Austin City Ballet dancers have longed for a return to dazzling sugar plums, warring mice and a lively toy Nutcracker. This holiday season, their wishes are about to come true.

After being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" is set to return from Dec. 17-19 at the Boyd Vance Theater.

This is also the company's 20th anniversary. Established in 1991 as the Austin Conservatory of Dance, Austin City Ballet is a nonprofit for dancers between ages 7 and 18 who perform 12 to 16 theater productions each year.