![The Dance Arts Center will bring The Nutcracker to the Missouri Theatre Stage this weekend/ Photo courtesy of The Dance Arts Center](https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733502377015.jpeg)
By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
After a short hiatus, the Dance Arts Center is again bringing the holiday spirit to downtown St. Joseph with two performances of The Nutcracker.
Director Marla Heeler says her company first performed the iconic Christmas ballet two years ago at the Missouri Theatre
"Prior to that there hadn't been a Nutcracker here in St. Joe for a lot of years other than outside groups coming in, outside professional groups coming in and using students," Heeler tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, we bit the bullet and decided we would take it on, and it was received so well, it was just better than we could have even hoped."
Heeler says they opted for an every-other year approach with the Nutcracker and put on a performance of Alice in Wonderland last year.
Heeler says doing the show every other year gives people something different to see each show, but it also helps her dancers grow in their roles
"So that the roles they have this year, in two years they will be in quite a different place," Heeler explains. "So, it gives them the chance to grow and get some of those roles that they watched when they were younger and work and attain those, so it kind of has a twofold benefit in doing the every other year."
Heeler says though there have been some people telling her they should perform the show every year as a sort of holiday tradition.
The performance at the Missouri Theatre will take place tomorrow with shows at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.