a hard time in their lives,” says Hohl. “I feel very lucky to be a part of a council that is making a difference for kids in situations similar to ones we all were in at one point in our lives.”
And that difference was demonstrated by more than just an impressive dollar amount.
“The best part of the night? The patients—some of them inpatients—and parents who came up to thank us. You could really tell how much the event meant to them. I think that’s what it’s all about,” says TACC member Stephanie Turner.
Save the date for the second annual Baltimore Boogie on Nov. 10, 2018.