By LAURA BROOKHART/Guest Columnist

When the curtain rises on the 2013 Grebel Center for Dance presentation of ‘The Nutcracker,’ Karrington Davis, age 5, will make her stage debut as an angel.

She is very excited to be part of the classic story she has watched from the audience for the past four years.

Her sister, Kennedy Davis, who is 9 and a member of the AYBC, will be in the performance for her fourth year. This year she will be a Party Girl, A Candy Cane and a Mouse.

“Kennedy is happy to have moved up to Party Girl from Party Boy this year,” her mother Winnie Davis said. “She is very thrilled to be on stage with her favorite character, the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Kennedy has studied dance for four years and has added jazz to her classes this year. She also likes to draw, sing in her church choir and play soccer.

The entire Davis family, who are Helena residents, will be in this year’s performance. Last year, Kennedy surprised her parents by requesting they be one of the dancing couples in the Christmas Party scene. Even more surprising was when her dad, Ken, agreed to go along with the idea.

Winnie Davis says she, too, enjoys all types of dancing — from hip-hop to ballet. She dances at their church, Faith Chapel Christian, in the liturgical presentations performed to worship and praise songs.

“Being a part of ‘The Nutcracker’ ensemble has been a fun experience,” she affirms. “We have been having weekly rehearsals since the end of September.”

“The girls were eager to help us out when we were learning our dance. It has been a bonding experience for our family.”

Look for two other dancers from Helena, Claire Wensel and Megan Rhoades, who are also a part of the 2013 cast. Performances for the 2013 Nutcracker featuring the Alabama Youth Ballet and community cast members will be Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Pelham High School Theater.