Photo by Deb Gau Ava Winn is lifted in the air by a group of dancers during the Arabian dance in the Prairie Dance Alliance’s production of “The Nutcracker.” The classic holiday ballet opens this weekend in Marshall.

MARSHALL — It’s taken months of work to get ready. But everything will come together this weekend, as area dancers bring a classic holiday ballet to life.

“It’s a big adrenaline rush, just feeling the energy in the crowd,” said Emily Soehl, one of the performers in Prairie Dance Alliance’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

The Prairie Dance Alliance will be presenting “The Nutcracker” Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at the Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts at Marshall High School. Choreographers and dancers in the ballet say that while the show tells the classic story of “The Nutcracker,” there will also be some new surprises in store for the audience.

“Our choreographers add little things to keep it interesting,” Soehl said.

One of the new additions to this year’s show will include a tap dance number, dancers and choreographers said.

Producing a ballet like “The Nutcracker” is a big undertaking. Organizers said more than 100 dancers and 50 behind-the-scenes volunteers from around southwest Minnesota are helping to bring the story to life. The show’s choreographers and production manager, Annie Deutz, Breanna Thompson and Mackenzie Clemens, have also played key parts in shaping the show.

“It started back in July,” with auditions, Thompson said.

“We started with some choreography in August, and they’ve been practicing every week since September,” Deutz said.

Dancers of all ages perform in “The Nutcracker,” which the Prairie Dance Alliance produces every two years. Several of the dancers performing this weekend are high school juniors and seniors, and have played different roles in the ballet over the years.

“The best part has been getting to know the younger girls,” said Addison Kainz.

Kainz and Delaney Dieken will be playing the main character, Clara, in different performances of “The Nutcracker.”

“It’s kind of difficult in spots,” Dieken said.

She and Kainz not only had to learn Clara’s part, but they also perform in different roles in the ballet.

“It’s been really fun so far, but it’s also hard to keep both parts straight,” Kainz said.

Soehl, who is a graduate of Prairie Dance Alliance and a student at Ohio State University, said she was excited to be coming back to Marshall as a guest dancer in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

“The Sugar Plum Fairy has been something I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” she said.

For some dancers, this year’s performance of “The Nutcracker” will be their last one with Prairie Dance Alliance.

“It’s sad, not being able to come back to it later on,” said Kaitlyn Rosenboom.

Rosenboom said this will be her third and final year with “The Nutcracker.”

“There’s definitely a bittersweet feeling to it,” said Kylee Loyson.

Loyson said this would be her fifth year in “The Nutcracker.” The feeling would probably hit harder after their first performance of the weekend, Loyson and Rosenboom said.

Thompson and Deutz said productions of “The Nutcracker” wouldn’t be possible without the support of the area community, from parents and families to sponsors of the show.

“Everyone supports each other to bring this to the stage,” Deutz said.

Thompson said it’s exciting to see the quality of the production, and to share the ballet with local audiences.

“It’s just amazing what a small community can put on,” she said.