I went to the ballet, the Nutcracker, on December 3, 1996. Because I never have seen the ballet in the theater before, I was very exited. The ballet took place in Irvin L. Young Auditorium at the Center of the Arts. It was performed by Indianapolis Ballet. It was originally based on a story written by German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann. The legendary choreographer Marius Petipa presented Tchaikovsdy with an exact scenario which he wanted, including the rhythm, tempo, and number of measures for each dance.