The stage will fill with mice and soldiers, snowflakes and fairies as Children in the Arts of Martha’s Vineyard presents the Nutcracker Gala this weekend at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center. This is a joint production of the Martha’s Vineyard School of Ballet, directed by Beth Vages, and the Atlantic Coast Ballet, formerly the Cape Cod Ballet, directed by Tanya Vincent.

Ms. Vages founded the Cape Cod School of Ballet and ran a satellite school on the Vineyard for 15 years, although she never came here. In 2002 she taught summer camp at the Chappaquiddick Community Center. “I loved everything about it and never moved back to the Cape,” she said.

She sold the Cape Cod school two years ago to concentrate on the Martha’s Vineyard School of Ballet, which operates, as she put it, “in a more relaxed atmosphere.” Ms. Vages praised the joint production. “It gives students the unique opportunity to perform with professional dancers.”

Sixty Island children and ten adults join seventeen professional dancers from the Atlantic Coast Ballet in the holiday favorite. Based on a German fairy tale written in 1816 and first performed as a ballet to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music in 1892, The Nutcracker is danced annually around the world.

Now in its eleventh year on the Island, the performance features Sarah Pertile of Edgartown in the lead role of Clara on Saturday and Kendra Frank of Centerville as Clara on Sunday. Nine-year-old Sarah, who has been dancing for three years, is a serious student of ballet; she takes lessons on the Vineyard two days a week and on the Cape two more days a week.

Eleven-year-old Ethan Mendez of Vineyard Haven plays the part of Fritz at both performances. For the record Ms. Vages points out that, “Ethan doesn’t take ballet lessons but is great at acting.”

The production provides many of its dancers with more than one role. As Sara Poggi and Ava Thors of Edgartown explained during rehearsal this week, they are mice, angels and children at the party.

Making her stage debut is three-year-old Genevieve Hyland of Aquinnah, who described her role as “sitting under the Christmas tree,” although officially she is a mechanical doll.

Proving that there are no small parts, acclaimed ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn made her stage debut in a 1934 performance of The Nutcracker as a snowflake, and will perhaps be a role model for Genevieve.

Performances are at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $25 for preferred seating or, on the day of the show only, $50 for family admission of two adults and three children. Advance tickets are available at Aboveground Records in Edgartown, Bowl and Board in Vineyard Haven, Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury, and Our Market in Oak Bluffs.