Shimmering taffeta and scampering feet recently filled the studio of Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice (NCCB&V) as male and female students rehearsed on November 10 for The Nutcracker Suite, a fairy tale Christmas Eve story that will again fill Edmond Town Hall's stage during the annual Holiday Festival on Sunday, December 3. Performances will be at noon and 2 pm.

Combining dancers from various scenes, NCCB Artistic Director Tory Gozzi ran the group through a surprise dress rehearsal last week. November 10 "was the first run in costume," Ms Gozzi said. Her students are excited for this year's holiday show.

"When they found out we were doing a run of the whole show in costume so that I could see how it looked and if we needed to make any costume alterations, they were over the moon," she said.

This year's show includes a few new twists.

First is the addition of a snowflake chorus with students from the NCCB&V voice program, and Jockey Hollow Middle School's Chamber Choir.

Also new is use of a sleigh driven by reindeer - being played by boys in NCCB&V Level 1 and 2 classes - to transport Clara through the snow forest into the Land of Sweets.

"It was built by one of our new company members this year, Mary Morrison, 9, and her mom [Amanda Morrison]," Ms Gozzi said. Mary will be playing a party guest, a rat, and a flower bud in The Nutcracker Suite.

"Some fun new sets that are in the works as we speak for Clara's house and the Land of the Sweets" will be a new touch this year, Ms Gozzi said.

On top of the additions, "I adapt the show every year to the dancers I have," Ms Gozzi said.

This year's is a younger cast.

"We lost five seniors last year, but gained six new younger members in addition to the six that joined last year," she said, "So our 10- and 11-year-olds have put in a tremendous amount of work as the corps de ballet in six main scenes: Party, Rats/Battle, Snow, Chinese, Ribbon Candy, and the Waltz of the Flowers."

This year's Arabian character also has new scenes.

"I wanted to do a mirror-image dance for this scene that is all about flexibility and control. I had two girls that looked really good together at the audition - similar stature and extension - and they have worked really hard to make the dance look cool because everything is in perfect unison and balance, both visually and movementwise. It's been fun to stage."

The Battle Scene is among Ms Gozzi's favorite dances.

"We asked our Level 3 dancers to be soldiers in this year's production, so there are 11 soldiers this year. They have done so much work and it looks so great to have an army of soldiers on stage defending Clara against the Rat Queen and her rats," Ms Gozzi said of the 7-9-year-old students. "I should note that this year's rats are top-notch. We held auditions because it's literally the most desired younger role in the show and they had to demonstrate their ferocity and acting ability.

"I've never seen kids happier with being cast in a role as when my rats found out that they made the cut," she said.

She also loves the Snow Scene.

"I added swirling lights last year to make the backdrop look like it's snowing and added even more this year. I also made snow-covered branches for the six snowflakes and three snow court dancers, so there are 18 snow-covered branches all white and glistening, ready to pick up the stage lights."

Also for this production, "I envisioned a scene where Clara plays in the snow," Ms Gozzi shared. "Usually Clara only appears at the end and travels through the snow forest into the Land of the Sweets, but this year she comes in right at the beginning and lingers and plays, and as she moves, the formations change like she is swirling the snow around with her movements."

Tickets are $8 at the door, and proceeds benefit Newtown Youth & Family Services.

Tickets can also be purchased for the Newtown Holiday Festival for $12 each, $25 for families (two adults and two children), with each additional child $5. Those tickets include admission to the Festival of Trees, Gingerbread House display, a children's storytime and more at C.H. Booth Library; trolley tours of Main Street and the Historic House Hour, featuring four locations; and Holiday Tea and Toyland Tea, also within Edmond Town Hall, along with a performance of The Nutcracker Suite.

A preview performance of The Nutcrackerwill take place Saturday, December 2, during Newtown Rotary Club's annual Pancake Breakfast. Also within Edmond Town Hall, in the Alexandria Room, that event will run from 8 am until 1 pm.

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