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Teen Writers & Artists Project holds dance-a-thon in St. Charles

No wallflowers were allowed at the Teen Writers and Artists Project's T-WAAP Sock Hop 12-hour dance marathon fundraiser Friday at The Quad/Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles.

The nonprofit group created the event - its main fundraiser of the year - to keep the organization running and to create more future events.

"You don't have to dance well. Nobody cares how you dance!" executive director Diana Zwinak told the cluster of about 20 teens and adults who lingered on the dim dance floor lit by a radiating laser light. "

But, we're going to see if you don't dance. Haha! So there you go!"

The deejay hit the play button and everyone got down to some serious dancing. Justin Habana, 17, a member of the teen group, managed to read a book while on the dance floor. (He said it wasn't a big deal since he often reads while weightlifting.) He said he planned to stay for the entire event.

Along with blocks of dance time sessions, participants were able to join in a dancing feet painting activity, games, an open mic session and a variety show performance by some of the people who were on the dance floor earlier. Adam Gottlieb of Chicago, a writer in residence for the group and co-creator of the event, said "We want it to be a day that celebrates what we are, and what we do, and integrate that into a fun fundraiser."

For more information, visit teenwritersandartists.ning.com.

  Justin Habana gets down on the dance floor at the start of the Teen Writers and Artists Project's T-WAAP Sock Hop dance marathon Friday at The Quad/Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles. The group hosted the 12-hour event to raise funds for the organization. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Adults and teens took to the dance floor at the event. Laura Stoecker/ lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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