Dance To Fund Research

In honor of the Superheroes Dance—an event held last Friday night to raise money for cancer research—the Bat Signal shone on Lowell Bell Tower.

From 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., dancing, student group performances, and gourmet cupcakes filled Lowell Dining Hall.

The event, organized by Matthew Bird ’10, Heidi L. Hirschl ’10, and Ethel D. Bressman ’10, featured The Harvard University Drummers and EXP, the traveling members of Expressions.

Their goals were simple: raise money for cancer, give student groups an outlet to perform, and show students a good time. The three friends worked under the auspices of The Jimmy Fund, which is the funding arm of the Dana-Farber Institute for Cancer. Dana-Farber, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, has been treating patients and studying cancer for more than 50 years.

The three organizers said they got the idea over the summer while training for a half-marathon to raise money for cancer.

A combination of local businesses, individual students, and student groups cooperated with Lowell House to put the dance together.

“It’s been really cool to get the opportunity to coordinate with various student groups, and the masters at Lowell were amazing,” Hirschl said. “We couldn’t have asked for more support.”

Students at the event said they were enthusiastic both about the event itself and its cause.

“More College events should have a cause behind them,” MaryKate Driscoll ’11 said. “It does more to motivate students to go.”

Bird declined to comment on how much money the event brought in that night.

The Harvard Cancer Society and Harvard Premedical Society will be sponsoring the Harvard College Dance Marathon on Nov. 14 to raise money for The Jimmy Fund.