Participants are required to stand on the dance floor for 12 hours straight. All proceeds will go to the Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation.

Cassie Hines was an MSU student who passed away in 2012 after a four year battle with cancer. In her honor, her family established a foundation to support other young people with cancer.

At the dance marathon, participants don’t necessarily need to dance, Maria Guracech, president of the MSU Dance Marathon and a special education junior, said.

“It’s 12 hours long, and you just have to stand for all 12 hours to represent the struggles young adults with cancer go through every day,” she said.

There are plenty of activities beyond dancing to keep participants entertained.

These include dodgeball, performances, free food and a manicure station.

To join the event, students have to raise at least $100 each.

Last year, almost 400 participants boogied down to raise more than $25,000 for the foundation.

This year, the goal is $50,000 with at least 300 participants, said Shelby Nadolski, vice president of the organization and an education junior.

The dance marathon is working to grow each year as the committee gets passed on, Nadolski said.

“We were looking for a new charity (last year) because the charity we supported fell through,” Guracech said.

The Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation had just been formed and the committee wanted to support a Spartan’s cause.

The foundation raises money for young adults with cancer to go to camps such as Camp Mak-A-Dream in Montana.

This was one of the camps Cassie attended before she passed away nearly two years ago.

Finance junior Haley Maron joined the marathon last year with a few of her friends. Maron said she was so inspired by the foundation that she joined the committee this year.

“Honestly, the event is really fun and inspirational,” Maron said.

To register for the event, students can visit msudm.org.