Whether you are an expert or a novice to the world of modern dance, Barjche 2007 had a little bit of everything to offer.

Performances highlighted the dancers’ rhythmic movements, passionate interaction, emotional choreography and an array of props. This year’s Barjche production welcomed guest choreographer Ivy Baldwin, artistic director of Ivy Baldwin Dance in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Orchesis I dance team adviser, Barjche choreographer and performer, and lecturer in health and human performance Taryn Packheiser said that the guest choreographers are selected based on up and coming names who are “making headlines in contemporary dance.”

Baldwin’s dance, “Me,” opened the show with dancers talking to one another and repeating phrases such as “Look them in the eye and turn away.” The dancers then shifted to engaging interaction with one another, which at time appeared very animalistic and vulnerable.

Chelsey Bonnett, Orchesis I president and senior in psychology, said the performance that was the most emotional for her to perform was “Wives of Silence.”

“Wives of Silence”, which was choreographed by Scott Mettille, freshman in performing arts, portrays four women dressed in aprons, scarves and pearls performing in unison and finally breaking out of that unison at the end. Complete with dramatic facial and body expressions, this piece also featured music from a Hopi/Anasazi flute played by Margaret Sloss Women’s Center coordinator Penny Rice, and a commanding male voice that began the dance by yelling out directions to one of the dancers.

Other memorable pieces from the first half of this year’s Barjche performance were “Malos Tratos: Make-up and Long Sleeves,” an intense dance about abuse that included poems from survivors, and “Duet,” which consisted of a series of movements where chairs were gracefully lifted, slammed to the ground and then repeated each time, eliminating dancers until only one dancer was left performing the sequence.

As the opening act in the second half of the show, “Password: Cracking the Code,” which was choreographed by Packheiser, provided the audience with an example of dance collage.

“Password” featured a handful of props including plastic ponchos, vintage prom dresses, a pink baseball helmet and red polka-dotted skirts. In addition, dancers recited words and phrases while dancing and were accompanied on stage by on-going music, video and slide show.

Packheiser had been working on the choreography for “Password” since October and said that she was still adjusting it during practices. Her second choreographed piece finished off the night.

“Bach Hop” was a contemporary hip-hop performance that was set to the musical stylings of J.S. Bach. In addition to classical music, recordings from a train in Brooklyn, New York, could also be heard in the theater.

“Bach Hop” consisted of six dancers each taking on a different character and using that character throughout their dancing. Bonnett played a hobo and expanded her performance by eating crumbs out of a wrapper and off of the floor.

In addition to Packheiser’s choreographed pieces, the second act highlighted sensual performances such as “Wishing, Watching, Waiting;” an informative dance “Equilibrium: A Constant State of Rebalancing,” where dancers emphasized environmental issues and multicultural performances; “Hieroglyphic;” and “Mahaganapathim-Ganesha Enlivened,” a dance combining Indian classical dance and Western classical ballet.

Students interested in Barjche 2008 are encouraged to attend auditions for Orchesis I at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 in the Betty Toman Dance Studio, Room 196 in the Forker Building.