Like many things in life, we have all had to sacrifice our time and energy doing the things we enjoy doing. Dance majors here at LVA have sacrificed a lot for dance, as well as having taken the time to perfect their technique in dance. About three hours every school day, LVA dance majors practice their art in their major class and in an elective of choice. 

Senior dance major, Faith Lugo, has been dancing ever since she was six years old and enjoys the social aspect of dance. Lugo believes that dance has improved both her social skills and daily life. “[Dance] kept me busy and kept me social,” Lugo said. “A lot of kids now aren’t very social, and I think dance really impacted my social skills.” Lugo is very passionate about dance. She dances five hours a day, five days a week. Lugo feels that she has sacrificed a lot of her time to dance, and although she may have less time throughout the day than others, she stays very dedicated to dance. “I’ve sacrificed a lot of time,” Lugo said. “I could have been like a really scholarly person, but then I dedicated all my time to dance. I also don’t really get to hang out as much as other people do.”

Senior dance major, Maya Gonzalez, has also been dancing since the age of six and dances during school hours; one and a half hours on odd days and about five hours every even day. Dance used to make Gonzalez feel self-conscious at times, but now, dance is a way for her to embrace and express herself. “I had a solo competition my sophomore year. The solo was to the song ‘Home With You’ by FKA Twigs… For once, I felt like an art piece. I learned to accept and embrace myself, and began to love the shocked reactions,” Gonzalez said. “Dance now allows me to express all of myself unconditionally. Whatever feels good, feels good.” Gonzalez feels that eating a full meal before dancing makes her feel nauseous, so she snacks throughout the day and eats a full meal once she has arrived home. “Dancing has taught me to eat until I’m satisfied, not full because my stomach hurts when it’s full,” Gonzalez said.

While dance may be time-consuming, all of the hard work pays off. Many dance majors began dancing at such a young age, and time was something that absolutely had to be sacrificed. The commitment and passion LVA dance majors have for their art is astonishing. Dance has undoubtedly helped Lugo and Gonzalez with their self-confidence and improve their social skills.