The Howard County Ballet will present performances of The Nutcracker at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Jim Rouse Theatre at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia.

The performances will feature guest artists Natasha Kiryanova and Sergei Vladimirov as Sugar Plum and Cavalier, as well as the members of the Howard County Ballet Company.

Kiryanova has danced with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, and Vladimirov, a native of Moscow, has danced with the Moscow Ballet and the Washington Ballet.

The Howard County Ballet, founded as a nonprofit organization in 1997, holds three performances each year. This year's will be the sixth performance of The Nutcracker since the company was started.

The production was choreographed by artistic director Kathi Ferguson and will be performed with the Howard County Ballet Orchestra, led by David Zajic.

Tickets are $20; $13 for children, students and senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased at Aesthetics Dance, 3240 E Corporate Court, Ellicott City, or at the door one hour before each performance.

Information or tickets: 410-465-8233.