The magic of a child’s imagination and a journey to the Land of Sweets unfold as Repertory Dance Theatre presents its 37th production of “Nutcracker,” Dec. 7 and 8, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

Under the artistic direction of Jennifer Haltzman Tracy and Trinette Singleton, the RDT production guest artists perform alongside professionally-trained ballet students and area adults.

Accompanied by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, the performance of RDT’s “Nutcracker” brings the holiday classic to the stage, including a giant Christmas tree, a prince, sword fights, dances from nations the world over, and snowfall.

“We are so excited to have a few of our alumni coming back,” says Haltzman Tracy in a phone interview. “It’s fun when they really become part of what we’re doing. They’re so invested in it. The students love them.”

RDT returning professional guest artists are Samantha Fruhwirth, dancing the role of Clara; Felicia Cruz Sharpe in the Arabian dance, and Elizabeth Marlin as Dewdrop.

“Daniel Mayo [who plays the Nutcracker Prince] has been dancing with us for quite some time, so he’s like part of the family,” Haltzman Tracy says/

“As for Mari [Takayama, as Sugar Plum Fairy], this will be her third year with us. She’s been touring a lot lately and is really excited to come back and perform with us. She has a new partner this year [Louis DeFelice, as her Cavalier].”

RDT student roles include Eva Gangewere (12th grade, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Bethlehem) as Snow Queen; Heidi Meisenhelder (12th grade, Palmerton Area High School) a Trepak, and Ronan O’Reilly (5th grade, St. Joseph the Worker, South Whitehall Township) reprising his role as Fritz.

The mysterious magician and toymaker, Herr Drosselmeyer, will be played again by Eric Feinstein.

The Allentown Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Diane Wittry, ASO Music Director-Conductor.

The El Sistema Lehigh Valley Choir, a music education outreach program in collaboration with the Allentown Symphony Association, and under direction of Amanda Haag, performs during the Snow scene.

There are more than 60 performers in the cast, ages 6 and up.

“Our first act is much more playful, and we find it very entertaining. There’s a lot of dancing,” says Haltzman Tracy.

“We’ve also changed our Marzipan number,” Haltzman Tracy continues “We want the dancers to shine, so we adjust because this is their time. They worked really hard, and we want them to be comfortable with what they’re doing.”

There are three free school performances for area students. In recent months, two local restaurants, Cactus Blue and Union & Finch, held fundraisers for RDT student programs.

“We’ve had some lovely people help out,” says Haltzman Tracy.

The remarkable scenes, such as a growing Christmas tree, and snowfall onstage, are collaborative feats.

“The people we work with behind the scenes at [Miller Symphony Hall] are a great group. We are very fortunate. They really look out for us.

“[The students] are really intrigued by what’s going on. We try to impress upon them that it’s not just the dancing. It’s the stagehands, all they’re doing back there, the set design, the costume design, the lighting. There’s so much more to the production. We’re not alone up there.

“Our volunteers and the parents are wonderful, too, It’s very nice. They make it easy,” Haltzman Tracy says.

Daniel Mayo received a BFA from The Juilliard School. From 2007 until 2010, Mayo was with Atlanta Ballet. From 2010 until 2014, Mayo danced with the Montreal-based company RubberbanDance Group, toured throughout North America, Europe and Asia and participated in multiple film projects. From 2014 until 2018, Mayo was a company member with the Philadelphia-based contemporary company BalletX, where he performed in world premieres in Philadelphia and throughout the United States.

Mayo has performed as a guest artist with The Atlanta Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Dance Grand Moultrie and Bennyroyce Dance. He is an adjunct instructor of ballet at DeSales University and is lead faculty for the full scholarship boys’ program at Metropolitan Ballet Academy, Jenkintown, Montgomery County.

Mari Takayama is a graduate of Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Japan, where she received two scholarships. A professional ballet dancer in New York City, she recently completed a national tour with The Thorn, a stage show about Jesus. Takayama has performed principal and soloist roles with Eglevsky Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, City Dance NY and Neville Dance Theatre.

After emigrating to the U.S. in 2021, she continued her training with American Repertory Ballet, where she performed as Clara in “Nutcracker.” Takayama has attended intensives with ABT, Miami City Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Her repertory roles include the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop Fairy, and parts in “Paquita” and “Giselle.” She is an ABT Certified Teacher.

Louis DeFelice is from Columbia, S.C. and trained with Stanislav Issaev at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts. He graduated from the pre-professional conservatory program at Kirov Academy, Washington, D.C.

DeFelice has danced with Les Grands Ballets de Montreal, Columbia Classical Ballet, International Ballet of Ukraine and New Jersey Ballet, and performed corps and soloist roles in “Swan Lake,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Fancy Free” and “Rubies,” as well as original works by Lauren Lovette and Justin Peck. He is a Yale University graduate and is co-founder of the dancewear company, Barre Trash.

Elizabeth Marlin, a Pennsylvania native, trained with Trinette Singleton and Jennifer Haltzman Tracy. Marlin attended summer programs at Pennsylvania Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and American Ballet Theatre.

She moved to Salt Lake City to train with Ballet West. While there, Marlin performed in “Giselle,” “Swan Lake,” and “Nutcracker,” as well as principal roles in “Lark Ascending,” “Viva Vivaldi” and Balanchine’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Marlin joined Ballet 5:8 in 2020 and performed the principal pas de deux in Julianna Rubio Slager’s “Golden Sessions.” She was promoted to Solo Artist in 2021.

Samantha Fruhwirth returns to Repertory Dance Theater as an alumni professional guest artist. Now a resident of Boulder, Col., Fruhwirth works at Animal Arts, an architecture firm specializing in animal wellness, and collaborates with Boulder Ballet on set and costume design and fabrication. Fruhwirth is a freelance dancer and fiber artist.

Felicia Cruz-Sharpe began dancing at age three in Allentown. While at the Dolly Haltzman Dance Academy, she studied with Dolores Haltzman, Jennifer Haltzman Tracy, Gloria Govrin and Maurice Brandon Curry.

Cruz-Sharpe continued training on scholarship at the Richmond Ballet of Virginia and the Rock School of Philadelphia summer intensive programs. In 2002, Cruz-Sharpe accepted an internship at Steps on Broadway, New York City She joined Jay-T Jenkins’ company, Jete’ Performance Company. In 2010, she received a BFA in ballet from the University of the Arts. From 2010 to 2013, Cruz-Sharpe performed with Carbon Dance Theater and worked with Jim Bunting Dance Company 2016-2018. Cruz-Sharpe is a founding member of DanceSpora, a contemporary ballet company established in 2008. She was promoted to Assistant Director in 2011. As a resident choreographer, she’s created many original works. She is a freelance dance instructor in the Philadelphia area.

“Nutcracker,” Repertory Dance Theatre of the Lehigh Valley, Allentown Symphony Orchestra, 2 p.m. Dec. 7, 8, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; Tickets: Box Office, 610-432-6715, www.repertorydance.org