A larger troupe of dancers will bring “The Nutcracker” to life Sunday at the Robins Theatre.

Lisa Jordan, director of Jordan School of Ballet in Cortland, said the production will feature a cast of 20 young dancers, twice as many as performed in 2022.

“We added several new kids during the summer, and some more heard about ‘The Nutcracker’ and came in the early fall,” she said. “Everyone seems to be working well together. It doesn’t feel like there are new people. Everyone is blending really well, and the cast is so supportive of one another.”

The year’s production features Alessandra Banick, Paige Barnette, Sofia Caruso, Danielle Dean, Kaylin Disko, Johonnah Foley, Lillian Greimann, Audrey Haynie, Mary Kelley, Charlie Lammers, Mia Mackiewicz, Lucie Perry, Brielle Postell, Giada Rhodes, Sophia Ricciardi, Ella Rice, Doreen Rogers, Trinity Rose, Abigail Totten and Gemma Vanvalien.

The larger cast also allows for some changes in choreography.

“I usually do some choreographical changes anyway,” Jordan said. “I don’t like to do things exactly the same every year. I felt it helped me to be able to change things even more than usual, especially with the corps de ballet, things like the flowers, the snowflakes allowed for those really nice formations with more kids.”

While the basic story of a girl, Clara, who receives a nutcracker for Christmas that comes to life and takes her on a journey to magical lands remains the same, Jordan makes changes and additions every year.

“It’s definitely still a traditional ballet, but there a few surprises in the storyline that makes it a little different,” she said. “I’m happy with how that turned out.

“One of the things I do every year is some narration before every scene. I get a lot of positive feedback about that. I enjoy creative writing to begin with, and some of these ideas just came to me. I thought it made it really heartwarming but fun at the same time.”

Jordan — who has danced with Cleveland Ballet, Ballet Michigan, Ballet San Jose and as a guest ballerina with the Cleveland Orchestra — said she has appeared in many productions of “The Nutcracker” as a dancer. One thing that always struck her is how dark the portrayal of Drosselmeyer, Clara’s godfather who gives her the nutcracker, normally is.

“I wanted to lighten it up a bit,” she said. “I still consider it a traditional ‘Nutcracker,’ but it has a little twist.”

If you go …

WHAT: Jordan School of Ballet — “The Nutcracker”

WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Robins Theatre, 160 E. Market St., Warren

HOW MUCH: Tickets are $25 and $18 and are available at the Robins box office and online at robinstheatre.com