TnA's last stand

Welton and Johnson compare thumb sizes during their break from emceeing. A reporter was surprised at the size of the QWERTY keypad on Welton's phone, and asked Welton how he could type on the small keys.

As the last dance approaches in DM 2008, Todd Johnson and Adam Welton have started to feel a tinge of sadness in addition to the extreme exhaustion.

"It's getting to the point where it's getting sad since it's the last year for us," Welton said, grabbing a small window of time during the block to rest.

Their love for the philanthropy has largely defined their Northwestern careers, they said.

"I love this experience," Johnson said. "My voice is shot, but I don't care about that. I just want to do the best for our dancers. I want to give it my all."

Doing just that has been difficult at times for the two seniors, who have emceed the event since their freshmen year.

"We have to have a tad bit more energy than other people," Welton said. "People are tired, but I have to act like I'm not. Sometimes I feel sleepy but that's not an option."

They have seen Dance Marathon change and grow each year since they stepped foot on campus. One of the biggest changes they saw throughout their tenure is Club DM, the heated tent created to accommodate the influx of new dancers.

"DM's getting bigger," Welton said. "We outgrew the Louis Room."

The duo can envision the continued expansion of DM from an on-campus venue to an off-campus one to account for record-breaking number of participants.

"Nothing can stop DM," Johnson said. "It can only get bigger, and the quality better. Students raise the bar and standards each year."

While the emcees have energized hundreds of dancers each year, Welton and Johnson modestly say they are only a small part of the massive philanthropy that is Dance Marathon.

"We're like a fingernail on the body," Welton said. "The heart is the dancers."

The two said they will miss Dance Marathon next year, but their hearts will always belong to the organization and its cause.

"We're not staying," Welton said, "but we're not leaving."

Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern