Nostalgic music echoes through the theater as dozens of young dancers twirl the night away, all eager for their moment to shine, their moment beneath the falling snow.

The first weekend of December is reserved for mouse kings, snow queens and, of course, sugarplums. The Texarkana Community Ballet will be holding its annual performance of the Nutcracker on Dec. 2, 3 and 4.

“Nutcracker is a way for people who share similar interests like dance, which is a dying art, to come together and express the art that we all love so much,” senior Reese Langdon said. “Also, it gives us a chance to give back to the community because the Nutcracker is a tradition for many families to go and watch.”

The nutcracker is a core memory for so many, dancers and spectators alike. It’s a time for dreams to be realized and magic to come alive.

“I started dancing because when I was two, I went to the Nutcracker with my mom,” sophomore Laila Toubia said. “Apparently, I saw the [dancers] and was like mama, I want to do that. So, she put me into dance, and then when I was old enough to be in nutcracker, I still wanted to do that. So I keep trying out every year.”

As a testament to the Christmas spirit, the Nutcracker season is a time for all of the different dance studios to come together and make something for the community.

“It’s a really good time to meet other girls from different studios and get to dance with them,” sophomore Julianna Horton said. “And you get a different teacher, and I have a lot of fun because you get to be a character, and I just think it’s really sweet. And I know a lot of people enjoy watching.”

Unlike the yearly recitals that Texarkana dancers are so accustomed to, the Nutcracker is as much theater as it is ballet.

“Having the role I have, I realized I get to act in it because Nutcracker is a very theatrical ballet,” Toubia said. “So I’m happy I get to act in it, and it’s a soloist position, so I can do my best tricks.”

This year, Texas High is home to some of the amazing soloists and demi-soloists that will be twirling the night away: Langdon as the Snow Queen, Toubia as Mother Ginger and Horton as a flower demi, to name a few.

“Performing is the best feeling ever,” Langdon said. “I’m always extremely nervous before I walk on the stage, but as soon as I go on stage, all of those worries really go away. And I just know that I only get to perform as Snow Queen four times, and I know that I’m going to make the most out of that by just performing to the best of my abilities.”

For some, dance is their calling, and with dozens of different roles available, the Nutcracker is the perfect way to showcase their talents and see how they grow each year.

“I’m getting to do something I love, something I know,” Toubia said. “I’m able to show off what I’ve been working really hard on, and you don’t really feel it in the moment, but you feel the adrenaline rush after you take your bows and go off stage.”