For the first time in 37 years, the San Jose Dance Theater is changing its production of the classic ballet, The Nutcracker, thanks to its new artistic director, Marcie Achkire of Los Gatos.

As a former ballerina and now co-owner of Los Gatos Ballet, Achkire drew on her years of expertise to revamp the show, creating a production filled with more dancing, more festivity, and more color.

Working along with her associate Bill Sato, the goal of this year's performance was more than just changing the choreography, but ultimately to transform the way ballet schools are involved with stage productions.

"For quite a long time students never really got to dance. But in this whole production they are dancing more," Achkire says. "They will not be window dressing this year, and it will not just be principals coming in and getting paid. We are very lucky because we have a lot of very advanced, talented dancers at this school, and now we can actually use them."

"What's different about this production is that it's very polished, very exciting, and really fun," Sato says. "We've increased the level of sophistication. The two core ballet pieces are more difficult than previous years, and other parts, like the Arabian dance, are more sultry, more sensuous."

When given the opportunity to reinvent the choreography, Achkire says she was thrilled, yet nervous. Although a tenured performer with companies including the San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Houston Ballet, she was a novice to actually staging a large production. Another challenge was that Achkire did not learn she was the artistic director until two weeks before casting, leaving her little time to reconstruct the performance.

To draw inspiration, she looked toward her mentor, Yvonne Mounsey, whom she studied with at the prestigious Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica. "This was very much inspired by [Mounsey]," she says. "But then I also added what I wanted to see in the performance."

Teaming with Sato and Los Gatos Ballet instructor Crystal Petzel, the three went through each segment of The Nutcracker, finding ways to include more student dancers alongside hired principal dancers, and having them perform more complex movements.

"I love the choreography," Achkire says. "The kids are just absorbing it. We did the whole thing from scratch, and I think this version utilizes the dancers well."

The dancers have also readily welcomed the changes, although it does require more hours in the studio.

"The choreography is really moving and creative this year," says Los Gatos resident Christine Herrera, who will perform in the snow, flower, Chinese, and merliton dance pieces. "There is a lot more dancing, especially for the flowers. It's a nice change, because we didn't do much in the core before. Now we get to push ourselves to advance. It's pretty intense."

Saratogan Alexander Chuzak-Trufyn, who will play the nephew of Clara's uncle, is also enjoying the production. "I've been doing The Nutcracker forever," he says. "I like being in the spotlight, and not many guys are interested in dance, so I jumped at the opportunity to be in this."

Having danced since he was 3 years old, Chuzak-Trufyn has only been with the Los Gatos studio for three months, but has enjoyed the different style. "I like the choreography quite a bit. It's the same story, but the little spins on each move make it more fun."

Featured in the intimate Arabian pas de deux (dance for two), Los Gatos resident Vanessa Driscoll cannot get enough of the production, as she is performing with special guest Benjamin Pierce, a former principal with the San Francisco Ballet. "It is so exciting and inspiring to work with a real professional," Driscoll says. "I'm really enthralled with the whole experience. I couldn't get this anywhere else. The show really has been developed more for the dancers, so we can learn more." The only drawback to so many new dance steps is the time it requires to get them down. For the past two months, Driscoll has spent nearly three hours a day practicing, as well as eight hours every Saturday and Sunday. "It's difficult, but the love of dance keeps me moving. I couldn't do anything else," she says.

In addition to the new choreography, dancers will also enjoy new costumes purchased by Los Gatos Ballet. Even the core dancers get a new look; however, the real treasure awaits the advanced student dancers, with elaborate tutus that are rich with embroidery and sparkling embellishments.

"For some dancers, this will be the last time they wear something like this unless they pursue professional ballet," Sato says, eyeing a lush red tutu for the Spanish dance. "The costumes in The Nutcracker are part of the magic of this ballet. And to wear something like this, and be in something like this, is a dream."

The San Jose Dance Theater 38th annual "The Nutcracker" will be held Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 6 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Center for the Performing Arts, located at 255 Almaden Blvd., San Jose, 95113. Tickets are $22­42, with backstage tours for $5. To order tickets, call 408.286.9905 or visit www.ticketguys.com. For more information visit http://www.sjdt.org.