According to Merriam Webster, the word orchesis is defined as “the art of dancing in the Greek chorus.”

Here at UVM, Orchesis is simply a group of people who love to dance.

The Orchesis Dance Company is putting on their annual Fall Showcase Saturday, Dec. 2.

The company’s vice president, Junior Olivia Batryn, said that audiences can expect a “wide range” of different styles and dances throughout the showcase.

Batryn has been apart of the company since her first year in 2015. When she first arrived on campus, she was looking for extracurricular dance opportunities, she said.

“I knew that [UVM] didn’t have a huge dance program as far as, like, class and school-wise,” she said.“So I was just looking into other dance opportunities at the school and came across this one and it really looked like it fit my style.”

Orchesis President Meghan Driscoll had previously performed with the group as a guest when she was in high school, she said.

The team has a vast variety of dances in this semester, from slow to fast tempo dances and styles ranging from jazz to hip-hop to contemporary, Driscoll said.

The company holds auditions in the fall and from there, they hold auditions within the group for the different pieces. “Everyone has such a unique style,” she said.

One of the unique things about Orchesis is that it is completely student-run and every member has the opportunity to choreograph dances.

“They get a chunk of time each week for their rehearsal, and they get to pick the other members who they want in their dance,” Batryn said. “Then we kind of take it each week and then put each piece together at the end of the semester.”

“Choreographing is definitely not always easy,” Driscoll said. “You can get stuck, and then somehow it always comes together.”

For Batryn, the autonomy and creative freedom is one of the best parts about being a part of Orchesis.

“You get to be a part of other people’s pieces but you also get the option to create your own. You control it,” Batryn said. “You’re driving the scene, you get to make whatever it is you want and it always ends up really good.”

The showcase will feature other dance groups on campus, including Ballet Virdis, Celtic Cats, Catamount Dance Crew, Jazbaa and Hoop Troop.

The Fall Showcase will take place at 2 p.m. on Dec. 2 in the Patrick Gym dance studio, with doors open at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for general audiences.