Nearly as synonymous with the holiday season as gift-giving and Santa Claus is the yearly onslaught of “Nutcracker” performances taking place on stages across America. And Kane County is no exception.

State Street Dance Studio in Geneva will stage its ninth annual production of “The Nutcracker” ballet Dec. 15 and 16, but with a slew of new features. From star-studded performers to new costumes, backdrops and a change in venue, the show’s look and feel are going to be different, said State Street Dance Studio founder and artistic director Linda Cunningham.

Previously performed at the Norris Cultural Arts Centre in St. Charles, the show is moving farther down the road to the new Batavia Fine Arts Centre – a two-story, 890-seat theater built on the Batavia High School campus as part of the school district’s $75-million building referendum approved by residents in 2007.