This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Rachel Vorsanger.

For DanceWorks guest artist Jodi Melnick, it’s all about the student’s movements.

“She really helps you find your own technique within your body…she helps you find how to move within yourself,” said junior Ariel Deitch, who worked with Melnick on “Quarter Minus Blue,” a piece created for this weekend’s semi-annual dance department showcase.

Melnick is a renowned dancer and choreographer. Over the course of her 13-year career, her choreography has been shown in New York, Japan, Ireland, Estonia and Russia and she has taught workshops around the world.

Yet even with all the fame, Melnick still remains grounded and approachable. Deitch and senior Rick Westerkamp, another dancer in Melnick’s piece, both described her as personable and friendly.

“I was intimidated at first, but she talked to us as if she were one of us,” said Deitch. “She made fun of us, she made fun of herself…it was really comfortable working with her.”

Melnick’s approach towards choreographing “Quarter Minus Blue” began in auditions, where she chose dancers based on their character, enthusiasm and interest. Melnick worked with each dancer to capture certain parts of his or her personality and bring out the dancer’s best technique possible.

“Their personalities made the piece what it is,” said Melnick.

Melnick said she gave students the freedom to interpret the moves she presented in their own way, and wanted to rely on them to make decisions about how the piece should be performed. The rehearsal schedule enforced this sense of trust; although the cast practiced together over various weekends, there were periods of time when the dancers would not meet with Melnick, and needed to practice what they had learned by themselves.

Although she didn’t have any concrete concepts in mind, Melnick said the piece was inspired by a “very intense” period in her life. The heaviness in the beginning of the performance gives way to a celebratory mood, marked by lighter sequences of movement. At the end of the performance, a blue light appears that is meant to mimic the sky and is also the source of inspiration for the title.

Overall, the experience was rewarding for both the dancers and choreographer.

“She came here to create a piece, not to help us out as people,” Westerkamp said. “But I definitely got that out of this experience.”

Melnick said she is proud of the final piece.

“It’s been a great experience…I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them and I’ve looked forward to my time with them,” she said.

DanceWorks will run through Saturday at Betts Theatre.