As Ballet West continues to restore and rejuvenate founder Willam F. Christensen's version of "The Nutcracker," it just gets better -- and gets back to being one of the best "Nutcrackers" in the country.

As the first performance of the season begins, Ballet West's "Nutcracker" tells two stories. One is the on-stage narrative of a little girl's Christmas Eve dream; the other is artistic director Adam Sklute's vision of uniting Utah's enormous pool of talent around his ballet company.

The cozy 19th century sets (by Ariel Ballif) and period-perfect costumes (David Heuvel), the moving Tchaikovsky score played by the Utah Chamber Orchestra (conducted Friday by 40-year veteran Terence Kern), and magical lighting designed by Utah's talented Nicholas Cavallaro is just a partial inventory of behind-the-scenes contributions.

Live vocals from the Woods Cross High School Chorus connect the community and added brilliance to the Snowflake scene.

On stage, main dancers Christiana Bennett and Christopher Ruud performed the pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier as if it had been bequeathed to them.

And in a way, it has.

Ruud's father, Tomm Ruud, performed the Cavalier with Ballet West years ago, and the role seems to be in the younger Ruud's bones.

Ruud and Bennett are also partners in real life, and their chemistry, intimate phrasing and musical timing communicate a knowledge of each other beyond the stage. Bennett is an elegant Sugar Plum Fairy. Her measured, reserved style and hidden smile are just right for one who rules the Sugar Plum Kingdom.

The Mirlitons section was stunning, combining technical precision with musical ease. The ingenious Mother Buffon, the hilarious giant mice, and the Snow Queen and her Cavalier danced by Romi Beppu and Michael Bearden, and each of the divertissements were spot on.

But perhaps most impressive were the child dancers.

The very young and small Tade Biesinger danced the naughty-boy character Fritz, with amazing command. He possesses a natural physical facility that will certainly take him wherever he chooses to go in dance. And Baily Jones gave the role of Clara extra substance. This year, Clara's coming-of-age story is clearer, as is much of the dramatic content.

The child parts are important, because in combination with Dr. Drosselmeyer, danced by Christopher Anderson, they set the plot in motion.

Act One is filled with great performances by child dancers too numerous to name. They make this version of the "Nutcracker" for and about the powerful imaginations and limitless capabilities of children.