GET CRACKING DANCERS PUSH TO MEET CHALLENGE OF `NUTCRACKER'.

Byline: Holly Edwards Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Wearing flesh-toned tights and black leotards, dancers glide over the hard wood floor, whirling on one toe and leaping gracefully across the room.

But their labored breathing and pained expressions reveal the hard work behind the seeming effortlessness of the rehearsal for this weekend's performance of ``The Nutcracker.''

``Believe me, it's just plain hard to get up on your toes and stay there even once, not to mention over and over again,'' said Bryan Wallker, a 38-year-old professional dancer who will be a guest artist in the performance. ``The pain and the tears are real. Most of these girls have been given a role harder than they're ready for so they can develop into it.''

After months of grueling practice sessions, the Santa Clarita Ballet Company will present its sixth annual performance of ``The Nutcracker'' 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Hart High School auditorium.

About 100 local young people ages 7 through 20 will perform. As the dancers have become more skilled each year, the performance has become more complicated and difficult, said Corinne Glover, executive director of the Canyon Country-based ballet company.

``We've slowly added things every year and tweaked the choreography,'' Glover said. ``These are really aspiring professionals, and their level has gone up a notch every year.''

Choreographer Carol Guidry said many of the steps would be difficult for any dancer, but the young performers learn the moves without complaint.

``The main thing we're trying to convey is the joy of dance,'' Guidry said. ``Like any art form, I mainly work intuitively and try to let go.''

First performed in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892, ``The Nutcracker'' follows the Christmas Eve adventures of a little girl named Marie - or Clara, in some versions of the story - who falls asleep with a nutcracker tucked under her arm. Suddenly, everything in the room become gigantic, including an army of mice and the Nutcracker soldier.

Coming to Marie's defense, the Nutcracker defeats the Mouse King and leads Marie on a journey through a snowy forest to the Kingdom of Sweets.

Fifteen-year-old Theresa Shampay of Sylmar will star as Marie in this weekend's performance.

``It's a lot harder this year but the choreography is better,'' said Shampay, who has been dancing since she was 4 years old. ``For me it's hard because I don't get a breather. I go straight from one scene to the next.''

Anna Carnes, 15, of Valencia, has starred as Marie twice, but will play the Snow Queen this year.

Carnes said she's been dancing since she was 2-years-old.

``I love to perform and be on stage,'' she said. ``And we always look forward to doing the Nutcracker each year.''

Michael Mizerany, 37, a professional dancer making a guest performance as the Nutcracker, said the young dancers are learning more than how to do a plie, jete and a pirouette.

``By learning to train their bodies, they're learning self-esteem and discipline and they're learning to appreciate other people's contributions,'' he said. ``For me, dancing isn't a choice. It's how I communicate. If I couldn't dance, it would be like I couldn't speak.''

This year's performance will be the company's first at Hart High's expanded auditorium.

``The larger theater will really enhance the production and how it looks,'' said Glover. ``We're going to have a lot more cast members and a lot more parts.''

For ticket information, call the Santa Clarita Ballet at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A masked ballerina rehearses for the Santa Clarita Ballet Company's performance of ``The Nutcracker'' this weekend.

(2 -- color) A mirror festooned with season's greetings reflects dancers stretching for a rehearsal of ``The Nutcracker,'' with more complex choreography than in previous years challenging the cast.

(3 -- color) Young dancers with the Santa Clarita Ballet company prepare for their roles in the holiday classic ``The Nutcracker'' this Saturday and Sunday at Hart High School's auditorium.

(4 -- color) Ballerinas wait to rehearse their roles as mice in the Santa Clarita Ballet Company's presentation of ``The Nutcracker,'' coming this weekend to Hart High's auditorium.

Choreographer Carol Guidry instructs the dancers for their parts in ``The Nutcracker'' presented for the sixth year by the Canyon Country-based Santa Clarita Ballet Company.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer