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Nearly 15 years has passed since Patricia Dickinson Wells decided to take a chance with a classic.

During that time, 鈥淣utcracker in the Land of Enchantment鈥� has become a holiday staple in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and for Festival Ballet sa国际传媒官网网页入口.

Magical results: 'Nutcracker in the Land of Enchantment' breathes a New Mexico twist into the classic ballet

鈥淚 still reflect on the concept of bringing so much into this more than 100-year-old ballet,鈥� said Dickinson Wells, Festival Ballet sa国际传媒官网网页入口 director and choreographer. 鈥淭he vision for it originally was to bring uniqueness to this old war horse that remains the bread and butter for companies all over the world. What we鈥檝e been able to create over a decade ago has been amazing. I was pretty honored when the Wall Street Journal called one year about the show.鈥�

Festival Ballet sa国际传媒官网网页入口 will stage 鈥淣utcracker in the Land of Enchantment鈥� at the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. There will be five performances slated at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, and Sunday, Dec. 22.

On the stage, Dickinson Wells said there will be familiar characters from the Nutcracker, but you鈥檒l also see Mr. Coyote, Ms. Roadrunner and Zozobra.

鈥淭he show was to give a New Mexico twist to the beloved holiday classic,鈥� Dickinson Wells said.

In the production, the audience is transported to territorial New Mexico in the late 1800s, with added elements of the state鈥檚 heritage and traditions including Spanish dancers, southwestern snakes, sheep and shepherdesses, a lively fandango, a storyteller doll with children and lavish western Victorian-era costumes.

鈥淭he production is showcasing New Mexico heritage and traditions while maintaining the classical grace and family appeal of its origins,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith the last few years of international controversy surrounding the stereotypical depiction of the Chinese variation in the second act, I have reimagined this section in terms of New Mexico traditions in keeping with the theme of our beloved regional culture bringing into this scene Zozobra, D铆a de los Muertos and jackalopes.鈥�

This year, there are 85 dancers 鈥� which is down from 2023鈥檚 version of 100.

Dickinson Wells keeps the production between those two numbers because it鈥檚 comfortable to handle.

鈥淚 used to double the cast so that I would be able to have enough people on stage in case anyone gets sick,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or the upper-level dancers, I do have alternate casts because it鈥檚 harder to have an understudy with the high-level roles like the snow queen or the cavalier. It gives the professionals an opportunity to completely shine.鈥�

Rehearsals have been going on for a few months, and many of the dancers didn鈥檛 get too much downtime from the mid-October presentation of 鈥淪acred Journeys.鈥�

Dickinson Wells had to pay attention to the dancers to ensure that they weren鈥檛 being overworked.

鈥淭he older dancers got a weekend off after 鈥楽acred Journeys鈥� before jumping back on stage to rehearse for this,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a great group of dancers who are really strong and get better with each performance.鈥�

In an addition to the production is the live orchestra, which is helmed by maestro Guillermo Figueroa, who is the former music director of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, an internationally renowned conductor and violinist, and 2012 Latin Grammy nominee.

With nearly a decade and a half of presenting the production, Dickinson Wells is content with the result of taking that chance.

鈥淲e鈥檝e somehow created our own tradition,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat it鈥檚 turned into is just magical.鈥�