In Hebrew, "b'yachad" means "together." Sometimes, a combination of diverse elements can evoke new meaning and emotion not achievable by taking separate parts individually. Last Saturday in Levin Ballroom, this phenomenon occurred at the Israeli folk dance troupe's 12th annual dance showcase, Standing O! Performances by B'yachad, Adagio Dance Ensemble, Hooked on Tap and Jewish Fella A Cappella blended visual and aural expression to inspire sensations that went beyond the eyes and ears, giving the audience an enjoyable and magical experience.B'yachad introduced the show with "Kol Hakoach," a well-rehearsed piece at a moderate tempo that did not dazzle the audience but rather put them into the subtle and relaxed feel of Israeli folk dance. Although I could not understand the lyrics of the song (the title of which translates to All the Strength), I could see in the dancers' smiles and rolling motions that there is some underlying, inspiring message behind the music.

Adagio Dance Ensemble quickly followed with "Fast As You Can," a piece that came much closer to stunning the audience with its combination of effective lighting and expert technique in the dancers. The Ensemble, which mostly consists of advanced upperclassmen, presented a fiery energy in their lyrical and jazz styles not found in traditional Israeli dance.

B'yachad returned to the stage for the next two dances, "Yashkef" and "Keren Or." The latter had an impressively dark and mysterious vibe accentuated by expertly timed lighting. For example, in a middle segment the lights suddenly turned an extremely dark purple that almost hurt viewers' eyes. The dancers became silhouetted figures that merged in and out of the darkness. Then they picked up candles in each hand, giving the relieved eye something to focus on in the midst of the painful purple backdrop.

Now, for something completely different, Hooked on Tap followed, heating up the stage with their syncopated beats in the quirky "Swingset." Instead of entrancing the viewer with colors, the tap dancers used energetic beats to drive the piece. The most striking part of Jenna Gondelman '09 and Catherine Wagner's '09 choreography was the incorporation of the entire body in the dance rather than concentrating just on the feet.

The first half of the show was closed by two more B'yachad pieces, "Hidlakta Kochav" and "Adama V'Shamayim" ("Earth and Sky"). Both dances had optimistic and flowing elements, especially "Adama V'Shamayim," which featured a quick, tribal beat.

After a somewhat unnecessary intermission and some technical difficulties, the show managed to regain its momentum with the graceful and solemn "Shuvi El Beiti." The next piece, "Tikvah" ("Hope"), distinguished itself from the rest of the Israeli dances with its hip-hop style. Shane Morris '12 later explained to me that the rap addressed the problems and misery of people and how to overcome them with hope and love.

Jewish Fella A Cappella made an appearance, singing "Shalom Rav" and "Dayenu." The a cappella group, which claimed to sing "anything that's Jewish in some form or way," gave the audience a comedic romp with their humorous facial expressions and silly choreography.

"K'Mo Shokolad," like "Adama V'Shamayim," featured festive and tribal choreography. It was short and likeable, giving the audience one last glimpse of Israeli dance before the grand conclusion.

"Debka Medabeket" was a worthy grand finale and by far the best dance in the show. Incorportating the entire dance troupe, the piece combined smooth motions with high jumps, showing that Israeli folk dance can contain both spiritual, traditional elements and showy, crowd-pleasing moves.

When you look at the B'yachad dancers' black leotards and silk dresses, you may think their traditional garb is modest or impassionate. But upon seeing the dresses flow in the air and the dancers bend and leap with emotion, you realize that their dancing is anything but impassionate. The appropriately named B'yachad brought music, movement, color and mood together and into a divine package that clearly left audiences of Standing O! with a lasting impression.