Quick answer. Mill Hill Elementary School's PTA in Southport, Connecticut, held its first-ever dance-a-thon on an afternoon in May 2019 and raised about $20,000 for the PTA. Each grade wore one color to form a "Rainbow of Kindness," the PE and music teachers led a whole-school routine students had rehearsed for weeks, and the event ended with the principal being slimed in the bus loop.
A first dance-a-thon in grade colors
Mill Hill Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school in the Southport section of Fairfield, Connecticut. In May 2019 its PTA held the school's first dance-a-thon, led by parent organizer Danielle Bartlett with the PTA's two co-presidents. Fairfield Patch covered it the following week, and that article is our only source.
The event took place on what Patch calls a sunny afternoon. Students in every grade wore a single color, kindergarten in red through fifth grade in purple, so that the school together formed what organizers called a "Rainbow of Kindness." A DJ ran the music and sent dance "motivators" through the crowd. An audience of 40 parent volunteers and school staff watched. The PTA reported raising about $20,000.
A dance routine rehearsed in class
The most useful detail for other schools is the opening act. Mill Hill's PE teacher and music teacher led the whole school in a choreographed mash-up of dances that students had practiced for several weeks beforehand. By the time the music started, every child already knew at least one routine.
That solves a problem every elementary dance-a-thon runs into: some children freeze on an open dance floor. A routine taught in class turns the first part of the event into something students have done before, in front of the same classmates. It also gives the PE and music staff a defined, bounded role that fits their teaching time rather than an evening volunteer shift.
Prizes, a raffle and the principal slime
Mill Hill used several layers of incentive. Before the finale the PTA handed out more than 40 prizes donated by local businesses. The top fundraiser in each grade won a gift certificate to a local candy shop, and raffle winners took home gift certificates from local dance and pottery studios, a pizzeria, a hobby shop and a youth club. Patch also describes students raising money as "Kidpreneurs"; the top earner, a first grader, made dog biscuits with family and friends and sold 75 bags door to door. That runs against this section's own parent letter, which asks families not to have children ask strangers or go door to door. If your school allows door-to-door selling at all, children should go only with an adult and only to people the family knows.
The closing stunt was a parent idea. Principal Kevin Chase agreed to be slimed if donations reached a target, then sat in a chair in the middle of the bus loop in swim goggles and shorts while two students dumped a bucket of red and blue slime over him. The article doesn't say what the donation target was.
What the Patch story confirms, and what it skips
From the Patch article we can confirm that this was the PTA's first dance-a-thon, the approximate total, the grade colors, the rehearsed routine, the DJ, the donated prizes and per-grade awards, and the slime finale. The article doesn't give the exact date, how long students danced, how many students took part, whether donors pledged flat amounts or by time, what the PTA spent, whether $20,000 is gross or net, or what the money funded. Patch also mentions that the town was about to vote on a major renovation of the school, but it doesn't connect the fundraiser to that project, so we don't either.
About $20,000 is above the middle of the elementary and PTA figures in our dance-a-thon results database, which comes from published results that lean toward successful events.
What a first-year PTA can copy
- Ask PE and music teachers to teach one routine. A few weeks of practice in class makes the opening song a shared performance instead of a test of nerve. The elementary school dance-a-thon guide covers how to fit dance prep into the school day.
- Color by grade. One color per grade makes the photo, and it also lets supervisors tell at a glance which group a child belongs to when classes mix on the floor.
- Publish the stunt target in advance. A principal stunt works best when families know the exact number that triggers it. Write it on the flyer and in the parent letter. More options by age are on the prize ideas page.
- Check raffle rules before you print tickets. The IRS notes that many states and localities regulate gaming by exempt organizations, which includes raffles. Ask your state's gaming or charity regulator what applies.
- Clear photos before posting the finale. A slime moment is made for social media. The U.S. Department of Education notes that schools often designate photos of students at public events as directory information, and families may have opted out. Check the school's opt-out list and get the principal's approval before posting.
A first-year PTA event has no prior result to plan from. The PTA and PTO dance-a-thon guide walks through approvals, roles and money handling for that first run, and the other dance-a-thon case studies show how events like this change in later years.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Mill Hill Elementary's first dance-a-thon raise?
Fairfield Patch reported about $20,000 for the school's PTA. The article doesn't say whether that figure is before or after expenses.
What was the Rainbow of Kindness?
Each grade wore one color, from red for kindergarten to purple for fifth grade, so the whole school together formed a rainbow on the dance floor.
Who led the dancing at Mill Hill?
The PE teacher and music teacher led a choreographed mash-up that students had practiced for several weeks, and a DJ ran the music with dance motivators moving through the crowd.
What incentive did the principal offer?
Principal Kevin Chase agreed to be slimed in the school bus loop if donations reached a target set by parents. The article doesn't state the target amount.