Since he started dancing at a young age, Elkhorn native Adrian Fry has seemingly found himself involved in some kind of incarnation of “The Nutcracker” every time Christmas rolls around.

Growing up, there was the Ballet Omaha version co-produced by Robin Welch, who later founded the Omaha Ballet Theater and with whom Fry trained extensively for years.

Then, during Fry’s stint with the Oregon Ballet Theatre, there was the George Balachine production, perhaps the most recognizable version performed in the U.S.

And now, Fry, a principal artist at the prestigious Ballet West company in Salt Lake City, routinely performs in the 1944 San Francisco Ballet rendition — the first full-length “Nutcracker” performed in the U.S., which Ballet West has continued to put on annually, making it the longest-running production of its kind. 

Simply put, come Christmas, it’s pretty hard to avoid the ubiquitous Tchaikovsky suite if you’re a ballet dancer.

“It’s very much in our bones, in our blood at this point, just by the frequency with which we dance it,” said Fry, who has another “Nutcracker” on deck, this time at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, where the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company will stage its annual production on Saturday and Sunday.

Fry is one of this year’s guest artists for the 39th annual production and will reprise the role of the Cavalier alongside his Ballet West partner Katlyn Addison, who will portray the Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s the first time in 10 years Fry has returned for the Lincoln Midwest Ballet’s production, which features more than 165 youth cast members and a live orchestra.

“The Lincoln one is really special to me because it’s a homecoming and also it’s wonderful to have live music, it’s wonderful to perform for friends and family that rarely get to see me; old teachers will be coming,” Fry said. “My career, it feels special to be able to share it with people that kind of were there at the beginning.” 

For several years, Shari True, artistic director of the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company, was hoping to have Fry back for the production she’s overseen for nearly 40 years. Although Ballet West puts on about 40 “Nutcracker” shows a year — it’s “the money-maker” Fry said — the company has eight rotating casts, allowing dancers to slip away to join other productions. True happened to ask early enough this year to get something lined up.

“I think any time that you see a dancer succeed in the professional word, coming from Midwestern roots … it’s always gratifying,” True said. “I also think it’s really great for the kids to share the stage with him, knowing he is from Nebraska and has done an amazing job and has an amazing career. This is just so cool for the young dancers in our community to see him up close and personal.”

Appearing alongside Fry are a number of youth dancers, including Julia Radu in the lead role of Clara; Ariana Cunningham as the Snow Queen; and Clara Wolfe as Dew Drop.

Lincoln’s annual “Nutcracker” has grown from a $500 show in its first year to a more than $187,000 production today, True said.

“The very first ‘Nutcracker’ had 22 company members … and we didn’t have a big enough cast to do a whole show,” she said. “Now, it’s become a community staple.”

Fry, a 2005 graduate of Elkhorn High School, started dancing at about age 6 at a local studio. By the time he was about 13, he started training more exclusively with the Omaha Theater Ballet under Welch and became a full-time apprentice there in high school. That was followed by training at the School of American Ballet in New York and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle.

Fry ended up staying in the American West, first getting a job dancing at the Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland before joining Ballet West in Salt Lake City in 2010. He eventually rose to the rank of principal artist — the highest level a dancer can reach — in 2017.

His guest appearance this weekend, he hopes, will inspire others to follow in his ballet shoes.

“I want to show these kids that a career in the arts, a life in the arts is possible,” Fry said. 

WHAT: “The Nutcracker” presented by the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company.

WHERE: Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th and Q streets.

WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

TICKETS: Available online at liedcenter.org. For ticket information, call 402-472-4747.