See the classic Nutcracker ballet through the magical setting of a snow globe. The unique performance of the Nutcracker Snowglobe Experience is a condensed version of the original Nutcracker ballet, presented from inside the windows of the dance studio.

Viewers can attend part of a two-hour block from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 through Dec. 11, at Lessons by Lexe Dance Studio, 3250 Gateway Blvd., Suite #106, Prescott.

Attendees will be guided through the performance from outside the dance studio while looking in the windows at the dancers.

“There will be one extra scene added this year where it’s the Russian dancers, so that will be pretty exciting, but other than that it’s the same 15-minute walk-through,” said Lexe Niekamp, owner of Lessons by Lexe. “A storyteller will take you around to each window to keep you on track.”

The snow globe setting, which started as a pandemic-safe alternative, is back for its third year due to popular demand.

“The reason why it is going to be the third year of our Nutcracker snow globe experience is because this experience has absolutely blown up and we are completely blessed, honestly, to be able to offer this to the community because people need places to go to experience some Christmas joy,” Niekamp said. “We’ve had such a great audience response and everyone who leaves says, ‘I hope to see it again next year.’”

Niekamp explained that the money raised from tickets is used to benefit the dancers.

“All of the $5 tickets, they go right back into the company team and our competitive team to help them fund for competitions as well as scholarships for the studio,” Niekamp said.

Becky McLoughlin, a mother of two young dancers in the show, explained that the isolated scenes highlight each child’s performance more intimately than on a large stage.

“That’s what’s so special about this production is that – I think The Nutcracker and Claire will kind of travel through some of the windows to take us on that journey – but the scenes are solely those children, so they only have to learn about a two and a half, three-minute dance and then that is their scenes,” McLoughlin said.

McLoughlin added that being separated by glass has allowed her oldest son, Liam, who has Down syndrome, to shine as a dancer without the distraction of audience noise.

“To know that he can excel having some of that delay – he just gets to see the smiles, he doesn’t have to hear anything – but he’s just doing his thing and enjoying getting to dance with his people, his community,” McLoughlin said. “Having that glass, he can just shine.”

Admission to the show is $5 per person. Children 6 and under are free.

For more information about the Nutcracker Snowglobe Experience, visit www.lessonsbylexe.com, or call (928) 499-8664.

Jesse Bertel is a reporter/videographer for the Prescott News Network. Follow him on Twitter @ JesseBertel, email him at jbertel@prescottaz.com, or call 928-445-3333, ext. 2043.