For much of her time at MICA, Illustration major Elisa Leiva imagined a completely different direction for her senior thesis. But after a difficult semester, a chance decision to join a swing dancing class at Mobtown Ballroom set her on a new creative path — one that would ultimately shape her final project and personal growth.

“I thought, what the heck, let’s learn to dance,” Leiva recalls. What started as a hobby quickly became a source of reflection and inspiration. As she practiced, she found herself journaling and drawing connections between movement and memory. “Eventually, I realized: This could be a great thesis project.”

She scrapped her original idea and dove into creating a comic centered on the transformative summer that sparked her new perspective. Though she entered senior year without a polished roadmap, Leiva followed her intuition, sketching thumbnails, developing autobiographical stories, and gradually refining her work into a full-length comic.

Her process blended traditional and digital techniques. Leiva drafted each page by hand using pen and ink on a lightbox, then added color digitally — a hybrid approach that felt both grounded and flexible. Illustration professors like Shadra Strickland, Joyce Hesselberth, and Alan Comport provided thoughtful guidance throughout, while peers in her critique group offered crucial encouragement during moments of doubt.

Leiva’s comic, deeply personal and vibrant with vintage flair, celebrates the spirit of swing: improvisation, connection, and resilience. “Swing taught me to just move forward, no matter what,” she says. “It’s not about perfection.”

With printed copies of her thesis now complete, Leiva is shifting focus to new projects — including a children’s book recently picked up by a publisher — and preparing to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching. Her long-standing love for 1940s culture and storytelling will continue to inform her creative and professional journey.

“I’ve spent the past year staring at myself under a microscope,” she says with a laugh. “Now I’m ready to breathe — and maybe help others tell their stories, too.”