Michael Jackson's songs do not normally come to mind when one thinks of ballet music. However, Penn State ballerinas will lace up their pointe shoes and dance to "Thriller" this weekend.

Volé will perform Pointe in Time, a collection of original student choreography, tomorrow and Saturday at 9 p.m. in 132 White Building. Admission is free for students and $1 for the general public.

"We took a recognizable song from each decade and choreographed a ballet," Nikki Hlavaty (junior-kinesiology) said.

Jennifer Ellis (senior-English) said using the song "Thriller" inspired Volé to create a piece about a particular facet of the 1980s.

"My idea was to synthesize Michael Jackson and ballet," Ellis said. "It is going to be opposite tensions working together."

The number incorporates Michael Jackson's choreography from the "Thriller" music video.

"Everyone who has seen it so far has been impressed," Helen Lewis (junior-telecommunications) said. "It is nice to find different ways to express yourself through ballet."

Pointe in Time will also feature a flapper-style number and a tribute to Sept. 11. Volé's goal in performing different ballet styles is to appeal to a wide variety of audiences.

"We are trying to educate people about ballet and hope that some people who are skeptical about ballet will come out," Ellis said.

While the show features contemporary music, there is also a focus on classical ballet styles. "Degas in Motion" was inspired by ballerina paintings by French impressionist Edgar Degas. Dancers will start in the position of one of these famous paintings before coming to life, Hlavaty said.

Audiences will also see Volé perform numbers from one of the most celebrated ballets of all time, Swan Lake.

Volé became an official club last year, and Pointe in Time marks its fourth performance. Ellis, one of the club founders, discovered a need for a non-competitive ballet club during her freshman year at Penn State.

"When I came here, I was shocked at the lack of dance organizations. I have danced since I was three, and that wasn't acceptable to me," Ellis said. "We wanted to start something fun and laid-back."