Dance Marathon 2021 pretty much raises consciousness for pediatric HIV/AIDS

Dancing Trousers

This publish was current April 18 at 5:52 p.m.

With Queen’s song as its anthem, Dance Marathon’s education, advocacy and fundraising endeavours are of royal standing.

Held Saturday around Zoom, the annual occasion was crammed with academic speeches, energetic performances and dance breaks. Hosted by the Pediatric AIDS Coalition at UCLA, the 3-hour Dance Marathon highlighted the relevance of increasing awareness for HIV/AIDS and the tales of individuals who are afflicted by them. Emma Paine, PAC president and fourth-calendar year human biology and modern society university student, opened the celebration with a speech underscoring the worth of continuous advocacy and the intersections between HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.

“It’s truly enjoyable to be able to battle for one thing that does have a foreseeable conclude and presents form of an attainable ending to our fight,” Paine said. “Obviously, it is never truly above due to the fact there is always get the job done to be finished. Dance Marathon is actually just a illustration of our bring about.”

(Screen capture by Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor)
Abbey Brandt, a fourth-12 months psychology university student and the captain of the silver crew, the winner of the Color Wars, gives many thanks for the fundraising initiatives from her dancers. The winners had been declared with silver in to start with location, purple in second and purple in third. (Display capture by Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor)

[Related: Dance Marathon 2021 goes virtual with a week of HIV/AIDS awareness events]

The a cappella group Resonance was the very first to choose the virtual phase, filling the function with communal strength. The Zoom chat was taken in excess of by text of praise for the choreography and video clip transitions as the team sang the Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It Begun,” constructing morale and imitating the excitement of an in-individual function. Comedic movies from each workforce captain then launched the coloration groups that members have been divided into at the commencing of the Dance Marathon procedure.

Positioning sole consideration on the event’s induce, reps from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Basis gave speeches about the direct effects of fundraising, bringing focus towards HIV/AIDS. Rosa Mahlasera, an ambassador for EGPAF who was born HIV-optimistic, spoke about the stigma she faced increasing up and how accepting her HIV status has authorized her to support others. She was satisfied with messages of assist and appreciation from participants in the chat.

Following these highly effective speeches, PAC’s morale staff taught attendees this year’s morale dance – a Dance Marathon tradition – that was done three times through the day. Set to “Don’t End Me Now” by Queen, whose guide singer Freddie Mercury died of troubles from AIDS, the dance featured straightforward moves that were being uncomplicated to master. With measures matching the song’s lyrics, dancers pretended to generate a vehicle and pop up their hips though Mercury sang “I’m a racing car or truck passing/By like Woman Godiva.”

Maintaining the musical strength going, the band Mellowood took the stage. Trent Lawson, a 1st-year theater student and guitarist for the band, reported the chance to complete went outside of singing its one “Wake Up,” and toward supporting the event’s trigger, and contributors showed their guidance for the band in the chat by sending a link to its Spotify web site.

“I considered it was really great to be a component of a little something that shines a little far more mild on a little something that even I would forget on a regular working day,” Lawson reported. “I think it reminds men and women that we’re part of a even larger environment.”

Subsequent the prerecorded functionality, the occasion refocused on its philanthropy with speeches from associates and children from The Laurel Basis like T-bone, a girl who grew up attending Camp Laurel and is now a motivational speaker. She shared her tale of dropping her mother to HIV and mastering the energy of friendship and guidance through the firm.

“The initial wintertime camp of my everyday living nevertheless – to this working day – was the finest encounter I have at any time experienced,” T-bone claimed. “By considerably, it was a spot where there is no discrimination in opposition to gender, towards race and most of all, in opposition to the condition that no one realized of.”

Following the speeches, attendees watched a multitude of performances from pupil friends like NSU Modern and Paige Shannon, a third-calendar year music background and sector college student. Lorelei, a drag queen, also sang and danced to “Masseduction” by St. Vincent. With the camera slicing involving Lorelei posing in front of a highlight, crawling out of the ocean and even strolling in entrance of the Bruin Bear, the functionality was fulfilled with equal excitement from members in the chat.

Throughout the vigil, speeches and presentations stated the scientific, legislative and social heritage of HIV/AIDS, highlighting the roots of Dance Marathon’s result in. Established to films of important moments in HIV/AIDS record, a member from PAC browse the poem “The Artwork of Possibilities” by Mary Bowman aloud as individuals adopted along with the website link that was sent in the chat.

(Screen capture by Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor)
Dance Marathon’s headliner, practically monday, performed quite a few of its tunes for the duration of the celebration. In the course of the prerecorded set, the band was dancing about a stage participating in upbeat and lively songs. (Monitor seize by Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor)

[Related: Virtual Dance Marathon 2020 highlights intersection of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19]

Nearing the stop of the occasion, PAC announced its remaining fundraising overall of $108,366 and was met with an speedy explosion from the chat with participants’ gratitude. Adhering to the information, Dance Marathon’s headliner, practically monday, played various of its music via a prerecorded general performance. The band was on an precise stage with total lighting matching its upbeat and groovy songs – and five minutes into its established, it was declared PAC had raised an additional $1,000 considering the fact that its unique fundraising expose.

The Color Wars winner was also declared just after the general performance with silver in first area, purple in next and pink in 3rd. A video clip recapping Just take a Stand Week played and Paine took the phase to near out the function. She expressed her gratitude for the advocacy and fundraising completed by all of the dancers and emphasized the great importance of opening one’s point of view although understanding and combating for HIV/AIDS.

“Though we’re wrapping up our program for nowadays, we are not performed,” Paine explained. “And we will not be done until finally stigma and discrimination and wellness treatment disparities and accessibility no extended pose a risk to the individuals of this environment.”

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