With barely enough room to properly perform the arm movements and body jumps, Tommy Otterbine intently studied the line dance before imitating.

"I like the part about Hershey," Otterbine said as he shimmied his shoulders. "I think I like the stretch."

Now practicing the much anticipated line dance, an entire hour has passed since Otterbine and some 700 other dancers first rose to their feet for the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

"I'm just pumped," Otterbine said as a smile spread across his face.

"I have so much energy -- I feel great," he added.

Decked in blue accessories to represent his morale team, Otterbine was upbeat and positive about the remaining hours.

"When anyone tells you that they don't want to be a dancer -- whether they think they can or not is another story -- but they'd be lying," he said.

A few hours and stomach grumbles later, Otterbine consumed his hamburger dinner -- his first meal in more than seven hours.

"That's why I have six shirts," he said, as he wiped at a ketchup and mustard stain that dripped from the burger.

Early Saturday afternoon, Otterbine's spirits were soaring as he recounted the recent fulfillment of his Thon wish -- a picture of him and the women's volleyball team. "It was amazing," Otterbine said, almost giddily.

"They were really nice and I'm really happy right now," he added.

As the smell of baby powder drifted and the buzzing of battery-powered massagers sounded, many dancers began to feel the weariness start in their feet.

"My feet hurt a little bit," Otterbine said as he rested his arm on a wooden post in the back corner of Rec Hall.

"Mentally, I feel fine, but my feet ..." Otterbine said, his voice trailing off.

Ducking for cover between unsuspecting dancers and visitors, Otterbine sprayed the siblings of his Thon child with a squirt gun in the early evening hours on Saturday.

"I'm positive anytime anyone is here to interact -- when there is no energy here, it's hard to get motivated," Otterbine said. "I'm dreading the night shift," he added.

Otterbine said family members and friends have been popping in for visits periodically.

"I already had friends in my major bring me a necklace made from molecules," he said, referring to his microbiology classmates.

As the number of remaining hours finally dipped below double-digits, Otterbine said the lack of sleep contributed to a bout of disorientation in the early morning hours yesterday.

"I got a little delirious -- I didn't know where our group was [in the stands] and they've been in the same spot the entire weekend," he said.

Although his eyelids appeared heavier and the shadows under his eyes grew darker, Otterbine remained unchanged in his resolution.

"I'm positive I'll make it," Otterbine said as the beginning beats of the line dance blared throughout the packed arena.

"It may sounds corny, but to dance for these kids for 48 hours is probably one of the biggest honors of my life," he added, once again performing the line dance he perfected during the 48 hours of Thon weekend.