The Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre will reignite the semester with its 21st fall performance Oct. 1-3 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Morgan Auditorium.

The recital will feature seven dance numbers by five different choreographers, including faculty from the department of theater and dance and ARDT members.

Cornelius Carter, the director of the dance program at The University of Alabama and the director for ARDT, picked the season for the company’s performance and choreographed two pieces for the show. Carter said he wants to make sure there is a wide representation of different kinds of dances.

“We choose dances that will challenge the students and dances that will bring a diverse showing to our audience,” he said.

Along with the choreography from faculty members, there is a 20-minute modern piece, “How Can We Sing Of Oneness If The World Isn’t Complete,” choreographed by guest Jane Weiner.

Mallory Herring, a junior majoring in dance who plans to perform in Wiener’s piece, said the dance was challenging but exciting.

“Jane’s choreography definitely calls for a variety of different things,” Herring said. “There are some speaking parts in the performance, and singing as well, and there is a lot of acting incorporated into it.”

Herring said Weiner’s process was different from anything she has seen before.

“At first everyone sort of questioned it, but it turned out so well,” Herring said. “I’m just excited to see how the audience reacts to it.”

Maci Arms, a senior majoring in dance, is in Weiner’s piece, as well as a group tap number by Stacey Alley. Arms said it was interesting to work with two completely different styles of choreography.

“All the faculty here are very different, everyone has their own unique styles, so it’s kind of great to be able to work with different people and learn different styles,” Arms said. “It’s kind of like preparing us for the actual industry when we work with different choreographers all the time.”

Carter said he doesn’t like taking months to prepare a show like a lot of UA programs do; instead, he likes the timing challenge and said it prepares students to work professionally. The upcoming fall show was put together in less than one month.

“The first week of school, we had auditions and by the first weekend of school we were rehearsing, so we’ve had literally like three weeks to get the work up,” Carter said. “In the professional world, you’re working on a clock like that because time is money and people don’t have a lot of time because it’s expensive.”

Herring said she is impressed by how quickly everyone was able to pick up the choreography for the more challenging pieces.

“It was challenging, but it made us pay attention better and want to work harder and really focus on getting work done in rehearsal because we had a short amount of time,” Herring said. “I think it’s pretty amazing what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

This year’s performance should more than match the performances of years past, Carter said.

“I think this upcoming performance continues to show the progress and the excellence of ARDT,” Carter said. “I guarantee you will be entertained, as well as educated.”

Tickets are available at ua.tix.com and cost $12 for students, $15 for seniors and faculty and $18 for adults.