LUVERNE — The Youth Dance Ensemble and School based in Burnsville, in collaboration with students from Spotlight Dance studio in Luverne, will present The Nutcracker Story, an abridged version of the classical ballet favorite, Dec. 6 and 7 at the Luverne High School Performing Arts Center, 709 N. Kniss, Luverne.

The hour-long production is appropriate for young audiences (over age four) who will experience Drosselmeyer’s gift to Clara and the adventure that follows. Attendees will see the Russian, Arabian and Mirliton dances, the Snow Waltz, and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Young audiences from School District 2184 will attend a 2 p.m. performance Dec. 6, while the community performance will begin at 1 p.m. Dec. 7. The performance is free and open to the public.

Leeanne “Dixie” Rairamo is the director, with 35 performing arts students from the Twin Cities’ south metro area augmented by sixteen student participants from Spotlight Dance Center in Luverne, who are under the directorship of Maddie Stegenga. The Luverne students will appear as Party Guests in ACT I, Mice in the battle scene, and Mother Ginger dancers in ACT II.

The mission of Youth Dance Ensemble is to enrich the residents of Minnesota by providing an environment of dance training and performance with emphasis on artistic, technical and creative content.