27. From Viral Fun, to Sad and Bleak
Most dance marathon competitors during the Great Depression were no longer in it for the fun of it. They did not even bother to dance. What had begun as a viral trend had grown, well… depressing. The competitors’ goal now was the prize money, or at least to spend as much time as possible indoors and fed by the event’s sponsors. The key was to expend as little energy as possible, while sticking to the letter of the rules. Generally, the rules held that the dancers could not fall asleep and remain stationary, but must continue to move. Some competitions however allowed one partner to sleep, so long as the other was awake and kept the duo moving. Thus, dance partners slowly shuffled around the dance floor, as they adhered to rules about the need to hold each other, without their knees touching the floor.
Contestants got fifteen minutes’ rest each hour in some competitions, during which they rushed to sleep on cots. Other competitions had no hourly breaks, and allowed dancers to leave the floor only for bathroom breaks, medical purposes, or to change clothes. Once back on the dance floor, they took turns supporting each other’s weight to keep their partner upright, as he or she got some extra rest and shuteye while being propped and shuffled around. The popularity of dance marathons gradually declined in the 1930s, as they grew increasingly controversial. Many questioned the morality of exploiting destitute dancers to entertain paying spectators. There were also concerns about the exhibition of female bodies and potential sexual exploitation. By the end of WWII, dance marathons had largely vanished.