Ten dogged dancers endure ‘danceathon’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34072, 9 February 1976, Page 1

Ten dogged dancers endure ‘danceathon’

Ten dancers slogged and sweated their way to the finish of the week-end dance marathon in Christchurch after escaping from the pouring rain on Friday night to the hot confines of the 3ZM main studio in Colombo Street.

i Of the 70 original contestants, about 26 surIvived to the studio phase of the “danceathon,” held to raise money for the Christchurch Arts Centre.

Four dancers were treated for fainting at the studio, which the 3ZM programme, manager (Mr Chris Muirhead) admitted was “crowded, hot, and pretty miserable” in spite of air conditioning and fans. But St John Ambulance Brigade staff said there was “nothing serious” in about 25 i cases of treatment, some fori

exhaustion. Most aid was foi strained ankles and knees and a few’ blisters. At midnight on Fridav, after moving to the studio, dancers were allowed to rest for nine hours before continuing to the deadline of midnight on Saturday. “Not first’’ About 8 p.m. on Saturday, a reporter of “The Press” visited the studio and was shocked to see a young girl lying on the floor,” twitching and unconscious. She was being attended to bv tw’o St John members. She was revived in the open air.

I “She’s not the first," one jof the workers said. i Mr Muirhead said he war ialso concerned about th< ■ girl at first, but she wai i "just fine” after being aided ■She had finished a meal no ! long before fainting, and sht (had been “pretty energetic u; to then.” Other dancers had glazed eyes and seemed unenthusiastic four hours from the finish. The reporter was asked to leave the studio because, as he was told. “We are trying to conserve the air in here.” It was almost impossible to breathe standing still, he said. Miss Bonnie Nicholas not only lasted to the end, but danced well enough to win

the $5OO prize