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Drosselmeyer's nephew, Carlos Venturo, is a frisky one, willing enough, but playing pranks with the Nutcracker, stashing in its appointed box on the sled after purloining it in the shop.

In a slightly gloomy, overstuffed drawing room, Guidi created a believable family, Marie and Louise just as rambunctious as brother Fritz, all three Maia Mileff, Kendra Ransom, Glenn Baker, appealing, well proportioned blonds, their Governess, Charissa Chaban, possessing a permanent one pointe limp.

Denise Roman-Schmalle's Doll was flanked by three masked animals, Dog, Cat and Bear, Jacob Kreamer, Milissa Payne, Corinne Jung. All three animals were depicted on the back scrim during the fight, where Mario Labrador took the role of the Nutcracker and Jospeh Copley the Rat King, both matched in height. The mice were danced by the women with frothy tutus and wonderful pointy masks, the soldiers by the company men.

Most satisfying were Jenna McClintock and tall Mario Labrador as snow royalty. McClintock, a veteran of Guidi's old Oakland Ballet, dances with clarity, impetus, obviously loving music and dance; Labrador, though young, possesses striking line and an admirable technique needing only more edge to be truly impressive. They lit stage and my eye whenever they entered. The supporting corps of flowers with their tiaras and Directoire style dresses danced the music with conviction.

The Act II mime in the Sweets realm, rendered liquid by the titles, was given to Pracher in a Major Domo role; he may have introduced the numbers effectively, losing the Nutcracker turned Prince in the role may have been necessary because of casting limitations, but didn't give the story its punch.

Spanish Chocolate was rendered with dash and Arabian Coffee with touches of allure of Rita Duclos, while the Chinese Tea of Kollyn Muangmaithong, Denise Roman-Schmalle and Mariko Takahashi brewed effective dancing. Guidi supplies a narcissistic Ram for two French Bon Bons to the mirliton music, made effective by a mirror with Joseph Copley.

I wish the grand pas de deux tempo struck a speedier note, but Michael Morgan, leading The East Bay Symphony, doubtless was accommodating slender Gianna Davy's Sugar Plum Fairy, with David Fonnegra guesting from Diablo Ballet. Davy, tall and slender-legged, seems plagued with a stiff back and tight thigh muscles causing her to place, developpes and attitudes instead of evident muscular suppleness.

There is little doubt that Ronn Guidi again is assembling a loyal, cohesive ensemble for his productions. With experience they should provide the family pizzaz, that engaging East Bay spirit the production overall already possesses. Mr. Guidi does need to be more insistent on pointed feet and hip turn out, both arduous physical accomplishments providing the major base for ballon and movement ease in transitions.