Andi Bryndza remembers her first “Nutcracker” rehearsal being so wonderful she cried when her grandmother came to pick her up.

Now as ballet mistress for Evergreen City Ballet, she tries to impart the same excitement to the company’s dancers as they take to the stage for their 16th annual “Nutcracker.”

The performance opens Saturday at the Auburn Performing Arts Center.

They try to capture the spirit of the season from the very beginning of the show, a hallmark of the holidays, Bryndza said.

“We convey that feeling to our dancers and help them with acting like they are at a real Christmas party during the first scene,” she said. “The dancers know that some audience members are seeing this production for the first time, others have seen it every year. That is why there has to be energy and excitement throughout.”

Bryndza is responsible for teaching all of the dancers their parts. She and Artistic Director Kevin Kaiser match each dancer to their role based on their skill and personality.

There are 60 ECB performers this year, the youngest being 4 years old and the oldest is 22. The company started practicing for “The Nutcracker” in mid to late October, with extra practice days thrown in because of snow during Thanksgiving week.

What’s different this year? There’s a whole new cast and some new costumes.

“So you could come to a matinee show or an evening show and you would still get a very high-quality performance, but there would still be a lot of differences because each dancer is so unique with their personality coming out on stage, how they portray the roles,” Bryndza said.

To dance in “The Nutcracker,” dancers and teachers agree it takes stamina.

“For me, in the role of Sugar Plum, it’s definitely the stamina,” said Charmaine Butcher. The 16-year-old is one of two ECB members playing that role this year. Butcher has been dancing with the company for eight years.

“I want to say it’s the most challenging part that I’ve ever done. But I feel that my technique is the highest it’s been,” she said.

For 25-year-old Demetrius Tabron, it’s both stamina and mental capacity. He is a guest dancer from SD Prism Dance, playing the part of the cavalier. He performs his part twice a day in both the matinee and evening shows.

“It’s a lot of work mentally, not psyching yourself up, but just really being confident in your work, mapping out your movement, breathing,” he said. “It’s more mental, like 99 percent mental and one percent physical to get through that 10-minute piece.”

Dancers train hard for the performance, running through their whole routine each time.

“We train our dancers in a way all year round that by the time it comes to “The Nutcracker,” they are very disciplined,” Bryndza said. “They can learn parts quickly, they know what’s expected of them. They can’t just give 10 percent one day and 90 percent the next day. It’s a 100 percent every time so that they build stamina and we know we can count on them when the shows come.”

What is hard work will turn into magic and wonder once the curtain raises.

“I love the snow scene,” said 17-year-old Elsa Davidson. She is also a Sugar Plum Fairy lead. “I think the choreography; ECB’s snow choreography is gorgeous.”

This is Davidson’s second year with Evergreen, although she’s been dancing for 14 years. She loves the Snow Queen, the lights and the falling snow.

After a momentary case of nerves and a quick prayer, Davidson is herself enchanted by the lights and costumes and ready to perform she said of her previous “Nutcracker” experience. She said performing is “the best feeling ever.”

“You get such a feeling of achievement when you’ve finished a show, when you’re all out there taking your last bow and the curtain goes down and you hear the applause and it’s just…it’s such a great feeling to know all of those people enjoyed all of the work you put into it,” she said.

Also new this year, the Renton-based ECB has partnered with Salty’s restaurant at Redondo Beach to offer a special deal for patrons. Ballerinas will appear in full costume at Santa Brunches and showing a ticket stub from the performance will get customers discounted meals.

“The Nutcracker”

The Evergreen City Ballet is presenting “The Nutcracker,” a holiday tradition.

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11, at Auburn Performing Arts Center, 700 E. Main St., Auburn

1:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m., Dec. 12, at Auburn Performing Arts Center

7:30 p.m., Dec. 17, at IKEA Performing Arts Center, 400 S. Second St., Renton.

1:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Dec. 18, at IKEA Performing Arts Center

1:30 p.m., Dec. 19, at IKEA Performing Arts Center

TICKETS: Tickets are available by calling 425-228-6800 or online.