Penn State's Orchesis Dance Company will put its talent on display this weekend, performing to work's by artists including Dave Matthews Band, Janet Jackson and Rusted Root as part of its final showcase of the school year.

Katie Maxwell (senior-public relations) said the group's performances will feature a wide variety of artists, many of whom are well-known to students.

The showcase will feature 12 pieces choreographed by 11 dancers, all of whom were required to dance for at least one semester before choreographing a piece.

Held at 8 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the showcase will include about one hour-long shows, Maxwell said.

The show will be in 132 and 133 White Building, and tickets are $4.99 with a student ID and $6 for general admission.

The finale will include the entire company and was performed at the pre-Thon show at the 2009 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, said Jessica Fulton (sophomore-kinesiology), a dancer in the showcase.

Maxwell, a fourth-year member, said that while Orchesis is the oldest dance group at University Park -- originating in 1935 -- recent company rosters have made a few technical changes.

"It started as a purely modern dance company, so we branched out into ballet, jazz and contemporary," she said.

Chelsea Rohm, another fourth-year Orchesis member, said for her, the show will be both exciting and sad.

"I think I'm most excited for dancing with the seniors. It's always a little emotional, just knowing it's your last time to dance," Rohm (senior-criminology) said.

Rohm also said her best friends are in Orchesis, and that it's a great opportunity to share in the love of dance together with her friends.

The current group has 26 dancers, and Maxwell said there is no certain number that the company must take.

She said the dancers began to prepare their pieces for the showcase and other performances, such as Thon, in late January, giving them a little more than two months to rehearse.

Each dancer rehearses for at least five hours each week, Fulton said.

"We have company rehearsals four hours a week total, and each piece that you're in, in addition, is an hour long on Sundays," she said.

While this weekend is Orchesis' final formal showcase of the semester, Maxwell said the company will perform at the Blue-White game next weekend, as well.

She said the group will hold a free open class for anyone interested in learning about dance. It will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 23 in 132 White Building.

We always put on a great show with

lots of different types of dance," Rohm said.