MCBAIN — Landing Dance Academy’s rendition of a classic holiday ballet is coming to McBain this weekend.

The dance academy is performing “The Nutcracker” on Saturday, Dec. 16, and Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Elenbaas Performing Arts Center at McBain High School. Saturday’s shows will be at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday’s show will begin at 2 p.m.

It will feature more than 60 dancers between the ages of 8 and 18.

The chronicle is based on the 19th century “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by ETA Hoffman. The story talks about a young girl named Clara whose family is hosting a Christmas Eve party. “The Nutcracker Ballet” was first performed in Russia in 1892 and has been performed annually in the U.S. for 79 years.

Last weekend’s shows marked the first time the academy is bringing the ballet “The Nutcracker” to local audiences. Director of the Landing Dance Collective Mackenzie Gabara said she received amazing comments about the dancers and hopes that’ll continue.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “It’s been a dream of mine since last winter and to see it come to fruition and have people coming up to me in tears just being thrilled with it, it makes me feel more grateful than what I could have ever thought.”

Tickets will be sold at the door. General tickets cost $15 and premium tickets cost $20. With the premium tickets, attendees get closer seats that are central to the stage.

The dance academy is also hosting a free Land of the Sweets Children’s Tea Party starting at 1 p.m. on Dec. 16 in the elementary school cafeteria. Attendees will need to have their tickets for the 2 p.m. performance on those days to go to the tea party.

People will get to meet all of the lead performers in “The Nutcracker” at the party. Each lead performer will have a game kids can play with them and each kid gets to take home an autograph book with signatures from the leads.

There will also be a dance party and tea party with food and drinks.

Gabara said she is toying with the idea of doing “The Nutcracker” performance bi-annually, but no official decision has been made yet.