The Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley-Pennsylvania Youth Ballet presents its 54th production of the “Nutcracker” ballet, Dec. 10 and 11, Zoellner Arts Center, Bethlehem.

The BGLV production of Tchaikovsky’s classic holiday ballet is the longest-running “Nutcracker” in the Lehigh Valley (1968-2022), boasting a cast of nearly 100 professional, pre-professional and student performers.

Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley Artistic Director Karen Kroninger Knerr says there is exciting new choreography for several pieces: the Arabian dance for the lead couple and demi soloists, and for Snow Queen and Cavalier.

“What’s really exciting this year is that we’re unveiling a brand-new Act II backdrop [the Land of Sweets] designed by Carl Sprague, who designed our Act I backdrop as well,” says Knerr in a phone interview.

Sprague is a renowned production designer for stage and screen, whose credits include the Academy Award-winning films “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “12 Years a Slave.”

“I love the direction he went with it,” says Knerr. “It’s beautifully elegant. He specifically asked the shop that painted it to make it feel very much like a watercolor. His idea behind it is that this is a dream: Act Two is Clara’s dream.

“What I love is that if people really study the backdrop, you see hints of the different divertissements in Act Two. For example, you can see a pagoda in one of the arches, which is a hint to the Chinese dance. You can see the Russian architecture in one of the windows.”

Another highlight for this year’s BGLV “Nutcracker” is that advanced students will dance some of the roles normally performed by professional dancers.

“Our dancers from our pre-professional division are stepping into the roles of the Arabian lead, and two of our other dancers will share the role of Snow Queen. I updated the choreography to [showcase] their strengths,” says Knerr.

Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it has been two years since the BGLV “Nutcracker” has been performed with an orchestra. All performances, including those for school students, will be accompanied by a 48-piece orchestra, the Southside Sinfonietta, under the direction of Eugene Albulescu of Lehigh University.

A chorus of 80 area students sing during “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” and also sing holiday songs in the Zoellner lobby before each performance.

“We are really excited to be performing with our orchestra again,” says Knerr.

Guest artists include Amanda Smith as Sugar Plum Fairy. Smith performed with New York Theatre Ballet and has danced in works by legendary choreographers such as Jerome Robbins and Antony Tudor. Smith joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem and was featured on the April 2019 cover of Dance Magazine.

Da’ Von Doane, playing the role of Cavalier, is an independent performer who has worked with various dance companies, including the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and Ballet Nior. Doane was guest artist at the Vail International Dance Festival’s “International Evenings of Dance” and their “Now: Premieres Program.” He was featured as one of Dance Magazine’s “Top 25 to Watch” and appeared in a Dance Web Series “For the Love of Dance.” He premiered new work for American Repertory Ballet Fall this fall.

Stephaen Hood, as Snow King and Arabian lead, performed and studied with Ballet-Fleming, Philadelphia. Hood was a member of Ohio’s Verb Contemporary Ballets for three seasons and has been a guest artist for the Poetic Expression Dance Company and Carbon Dance Theater. Hood performed as a soloist for Ballet Theatre of Maryland for two seasons. He is a dance teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Maryland.

Tevin Johnson, as Harlequin and Candy Cane lead, attended Alvin Ailey’s Professional Division Summer Dance Intensive. Johnson joined Roxey Contemporary Ballet company in New Jersey for two seasons and worked in their outreach programs. Johnson is on the faculty of City College of Manhattan’s theater department.

His awards include the Jenni-Lynn Watson Scholarship, Cento Amici Scholarship and the 2014 National NAACP ACT-SO Gold Medal for Dance. He was a featured young artist on “Extraordinary People and Places in Central New York”’ and was featured in the 2016 calendar of Dancer’s Among Us.

Student dancers include Kelsey Bolash (Clara), Sixth grade, Nitschmann Middle School, Bethlehem Area School District; Ainsley Wright (Clara), Sixth grade, Eyer Middle School, East Penn School District; Finola Hieter (Arabian lead), 10th grade, Southern Lehigh High School; Gwendolyn George (Dew Drop), 11th grade, Lehigh Carbon Community College High School Scholar; Mai Hukuoka (Dew Drop), 12th grade, Parkland High School; Brianna Dougherty (Snow Queen), 11th grade, Southern Lehigh High School, and Ella Ebert (Snow Queen), 12th grade, Liberty High School.

There are new costumes this year, including an elaborate Mouse King Head created by Scaramouche Costumes. Wardrobe mistress is Kristin Dundon.

“This is a team, says Knerr. “Besides all the wonderful dancers, there are many volunteers backstage. I’m grateful to all the people that get this production to stage.

“I hope people decide to come and see the ballet. It’s a wonderful way to create memories for your holiday season,” Knerr says.

The BGLV “Nutcracker” has three public performances and three school performances. Nearly 3,000 students are expected to see the “Nutcracker” at free or reduced ticket prices, including students from the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, Allentown and Easton and Communities in Schools. Student tickets and transportation are underwritten by BGLV-PYB sponsor Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo law firm.

Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre “Nutcracker,” 1 p.m., 4:30 p.m. Dec. 10; 2 p.m. Dec 11, Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, 420 E. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem. Tickets: https://www.bglv.org/ ; https://zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu/ ; 610-865-0353; 610-758-2787, ext. 0