Submitted Photo Advanced dancers who will be performing in “The Nutcracker” are, from left to right: front row, Emma Nathe, Isaac Siembida, Annalise Hovde, Linnea Gillis, Ali Haas, Clara Withers, Ava Grace Rogers, Carter Klein, Addison Pringle; middle row, Astrid Allen, Bridget Romich, Chloe Burgardt, Naomi Athouriste, Kimberly Klein, Sarai McCormick, Leah Wald; back row, Madilyn Monson, Noah Robson, Olivia Christianson and Kourtney Klein. Photo by Ronald Rouse.

A cast of about 80 dancers of all ages will bring the classic Christmas ballet, “The Nutcracker,” to the Ann Nicole Nelson Hall stage on the Minot State University Campus this weekend.

The Rinat Mouzafarov Institute of Dance and Ballet Theatre will present shows Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m and Sunday, Dec. 21, at 2 p.m.

This is the 12th production of “The Nutcracker” performed by his studio during his 33 years in Minot, Mouzafarov said. The last production was five years ago.

Mouzafarov said he decided to bring back the ballet production as his studio’s annual Christmas show for a couple of reasons. One is the quality of his students, which Mouzafarov said is a key factor in being able to produce a production of this scale. Another has been comments from the community, indicating it has come to miss the ballet and the spirit of Christmas it brings.

“The Nutcracker,” the most familiar and possibly the most popular of all ballets, was first performed in Russia in 1892, according to information from The Kennedy Center. Mouzafarov, who grew up in Russia, recalled dancing in his first Nutcracker production as a young boy in 1969.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky had adapted the ballet from a story written by a German author, E.T.A. Hoffmann. Marius Petipa and his assistant Lev Ivanov created the choreography, but according to the Kennedy Center’s history, the first performance was not a great success. It was 25 years before anyone outside of Russia performed it.

However, “The Nutcracker” eventually was reproduced across Europe, and the first full production was introduced in the United States by the San Francisco Ballet in 1944.

The ballet is a festive fantasy about a young girl, Clara, who receives a nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. The doll comes to life in her dreams, which leads to a number of adventures, including the nutcracker soldier’s battle with the Mouse King and his meeting the Sugarplum Fairy.

The role of Clara is danced by Addison Pringle. Noah Robson portrays the Mouse King and Emma Nathe has the role of the Sugarplum Fairy. Isaac Siembida dances as the young nutcracker and Carter Klein as the nutcracker transformed into a prince.

As is traditional with the ballet studio, the production will include dazzling costumes and impressive background drops that have been imported from New York for this production. Mouzafarov credits stage manager Jeremy Siembida and costume director Tonya Lewis for the professional touches brought to the production.

“I have wonderful volunteers,” Mouzafarov said of the support of parents and others. “Without the community, without my volunteers, I can’t make this production.”

Additionally, his students have been dedicated, putting in practices up to seven days a week, he said.

“They are very well prepared for this production,” he said.

Mouzafarov said he often has brought in a professional male dancer to help carry Nutcracker productions, but that hasn’t been necessary this year. Several young male dancers with the studio have shown their capabilities, and it is allowing for new choreography and male-female partner dances in this production, he said.

The cast ranges in age from 3-70. Along with the youth, participants in the studio’s Sunday evening adult class and about five former students will be part of the performance.

Advance tickets are available at Artmain, Eckroth Music and the ballet studio or can be purchased at the door.