Next Tuesday, dancers will splash around the Eisenhower Auditorium stage in a pool holding 550 gallons of water.

But, the water will only be 3 inches deep.

"It's more like a really big puddle, but in stage terms we call it a pool," said Susan Keller, associate production coordinator of the Center for the Performing Arts (CPA).

A 33-by-23-foot pool will be created for the Tania Perez-Salas Compañia de Danza, which will use the water to perform a piece titled Waters of Forgetfulness.

The touring dance company from Mexico will perform three pieces choreographed by Perez-Salas, including Waters. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Laura Sullivan, CPA marketing director, said the company's technical feats contribute to its theatrical style.

"If those aspects weren't there, it definitely wouldn't be the same performance," she said.

Keller said the process of setting up, using and disassembling the pool takes a full day. It begins the morning of the performance, when the production staff assembles the set, and ends at 2 a.m. the next day, when they tear it down.

Although constructing the pool will be a challenge, Keller said the CPA staff enjoys technically advanced productions like this.

"It's kind of refreshing to have a challenge to face and see if you can make it through," she said.

Past productions at Eisenhower have also incorporated water. Keller said just last year, water showered down onto the stage in Cirque Eloize's performance of Rain.

Waters of Forgetfulness also uses 175 pounds of sand that will fall down from the top of the stage like fine sheets of rain.

These outside elements that Perez-Salas uses to create an entire experience around the dance are called dance theater, said Elisha Clark, head of the dance minor at Penn State.

"[Her purpose is] to create more of an environment versus just putting light on the stage so we can see the dance," she said.

Clark added that Perez-Salas combines movement of the body with story elements of theater.

In Anabiosis, another piece planned for the performance, Perez-Salas incorporated nudity to express the connection between sexuality and love.

"The performance is a very sensual one," Sullivan said. "She's not a dancer who's afraid to express her thoughts and feelings through dance."

Clark said the company dances in a contemporary style that is considered modern dance.

"Contemporary is anything happening now, but you could say it is anything different than what its predecessors have done," she said.

Sullivan encourages audience members who may be unfamiliar with the performance or dance style to seek out information to better enjoy the dance company.

Clark said her own choreography focuses on the same style, and she is interested in Perez-Salas's theatrical production.

"I can't wait to see how she does it," she said.