The West Virginia University Dance Company, also known as Orchesis, will present its annual concert at the Creative Arts Center Jan. 18-20, featuring new artistic director Heather Ahern.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre and will feature a variety of dance styles, including modern, hip-hop and balletalong with other styles.

Featured in the program will be choreography created by Ahern, as well as faculty member Carole Wiedebusch and students Cate Bennett, Aislinn Crovak, Lauren Hanahan, Daphne Pringle, Rachel Romero, Emily Shaffer and Hanna Rose Wisniewski.

The choreographic offerings are quite diverse in both tone and genre, promising something for everyone,said Ahern, who is originally from Providence, R.I., where she co-directed, toured, performed and taught with the critically acclaimed Groundwerx Dance Theatre for 15 years.

She is a past recipient of an Artist Project Grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts for the creation of a one-woman dance and play titledAmazons, Goddesses and Others.She also received a Cirino Fellowship Award for three consecutive years from the Rhode Island Foundation.

Aherns choreography, a quintet titledIrrational Exuberance,features athletic modern dance borrowing from ballet. The aerobic dance is performed to the rousing scherzo from BeethovensNinth Symphony.

Wiedebuschs dance,KU-KA ILIMOKU ,is the culmination of collaboration between Wiedebusch and composer/musician George Willis, who directs the WVU percussion program.

Bennetts ode to Pink Floyd is a contemporary work featuring a large cast dancing to a medley of well-known tunes. This edgy, rebellious dance spans styles from modern to hip-hop and even features dancers on the tips of their toes.

Another large ensemble is featured in the work of Crovak. Using the haunting, electronically-manipulated a cappella music of Imogene Heap, Crovak explores being alone and connecting with others.

The old standard songGeorgia on My Mindis made new again by choreographer Hanahan. This modern, lyrical jazz quintet features five very strong performers, each appearing in a solo moment that serves as the choreographic equivalent of a monologue.

Pringles sassy jazz dance celebrates the joys and woes of womanhood. The dance, entitledLose Control,performed to music of the same title by Maria Mena, features the beautiful dancing of soloist Andrea Rogers backed up by a chorus of strong women.

Romeros work,Ramalama Bang Bang,is hip-hop on steroids�€a popular dance with a technical twist. The theme is beautifully-performed, staccato ensemble work, which is short, not so sweet, but very satisfying.

Prison Food,the song by Ben Folds Five and the dance by Shaffer, is another pleasing dance featuring ensemble work, solos and duets. Shaffers use of gesture and beautifully-grounded modern dance is both delicious and heartfelt.

Bringing the show full circle, WisniewskisFallinSonatabeautifully utilizes Ludwig Von BeethovensMoonlight Sonataand Alicia Keystribute to Beethoven, entitledFallin.The dance could be described as a contemporary ballet.

Also featured in the concert are special guest appearances by Aherns jazz dance class. The ensemble dance, created by Ahern in collaboration with the dancers, is modern jazz with an attitude, danced to the music of legendary funk showman James Brown.

Student dancers performing in the concert are Cate Bennett, Chelsea Becker, Samantha Boley, Jamie Boone, Lauren Brown, Kimberly Hope Calhoun, Caitlin Caskey, Elizabeth Convey, Aislinn Crovak, Stephanie DeBolt, Holly Downs, Bethany Fisher, Meaghan Gabreski, Megan Green, Lauren Hanahan, Samantha Hanna, Mary Krosnjar, Ann-Marie Marnell, Heidi Milne, Lauren Peretti, Daphne Pringle, Kristin Reed, Ashlee Rice, Andrea Rogers, Rachel Romero, Natalie Rossomondo, Lindsey Russell, Kira Sedlock, Emily Shaffer, Sarah Shanholtzer, Katelyn Siegrist, Sarah Stevens, Heather Stewart, and Hanna Rose Wisniewski.

In addition to the creation of modern dance choreography, Ahern has enjoyed working as a movement consultant and choreographer for Perishable Theatre and Trinity Repertory Theatre. As a teacher and guest artist, Ahern has both taught and choreographed work for a variety of groups at colleges, universities and other educational institutions in Arizona, Alaska, California and throughout New England. She earned a masters in dance and graduated with honors from California State University in Long Beach.

For tickets to the WVU Dance Concert, call 304-293-SHOW (7469) or visit the WVU Mountainlair or Creative Arts Center Box Offices. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $12 for WVU students, faculty and staff, and senior citizens, and $10 for groups of ten or more. For more information, contact the Dance Office at 304-293-8623 or 304-293-4841, ext. 3120.