The holiday season is fraught with traditions. Christmas trees and mistletoe; candy canes and eggnog; parades in the street and It's a Wonderful Life on TV.

But perhaps the most artistic holiday tradition is The Nutcracker ballet, which this year returns to OU in fine form.

This year's production features both acts of the play, and Oklahoma Festival Ballet handles the task of filling all of the roles with guest dancers and drama students. Last week, the OU Symphony, directed by Alan Ross, provided a live score.

The show reopens at 8 tonight in Rupel Jones Theatre. It also runs at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The story begins with the Christmas celebration at the Stahlbaum house as all the children receive their gifts. The Stahlbaum daughter, Clara, played by guest artist Lindsey Robinson, is particularly taken with one of her gifts, a nutcracker doll.

Clara is so enraptured with the Nutcracker that she sneaks back down to the living room to play with it under the tree. When she falls asleep, her dreams come alive.

The Mouse King invades the Stahlbaum house with his army of mice, played by children recruited from a local dance school - vermin never looked cuter. The Nutcracker comes to life and rescues Clara, leading her on her magical journey of the imagination.

The Nutcracker takes Clara to the Land of Snow, and Rupel Jones Theatre becomes a winter wonderland. Dancing snowflakes grace the stage to welcome Clara on her way to the Land of Sweets.

Clara is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier and the celebration begins. The corps de ballet arrives and dances variations with an international flavor. Dances inspired by Arabian, Spanish, Russian and French cultures celebrate different dance styles in classic fashion.

Finally, everyone is treated to the pas de deux by the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier, and Clara is whisked back home, safe and sound.

OFB's performance reflects a semester of hard work by the OU School of Dance, as movement and music blend gracefully on the stage. The stage is also a beautiful display of a 19th century setting and a child's imagination, complemented with grandiose costumes.

Audiences that waited for the second weekend to see The Nutcracker missed out on a real treat, as the OU Symphony will not perform Tchaikovsky's familiar score.

But that shouldn't prevent anyone from missing this holiday tradition.
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