THE HOLIDAY TRADITION of "The Nutcracker" has come alive this season with the Champaign Urbana Ballet's annual performance of the Tchaikovsky classic at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. This year, four Uni dancers — junior Karolina Kalbarczyk, sophomore Sophie Shenk, and freshmen Simone Ballard and Claire Liu — are in the ballet.

The four dancers have been hard at work since early September rehearsing the many dances and scenes in the ballet. In late November, Gargoyle staff reporter Anna Cangellaris ventured down to the CU Ballet studio to watch the last rehearsal before tech week and got a sneak peek of some of the dances and costumes.

"The Nutcracker" opened on Friday, Nov. 30, to a full house, followed by shows on Saturday, Dec. 1, and Sunday, Dec. 2. The 2007 run of this enchanting fantasy will end Saturday, Dec. 8, with performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Krannert's Tryon Festival Theatre.