It was a sea of pink that stretched on for what seemed like forever.
Hundreds of men and women — decked out in sparkly bras and feather boas -— jumped, bobbed and gyrated in near-perfect unison across the floor of the Metro Centre on Saturday, throwing their arms in the air as the strains of YMCA and Thriller filled the building.
They were there to take part in Bust a Move — a six-hour exercise marathon hosted by the IWK and QEII Foundations in support of breast health in Nova Scotia.
When it was all over, the exhausted but elated participants had raised over $1.1 million toward the purchase of a new digital mammography machine.
“My friend found out about the event and thought we could do it,” said Jen Holland, standing in the midst of four girls wearing identical T-shirts emblazoned with the words Team Kitty. Holland explained the shirts were made in honour of her mother, Karen, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall.
“She’s doing awesome. She was detected really early and so she has a higher chance of recovery,” said the 25-year-old. “I think that’s the message everyone is trying to get across here — to have this machine so that we can detect cancer early.”
The girls said the day had been gruelling but that organizers made sure to provide regular breaks and plenty of healthy snacks.
At 5 p.m., the energy rose to a fever pitch as fitness guru Richard Simmons leapt onto the stage and led everyone for an hour of high-energy calisthenics.
“Close the doors! We’re gonna be here all night!” he screamed, jumping up and down in his signature red tank top and short-shorts.
Volunteer event chair Marie Mullally called the day “indescribable.”
“I was just overwhelmed,” she said. “We expect that the new (mammography machine) will be in the health-care system within a couple of months.”
Records broken
Bust a Move also broke two world records on Saturday — one for the most people hugging simultaneously and the other for the longest massage chain.
