A typical class for a typical student here at the University doesn’t usually consist of lacing up ballet shoes and channeling creativity. But it does when you are a dance major.

Rehearsing in studios, performing in shows and choreographing pieces are all a part of a daily routine for dance students.

On an average day, Luis Vazquez, sophomore in FAA and LAS, leaves his apartment at 9 a.m. and does not return again until 9 p.m. His day is a unique mixture of biology lectures and dance performance-based classes.

Being a dance major takes a lot of commitment and hard work and can certainly be exhausting, but those students who are passionate about the field are willing to put up with the strenuous schedule because the experience itself is so unique and rewarding.

“After internships every summer I get another piece to the puzzle of what I want to do with my life, but I know for a fact that whatever I’m doing it’s going to be related to dance. I just want to dance,” Vazquez said.

Sophomore Vicky Ronin has been dancing since childhood. She is working toward a dual degree in dance and advertising and has recently transferred into the dance school because she felt that she still needed dance to be a part of her life.

“I was really missing modern dance and ballet and everything that I grew up with. I didn’t feel the same, it was like a huge part of me that was missing,” Ronin said.

Dance can be broken down into various categories, but the dance department at the University works under a modern umbrella and everyone is considered a modern dancer.

“We have a core that everyone has to do but outside of the core you can double up on what you’re passionate about. For example, my friend has a focus on yoga, my other friend has a focus in choreography and I like ballet so I am taking more ballet classes,” Vazquez said.

Referring to dance as an “unconventional” field of study could be considered an understatement. The thought of students taking classes such as yoga and ballet for a grade and credit can be hard to grasp, but what’s even harder to grasp is the class sizes.

“There are about 14 students in my entire sophomore class at this university,” Vazquez said.

Speaking in terms of conventionality, students in conventional fields of study think internships are hard to come by — but for dance majors, the process of landing an internship is even more intricate.

“You can get internships doing a lot of things relating to the field of dance. I have a friend who is getting certified in Yoga, so that is a form of experience she can put on her resume as a dancer,” Vazquez said. “Since I am more into dance and the performing aspect, I am going to San Francisco for a month to dance for a ballet company called Alonzo King Lines Contemporary Ballet.”

While Vazquez is excited about this opportunity, there is more on his mind than just dancing.

In order to graduate with a degree in dance, every student must have a senior thesis. Essentially all the classes they take in their 4 years at the University in the program are all in preparation for the thesis.

“It is essentially our defining moment. It is the last big bang of our years as undergrad dance students here,” said Mark Deler,a senior who will perform his thesis on April 28th and 29th.

According to Deler and Vazquez, the senior thesis is when senior dance students put on their own show. They go through a meticulous process of auditioning and choosing dancers from the undergrad to be apart of their thesis, they choreograph their own material and also are responsible for stage crew and tinkering with lights and compiling music for the piece.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” said Vazquez, who will be participating in senior Nora Tonge’s thesis on March 31st.

“My senior thesis consists of me and three other seniors. We call ourselves the CQ, Collaborative Quartet, and we still have a lot of work to do. But for now, we know our theme has to do with time,” Deler said. “We want to put on a full-length show. As a performer that’s what I want to do, I want to be able to take the audience on a journey.”

For students like Vazquez, Ronin, and Deler, dance is more than just a major or career, it is an art form, a way of life.

“It’s a great medium for me to release my creativity. It’s a apart of me,” Vazquez said.

Ronin agrees that dance is an outlet for her creativity as well.

“It is really hard to put into words what dance means to me, its just a whole new way to experience the world and the environment. It gives me a sense of home away from home,” says Ronin, “I know I need something where I can channel my creativity otherwise I just don’t feel right.”

Dance has become such a vital part of Deler’s life that he now sees the world through the eyes of a dancer.

“Dance is a world, I literally just watch everything and see it as a form of dance. You begin to have a dancer context and see everything like that,” Deler said.

Deler says there’s always room for improvement in the life of a dancer, but he never doubts that dance is his passion. Vazquez, Ronin and Deler are all confident that no matter what they do in life, dance will always be apart of it, and that is how they know they will be content.

“‘Santosha’ in yoga (means) to be content with one’s self and that’s what you just have to practice everyday as a dancer,” Deler said.