PHOTO PROVIDED The Nittany Ballet will present classic “The Nutcracker” on Dec 13 and 14 at the Eisenhower Auditorium.

UNIVERSITY PARK — The battle between a toy nutcracker and a giant mouse is stuff of legend in the dream-like world of “The Nutcracker.” And if you thought the holiday classic couldn’t get any more magical, the ballet returns to the Eisenhower Auditorium stage with new costumes, fresh perspectives and more dancers!

“Audiences will also notice new choreography in certain scenes,” Nittany Ballet Artistic Director Paul Gibson said.

The Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania Nittany Ballet dancers will reprise their magical performance of “The Nutcracker” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, in Eisenhower Auditorium.

The production will include subtle updates to the set and story. It also will feature performances by Pacific Northwest Ballet guest artists; Penn State musical theater students Alex Iozzio and Zach Doran; and more than 100 dance students ages 3 to 18 from the Centre County region.

A community creation with the help from West Coast guest artists

The 2024 production was Nittany Ballet’s first under new Artistic Director Paul Gibson. The Altoona native, a choreographer and former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, brought his vision to life with two performances.

“Last year, significant improvements were made to the sets and props, along with a thorough refinement of the story line,” he said. “The current focus is on building upon these changes by continuing to update costumes and finalize lighting design.”

Gibson said he worked throughout the year to feature those subtle changes, including the lighting design.

The roles of Sugarplum Fairy and Cavalier will be performed by Madison Rayn Abeo and Mark Cuddihee from the Pacific Northwest Ballet, “bringing professional expertise and artistry to these iconic characters,” Gibson said. “The Nutcracker and Mouse King roles are filled by students from Penn State, which adds a collaborative dimension to the production.”

“The inclusion of these guest performers serves to enhance the experience for Nittany Ballet’s dancers, offering them the opportunity to share the stage with accomplished artists while showcasing their own growth and abilities,” he added.

Confidence built

on the stage

Close to 1,700 patrons can sit in Eisenhower Auditorium’s orchestra section — a sea of faces to any artist. Gibson said through diligent practice and refined routines, the students learn to power through perceptions of fear.

While “practice makes perfect,” the student dancers try not to let stress get in the way of having fun, especially for the dancers performing in their final “Nutcracker” dream sequences. After a short lifetime of instruction, the school’s three senior dancers — Lily Gutberlet, Luisa Becker and Anabelle Morales, are confident in their work.

“To help to deal with pressure, I have found that focusing on the opportunity and experience of performing rather than trying to make it perfect is a good way to alleviate stress,” said Gutberlet, this year’s Sword Doll, Snow and Dew Drop. “Looking back on past performances, I remember the joy I felt on stage rather than the minute imperfections.”

Nittany Ballet is the classical dance division of the Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania. The faculty’s love of classical ballet and teaching its techniques encourages “a joyful pursuit of excellence” among the students.

“Expectations are a big part of being a dancer,” said Becker, who will dance the roles of Columbine Doll, Snow Queen, Hot Chocolate Lead and Flowers. “We’re all perfectionists, so if something isn’t meeting the expectation we set for ourselves, it can be really frustrating. One thing I’ve had to learn is that trying your hardest can look different from day to day.”

In life and in dance, each dance journey is a personal one, and each reacts to pressure in their own way. But reframing the path with patience, perseverance and personal grace is the first step to success.

“I view expectations as a goal,” Morales said. She will dance Harlequin Doll, Snow, Peppermint Lead and Flowers. “The only reason there are high expectations of you is because those around you know that you are capable of meeting them. You may not always be able to meet these expectations, and honestly, I would be surprised if anyone was able to consistently meet them every day.”

In the meantime, Gibson said he has his own goal for future Nittany Ballet performances of “The Nutcracker.” The company has added a little something to its own holiday wish list–maybe something suited to the creative elves in the Penn State design and engineering departments?

“A new ‘growing Christmas tree.’ Fingers crossed,” he said.