Here are some simple things that you should do to prepare yourself for your best weekend as a Wildcat!

• Sleep – Try and get eight hours of sleep every night. It is most important that you get a good night’s rest the Wednesday and Thursday night before DM! It may also be helpful to take a small nap on Friday before coming to DM.

• Exercise – Think endurance over strength! Try to get some light exercise in each day leading up to DM to prepare your body for 30 hours of physical activity. Be careful to not overdo it, though. Be sure to exercise leading up to DM, but not Friday.

• Eat Healthy and Drink a lot of Water – Try and drink eight glasses of water every day and cut out junk food, especially sugars! Eat as healthy as possible the week before DM. Make sure you avoid greasy foods that may sit in your stomach, particularly the few days right before DM. • No Caffeine and Nicotine –With the final push of midterms, we get how hard this will be. Try to cut out (or at least cut back) on any caffeine addictions you might have! This is absolutely not allowed the weekend-of DM, so better to prepare for it now. Also, there is no nicotine allowed during DM so keep this in mind if you think it will be a problem.

• Alcohol and Illegal Substances – We shouldn’t even have to say it but DO NOT drink or use drugs during the week leading up to DM! Drinking is not worth it and will only make you more tired. This seems obvious but neither of these are allowed at DM.

• Shoes – Wear comfortable shoes the weekend-of DM. Break-in shoes the week before if you haven’t yet. Stiff shoes will be very uncomfortable. Also, bring several changes of shoes to give your feet some breathing time.

• Classes – Stay on top of your work, especially if you have finals right after DM. Count on not getting any studying done from check-in at DM on Friday until you wake up on Sunday. You’ll also be waking up late on Sunday, so keep that in mind. Prepare yourself for any tests, papers and projects that may be due during Reading Week.

• Pack Smart - Dancers are asked to only bring one bag to DM in order to guarantee enough free space in the changing rooms. Make sure you have everything you need in that one bag!

• Cans/Bibs - As a reminder, you are responsible for the return of your can and bib. As you finish up your fundraising, you are welcome to return your can to the DM Office at any time leading up to DM or you may bring them back to us at weekend-of registration. If you are a part of a group, make sure you give your can and bib back to your group captain to ensure easier processing. To reiterate, failure to turn in your can/bib will result in a $10 fine (without paying, you can’t dance), so make sure you get them back to us!

• Relax beforehand! Get yourself a massage from a friend or professionally from Egea (located on 1521 Sherman Avenue, who is offering double Wildcard discounts for DM dancers (just tell them your team name!)

• Use your break time wisely - stretch, relax, stay AWAKE!

• Bring earplugs

• Label everything with your dancer name and dancer number

• Change your socks, underwear and clothes regularly

• Eat

• Stay hydrated!

• Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help! DR is more than willing to help you get through the hard times. Look for us in our bright orange, Wheaties-themed shirts!

• Spend time with kids and their families when they visit! Take some time to realize why you are dancing. The Heroes cannot wait to hang out with you - share the love!

• Spend time with your friends

• Take lots of pictures

These are just suggestions, but we definitely encourage you to take them seriously. You will have limited space to store your items in the changing rooms so please take that into account!

• Dinner for Friday night

     o You will not be served dinner from the Food Committee on Friday night, so please plan accordingly and bring food with you. Once you check-in, you will not be allowed to go into Norris and buy dinner. Buy dinner before you check in.

• 10 pairs of socks (not an exaggeration)

• 6-10 t-shirts or costumes

• 5 pairs of underwear

• Sweatshirt and sweatpants

• A pair or two of comfortable sneakers with good arch support

• Flip flops

     o It might be a good idea to bring a pair of flip flops to change every few blocks to release some of the swelling in your feet, but we don’t recommend wearing them for every block because they don’t have a lot of support

• Earplugs

• Inhalers

• Towel

• Deodorant

• Tampons

• Snacks – energy bars, granola bars (nothing with peanuts)

• Dry shampoo/soap

• Extra hair ties

• Toothbrush

• Toothpaste

• Bring an extra $25 if you want to buy DM Merchandise, hard copies of the Emcee or any food prior to check-in

• Fanny packs or bag

     o Not only are they fashionable, but they can come in handy when you need your hands free for all those dance moves. Cubby space is limited this year, so we highly recommend bringing a fanny pack or bag to carry your things in for when you are in the tent.

• Camera!

     o You will WANT to take pictures!

• Chargers for phones and cameras

     o There is limited outlet space, so it might be a good idea to bring a power strip for yourself and your friends.

*Please try to leave all valuable items at home, for example jewelry, that you will not need.

Orange = Dancer Relations

Blue= Food

Green = Finance

Black = Productions

Yellow = Public Relations/Security

Check-In – Leading up to DM, the Finance committee will assign you a time to check-in. If you have reached your $400, you will be allowed to complete the first two stages of check in early Tuesday night in the Louis Room. Everyone will still have to complete check in on Friday, the 2nd. Check-in times will start as early as 3:30. At your scheduled time, you and your partner (or group) should make your way to the ground floor of Norris, where there will be Finance and Dancer Relations committee members there to assist you with the check-in process. To avoid crowding and confusion, please use the stairs instead of the elevators when coming to the ground floor. You will be assigned a dancer number and changing room at check-in. Any money that you do not get a chance to deposit prior to the weekend-of* should be brought with you to check-in either Tuesday night or Friday. Once you have checked in with our Finance committee, you will make your way to the changing rooms with a Dancer Relations committee member. NOTE: Once you have entered your changing room, you will not be permitted to leave that area. Food will not be provided until about 9 p.m. or so, so make sure to bring your own food if you think you will be hungry (or have a generous non-dancing friend grab you a healthy snack from Norris!).

* - The cashier’s office in Norris will be accepting deposits until February 24th. Any money you find yourself in possession of after this date will need to be brought with you to dancer check-in on the weekend-of.

Changing – There will be separate changing rooms for men and women in Norris. All male dancers will be on the second floor. Women will be in dressing rooms on the first floor. Dancers will be assigned a specific changing room at registration. Since we do have a limited amount of space and a lot of dancers, please keep in mind the packing limit. Make sure you fit everything you will need for the weekend into ONE bag. During dancing, these rooms will be locked for the protection of your things; however, this also means that once a block has started, you may not go back in to get anything.

Medications – You should have filled this out at registration, but if you have any medical conditions that weren’t mentioned on the registration form, please inform us immediately. DM cannot give out medicine on site, so bring all medications with you. Also, since the changing rooms will be locked during dancing times, be ready to keep these medications with you or at the medical table (inhalers in pockets, etc.). Food – Dance Marathon will be providing delicious food for the whole weekend. This includes three meals on Saturday and regular snacks throughout. That being said, it can’t hurt to bring your own snacks to keep in your bag for block breaks. Also, due to various allergy concerns, please DO NOT BRING WITH YOU ANY SNACKS THAT CONTAIN PEANUTS. If you have any food allergies that you did not indicate on your registration form, please inform us immediately.

Drinks – You will be given a free water bottle on Friday at check-in. Hydration is one of the most important things to have a successful dancing experience. There will be various hydration stations located around the tent.

Cubbies – Cubbies will be organized differently this year. Groups will have an assigned number of cubbies proportional to their group size. Therefore, not every dancer in a group will get a cubby. Each independent dancer pair will have a personal cubby in the tent for personal storage. These cubbies provide a small amount of space for you to store stuff that you may want to keep on you while dancing.

**Comfort is KEY**

Remember that temperature may fluctuate in the tent, so you’ll want to bring loose-fitting clothes and be ready to layer if necessary.

SOCKS – Bring one pair of socks for each block! Some dancers even choose to wear two pairs at one time to prevent blisters. Baby powder can be really helpful! SHOES – Wear light, broken-in shoes. Running shoes are the best, but wear whatever is comfortable. It may be a good idea to bring a second pair in case the other pair begins to get uncomfortable or starts giving you blisters. It’s also helpful to alternate shoes each block. Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts are recommended to keep your feet cushioned.

BRACES – Make sure you bring any athletic/support brace that you would typically wear during exercise/playing sports. Wear it as you find necessary.

CONTACT LENSES – If you wear contacts, remember to bring your glasses as well as a contact case and solution. Your eyes can get pretty dry without taking out your contacts, so at the very least, wet them during block breaks.

EAR PLUGS – DM is rockin’. It can get really loud, especially after 30 hours. Even if you’re a frequenter of heavy metal concerts, it may be a good idea to consider bringing ear plugs.

HYGIENE PRODUCTS—To be kind to your partner, please make sure to bring deodorant, a toothbrush (you will be able to brush your teeth during the shower break) and anything else that makes you pleasant to stand a foot away from for 30 hours. Female dancers, if there is even the slightest chance that you may need feminine hygiene products that weekend, please make sure to bring them with you.

Block Breaks

You will have a 10 minute break in between each block, so use the time wisely!

STRETCH – Remember to stretch during the 10 minutes, especially your legs and back. Also, laying on the floor with your feet up against the wall helps to alleviate pressure/swelling in your legs and feet.

CHANGING – You will only have access to the changing rooms during the 10 minute block breaks, so plan ahead to make sure you don’t leave anything behind when leaving. Also, you will not be permitted to use the bathrooms during the block breaks or for the 10 or so minutes leading up to them.

Other Things

DANCER GIFTS – We will try to give out all dancer gifts during check-in and any leftover will be delivered during DM. All gifts must be claimed before 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night before the last block transition. You CANNOT pick them up after DM.

FIRST AID – Dancer Relations is maintaining a First Aid station inside the tent for the duration of DM. Any injuries (cuts, bruises, rolled ankles, etc.) should be treated by them as soon as possible. If you find yourself needing the assistance of First Aid, please alert the nearest DR committee member, and they will escort you to the First Aid station. Remember that they will have no medications available.

MEDICATIONS – PLEASE REMEMBER to bring all medications that you need to take (or that you feel you will need) with you to DM. We cannot provide these medications to you! Also, since the changing rooms will be locked during actual blocks, keep these medications on you so that you can access them as you need them. This includes INHALERS, TYLENOL, EPIPENS and any other medications you take regularly.

DANCER RELATIONS – Any question, concerns, or needs that you have throughout the weekend of Dance Marathon can be handled by Dancer Relations. DR is here for your support/encouragement, so don’t hesitate to ask for help! They will be identifiable by their bright ORANGE shirts. During DM, dancers may not leave the tent unless accompanied by a member of Dancer Relations; this includes trips to the bathrooms.

As a reminder, incentives are based off of how much money you have deposited as of the Full Money Deadline, which is Wednesday, February 22nd. Money deposited after the deadline will not be able to earn you incentives. The amounts are per dancer.

1. $700 - Extended foot massage
2. $800 - Extended foot massage + One scheduled extended bathroom break (wash your face, brush your teeth, etc.)
3. Top 40 Dancers - Extended foot massage + One scheduled extended bathroom break (wash your face, brush your teeth, etc.) + One sit-down break at the time of the dancer’s choosing to be able to sit down outside the tent
4. Top 20 Dancers - Extended foot massage + One scheduled extended bathroom break (wash your face, brush your teeth, etc.) + TWO sit-down breaks at the time of the dancer’s choosing to be able to sit down outside the tent + Morning yoga with FitGirl + One song request to be sent to dr@nudm.org the week of DM

If you have any questions at all leading up to DM, contact dr@nudm.org and we will help you with whatever you need!