This post was updated April 7 at 7:57 p.m.

In Dance Marathon’s final hours, UCLA is still grooving as a new lineup of performers takes the stage.

At 8 p.m., with four hours left in the fundraiser, students took a break for dinner while the Pediatric AIDS Coalition prepared for another round of performances. Katerina Rally, a fourth-year communication student and the co-director of entertainment at PAC, said there had already been a stream of student bands, singers and other artists onstage, including DJ Michael Basic, Matty Gottesman and Between Backseats. When it comes to picking performers, Rally said PAC has an application process where it auditions student musicians and interviews them in order to learn more about each performer’s personality and style.

“This is a really special event because the people that are involved have a lot of care about the organization,” Rally said. “We want to make sure our performers share that same care. … It’s special because we can bring in people that aren’t in the organization to learn but also share that love.”

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In terms of morale, Alyssa Orantes, a second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student and a member of the dancer relations committee, said the performances are key when it comes to keeping the energy up throughout the night and helping pass the time. Shirin Dunker, a second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student and the director of fundraising, said the closing performances are the biggest part of the event as Ackerman Grand Ballroom transforms into a concert atmosphere.

As dinner came to a close, another round of Color Wars kicked off – a part of the fundraiser where each team competes in a round of games. During this hour, participants were challenged to guess the song playing over the speaker. With the theme of “dance” in each song’s title, students rocked to “Dance Again” by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull, Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” As the clock reached 9 p.m., the dancers ended the hour with a choreographed routine to “Rush” by Troye Sivan and prepared for the performances to begin.

Indie rock band Evergreen revived the crowd with a cover of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Cheering in the vibrant sound, PAC members and participants alike rushed to the stage for a front-row seat. Catering director for PAC and third-year psychobiology student Natalie Quilala said she was most excited to see Evergreen again after their performance a month prior at a fundraising party organized by PAC. Malia Groth, a fourth-year psychobiology student and PAC executive director of logistics, expressed her appreciation for the diverse crowd the band attracted during this year’s event. The scale of this year’s setting, held in Ackerman Grand Ballroom, made up for previously larger venues, creating a more lively atmosphere, she said.

“I think here (Ackerman Grand Ballroom) feels a little bit more personal and intimate,” Groth said. “The energy is definitely high enough that it feels like a ton of people are here.”

By 9:48 p.m., Evergreen introduced an original song, switching the tone from a groovy funk to a head-banging jam session. The shift reminded the crowd to continue dancing with passion and sentiment for the cause. Third-year film student Karly Katobang said her primary goal of supporting her roommate on the board of PAC and alignment with the organization is her motivation in staying until the end of the night. Moreover, third-year public health student and PAC director of family relations Jayden Tan said his focus is primarily on the children the event is able to assist through their fundraising, driving the incentive behind the event’s 13-hour length.

“I had the opportunity to talk and speak about my experiences, but I wanted to also highlight other voices, and I think highlighting the Laurel kids to build a brand was fun,” Tan said.

As 10 p.m. rolled around, dancers dressed to the theme in ski masks and UCLA merchandise gathered for the hourly morale dance. With rejuvenated energy and spirits, the crowd welcomed the student band, The 529’s. Adorned in sweatshirts, cut-off shirts and bandanas, the group emanated the garage boy band stereotype. Opening with the country, plucky beats of Caamp’s “By and By,” The 529’s instantly captured the audience with its chemistry. Though the saxophone stole the show with its deep timbre, each instrument built on the other to create a full-bodied sound, giving the audience a glimpse into a typical jamming session in the group’s basement.

[Related: Student performers, rising artists keep Dance Marathoners moving all night]

First-year biology student Stephanie Manasyan said the importance of the cause at hand keeps dancers and members motivated. Though the hours run long, the excitement to ultimately see the funds they have raised kept them moving, she said. The band proceeded to demonstrate their love for John Mayer, filling the room with romantic, slow grooves in “Daughters” before transitioning to Stevie Wonder’s ever-loved hit “Isn’t She Lovely.”

As swaying phone flashlights took over the crowd, the five band members electrified the dancers with their jazzy rendition of “Santeria” by Sublime and incited immediate jumping as multicolored lights flashed to the beats. Third-year linguistics and anthropology and computer science student Grace Shoemaker, the director of design and media, said this year is especially special since all the performers are UCLA-based bands. The familiarity of performers, their humble energy and their connection to the crowd propagate a positive spirit that grounds the event’s cause, she said. As an organization, PAC stands out in its noncompetitive, familial energy, with each member participating purely out of passion for the cause, she added.

“I think this club is one of the only clubs on campus that you can just tell everyone is there because they want to be and because they care about the cause and each other,” Shoemaker said. “You put so much effort and so much work, and the payoff is so clearly there, emotionally and as a family.”