Leap and turn your way into the holiday season with the classic Christmas ballet, “The Nutcracker” put on by the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.

The cast has been rehearsing since the end of August.

“The audience can expect a traditional Christmas ballet with lots of magic, mystery. and great dancing,” said Lisa Carter, director.

“The Nutcracker,” unlike many other ballets is known by a wide variety of people. The songs and dances such as the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” are all well known.

“The Nutcracker” is about a young girl, Clara, whose uncle gives her a nutcracker for a gift. During the night Clara dreams that the nutcracker comes alive, and through different dances her dream is played out.

“The Nutcracker” really gets you into the Christmas spirit and all the magic that goes with it,” said Nursing major Leslie Ibarolle, who plays the roles of the Snow Queen and Dew Drop.

The popular ballet provides a great outlet for the dancers to perform a variety of roles. Carter, who has been at Creighton for six years, said it was time for a “Nutcracker” here.

“And given that it’s the Christmas semester “The Nutcracker” was a perfect fit,” said Carter.

Many of the cast members have their own favorite parts.

“My favorite part of the ballet is the second act. It shows a wide variety of dance styles. There are fast-paced pieces, a beautiful pas de deux and many others that capture the essence of Christmas and imagination,” said Ibarolle.

“[My] favorite part is Act I because it really gives you a great intro to what will unravel throughout the show,” said Stephen Ciarfalia, an Arts & Sciences junior who plays a parent in Act 1.

The 90 cast members are not the only ones who have made this performance worth seeing.

“Creighton’s production is so great in that we have such amazing directors that make the show so entertaining and enjoyable for the audience,” said Ciarfalia.

Forty people besides the cast worked on the performance as well, including: sets, backstage crew, lighting, costume, construction, box office and house management.

“All of the dance faculty have had a hand in this performance in one way or another, as well as children from the community, the theatre department and alums from the Creighton Dance Company,” said Carter.