From the moment the curtain rises on The Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center, the audience experiences magic. A celebrated ballerina and her partner perform a breathtaking pas de deux. The orchestra reaches a thrilling crescendo, and the lights transform the stage to a winter wonderland with dancing snowflakes.

But as executive director of Eastern Connecticut Ballet, I've found that the story behind New London's own Nutcracker is almost as magical as the tale of Clara and her fantastic adventure. For the past 12 years, tens of thousands of adults and children have seen our performance of the classic ballet at New London's Garde Arts Center. Each year, audiences applaud more than 100 young dancers who are professionally trained by ECB and several world-class guest artists from the New York City Ballet and other renowned companies. Talented musicians from the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra bring Tchaikovsky's unforgettable music to life.

Since 2002, more than 33,000 schoolchildren from southeastern Connecticut also have enjoyed our abridged version of the ballet. This year, 2,800 students will see The Nutcracker. More than half of those girls and boys are from New London and Groton elementary schools, many of which have little or no spare resources to fund such a field trip. Eastern Connecticut Ballet offers the school performances free.

As a nonprofit arts organization, Eastern Connecticut Ballet faces the same challenges as many other regional cultural groups. Presenting a live performance is a costly undertaking. An orchestra and guest artists require payment, the theater a rental fee, and technical staff a paycheck.

So what is the secret behind The Nutcracker? I can sum it up in a single word: Generosity.

Our Nutcracker is a unique partnership between arts organizations, artists, schools, parents, foundations, businesses, social service agencies and even members of the U.S. Military. Since 2006, several foundations and corporate sponsors have made it possible for ECB to offer the tickets to local elementary schools to attend the special school performances at no charge, along with providing a study guide for teachers and pre-performance assemblies at 14 participating schools.

Donors help fund nearly 500 free tickets to the public performances that human service organizations throughout the area distribute to individuals and families in need. Likewise the local branches of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and National Guard receive about 100 tickets for distribution to military families with children.

This year our sponsors include The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, The Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, The Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation, The George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation, Waterford Group Charitable Foundation, Pfizer, Dominion, The Day, The Bulletin, Charter Oak Credit Union, Webster Bank, Comcast, MetroCast and Saybrook Junction. Old Lyme's The Bowerbird, made a generous gift raised through their yearly giftwrap initiative. A full list of our supporters is posted at easternctballet.com. I want to thank everyone who makes The Nutcracker a successful community event. It's a tradition of giving that benefits everyone.

Our artistic director, Gloria Govrin, often tells her students, "The first step to accomplishing something is to believe that it is possible." After 13 years of producing The Nutcracker, I've learned that it takes more than time, money and hard work to make this all happen; sometimes it takes a little magic as well.

If you can join us for a performance, you may become a believer too.

"The Nutcracker," 1:30 and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Garde Arts Center.