Once upon a time, there was a young girl whose nutcracker doll whisked her away on an adventure with cultural shows, dancing nature, and a patron fairy for fruit-flavored sweets. This is the story of “The Nutcracker.”

Festival Dance of Idaho will work with the Eugene Ballet to bring this story to life. The two dance groups will perform the story in the traditional pantomime ballet style, combining the young children of Festival Dance with Eugene Ballet’s professional performers.

“I feel they try to make it a little more playful with the scenery and how they do it,” said Lindsay Johnson, a Festival Dance teacher who plays one of the flowers in the Waltz of the Flowers. “They keep the element of fun and imagination in there with it.”

Eugene Ballet, a professional dance company out of Eugene, Oregon, is one of a few ballet companies that takes shows on tour. They have taken their performances across the country and all over the world, from “Swan Lake” to “Nutcracker.”

“We’re very happy Eugene tours and we try to (work with) them every other year,” said Joann Muneta, former director of Festival Dance.

Festival Dance works as an outreach program, using dance as its medium. Johnson said they have been involved with the University of Idaho and its studios to bring dance to the area, sharing the arts with the community. The organization was also responsible for Step Afrika! and Repertory Theater appearances earlier in the year.

The two dance organizations have worked together many times over the years, but it has been about three years since Eugene Ballet brought their show to Pullman, said Abby Glanville, executive director of Festival Dance.

Going the traditional route, this production of “The Nutcracker” is all done through movement, i.e. pantomime and dance. Glanville describe the choreography as very classical in nature, and the Eugene Ballet as a well-oiled machine.

“It’s a great opportunity for our students to dance with professional dancers,” Glanville said.

The young performers of Festival Dance take on roles such as party guests and angels, with the youngest group being the pre-ballet girls at five and six years old, Johnson said.

What’s interesting about the show is that the Eugene Ballet and Festival Dance performers each rehearse their parts of the show separately, Johnson said. On the morning of the show date, they get a chance to come together and rehearse the entire show as one.

“Getting everyone to dance in one unit is a challenge with the different age ranges and levels,” Johnson said.

Glanville said one of her favorite parts is the party scene, featuring many of the Festival Dance students. It’s an active, substantial role that involves a lot of dancing, and Glanville said this was a big undertaking for the students, but they did well with learning and understanding it.

Muneta said she believes “The Nutcracker” is special because it appeals to all ages, from the toddlers watching starry-eyed to families who consider watching the show a holiday tradition. She enjoys watching the different international dances and the beautiful winter scenes.

“It’s a magical story,” Muneta said. “Good for the holiday season.”

The Nutcracker will show at Beasley Coliseum Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets prices range from $14 to $30 and can be bought at the Beasley Coliseum ticket office.