On March 29, 2025, students and friends of the Villanova community will gather in the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse for one of the biggest fundraising events of the year: NOVAdance.
NOVAdance is a year-long fundraiser benefiting the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation and ends with a 12-hour dance marathon.
The day has so much in store from dance battles, live music, raffles, performances and a favorite every year: Hero Hour.
Each hour has a specific theme that relates to the music and activities throughout the day. The entertainment team on NOVAdance helped see what the day will look like. Let’s break down the 12-hour marathon hour by hour to give an overview of the day.
Hour 1: Get Movin’ and Groovin’.
The marathon starts at 10 a.m. and will start off with many introductions from all the different committees for NOVAdance. Participants will also start with a stand stretch and begin to learn the line dance that is performed during different times of the day. To culminate the hour, three students will lead a Zumba with everyone. The hour helps everyone learn more about what NOVAdance is about and gets people moving on their feet.
Hour 2: Oldies
Hour two will include two performances from one of the all-female a cappella groups, the Haveners, and the Villanova cheer team. In between the performances there will be all the classical oldies music hits for people to dance and sing along to. In addition, there will be a variety of activities for members to participate in such as a variety of sports, Wii games and friendship bracelet-making.
Hour 3: Disnelodian
At 12 p.m. there will be a performance from the Villanova Irish Dance Team, as well as an a cappella performance by one of the all-gender groups on campus, Minor Problem. The hour will also be filled with dancing, activities and fun for all.
Hour 4: Pop Hits
Hour four will include a performance by the tap dance group on campus, NovaNoise. Additionally, this is an hour to personally give back to the heroes for the B+ Foundation. A hairdresser will come in and will give haircuts to participants who want to make a donation to the foundation. The room will also be filled with classic pop hits for people to sing and dance along to.
Hour 5: Musical Hour
At 2 p.m., it is one of the most theatrical hours: musical hour. The Villanova Student Music Theatre (VSMT) group will do a performance during this hour that committee members are anxiously awaiting. There will be face painting available for participants, as well as a performance by the Villanova Dance Team.
Hour 6: Hero Hour.
Halfway through the day, this is one of the most important hours of the day: Hero Hour. During the hour, participants will hear from Joe McDonough, who is the founder of the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. People will get to hear more about the B+ Foundation and Andrew’s story. The B+ Heroes will also take the stage and have their hero liaisons share more with the heroes and their stories. This hour is where people will be able to absorb the importance of NOVAdance, and the people behind it. The hour will conclude with the heroes doing the line dance with the NOVAdance Entertainment Team.
Hour 7: Country/Power Hour.
At 4 p.m. each of the team captains will come on the stage and host a game of Family Feud for everyone to watch. The game is very interactive and a great way to support the team-captains of specific clubs or organizations. There will also be a performance by the Villanova Dance Company.
Hour 8: Live Music Hour.
One of the most exciting hours, the live music hour, includes the band, the Bench Stealers. The band will perform a set filled with some fan-favorite songs, as well as an original song from the group. Another exciting performance to look forward to is from one of the B+ Heroes, Lily, who will perform a song for everyone.
Hour 9: 2000s/MOCO.
At 6 p.m. the MOCO color teams will be highlighted and will go face-to-face in competition with one another. The hour will include two 20-minute rounds of fundraising from each of the teams. The teams will compete to see which team can raise the most money in the hour. The hour will also include two performances from two a cappella groups, the Sirens and the Spires.
Hour 10: Lip Sync Hour.
This is one of the most electric and energetic hours of the day: the lip sync performances. During the hour, students can sign up to do a lip sync performance for everyone. The participants on the floor will watch and pick their favorite performances to declare a winner. The hour will also include a NOVAdance Sidekick and Engagement Coordinator as guest emcees.
Hour 11: Glow in the Dark/Rave
At 8 p.m. there will be a glow in the dark rave for everyone to enjoy. A student DJ will be on stage to play a set for the crowd. There will be glow sticks, glow in the dark beach balls, and more items that people can use to dance around with. There will also be one more a cappella performance from another all-gender group, the Supernovas. The all-day raffle will also conclude, and prizes and awards will be awarded during this hour.
Hour 12: The Reveal
The most anticipated hour of the whole marathon, the reveal. All the participants, heroes, and committee members will gather around the stage to see the final total that was fundraised throughout the day. NOVAdance is aiming to fundraise a grand total of 700,000 dollars this semester. At the end of the reveal, the DJ will return to perform another set to conclude the event and celebrate.
NOVAdance is a year-long effort to support the B+ Foundation. To donate or learn more, please visit the NOVAdance website at novadance.org or follow Instagram @nova_dance.
