Season’s Greetings, San Diego, From . . . : . . . THE DANCERS

‘Tis the season of “The Nutcracker,” and San Diego County will harvest a good crop of them this year, despite the recent cancellation of San Francisco Ballet’s lavish production.

And if you’re looking for less-traditional dance entertainment, you won’t be disappointed, either. From Palomar College to the North Coast Ballet School, plenty of cheer has been scheduled.

“Nutcracker” fans can count on the usual assortment aof home-growns to replace the San Francisco production. On Dec. 8, both the California Ballet (the granddaddy of “The Nutcracker” crowd) and the American Ballet Ensemble (directed by former New York City ballerina Lynda Yourth) unveil their latest versions of the enduring Christmas classic.

This is the 19th “Nutcracker” season for the California Ballet, and the San Diego-based troupe has its “Nutcracker” magic finely tuned. The only noticeable differences from last year’s production are the perennial cast changes.

Resident ballerina Denise Dabrowski will take her 10th turn as the dainty Sugar Plum Fairy. But Dabrowski is not be the only pink-tutued ballerina tagged for the role in this production of the old chestnut. No less than four Cal Ballet dancers will alternate as Sugar Plum during the troupe’s Yuletide run.

The latest contender to work her way up the ranks is Debra Rumney, a soloist scheduled to receive her big chance at the coveted role during the company’s weekend stint at the East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC).

Joining the home team again will be two guest danseurs, Otto Neubert (soloist with the New York City Ballet) and Mark Lanham (who was sidelined by injuries when Cal Ballet danced its season-opener in September). The two will trade off as the Cavalier and Snow King both at ECPAC (Dec. 8-10) and again during the more ambitious staging at the Civic Theater (Dec. 15-24).

“We have a pretty good stock of men this year . . .” said director Maxine Mahon. “We also have Steven Hook doing Snow King and one performance as the Cavalier. Denise Dabrowski insisted she wanted to do a Snow Queen (a role she hasn’t danced in years), so she’ll get her chance this time while one of the others is doing Sugar Plum.”

As usual, Cal Ballet’s “Nutcracker” will feature a full complement of company kids as well as the cadre of dancers who perform regularly with the troupe. The Civic Theater run--always more elaborate and technically sophisticated than its ECPAC counterpart, which is a smaller facility--will feature a live orchestra in the pit.

The American Ballet Ensemble got the jump on the “Nutcracker” season during Thanksgiving weekend, with performances in Mexicali, Mexico. The production moves to the Centro Cultural de Tijuana on Dec. 1-2, before winding up at City College for its San Diego run Dec. 8-10, 15-17.

Former Dutch National Ballet dancer Peter Schetters will dance the role of the Cavalier, but otherwise it’s home-grown all the way for this “Nutcracker.” Among the new features in this staging are some scenic accouterments to enhance the decor.

“Our new grant ($26,000) really helped,” said Yourth. “We got some new drops for the snow scene and a few other new things. Our dancers continue to mature and improve, so that’s always changing. We have Christopher MacDougall, 16, doing the Cavalier (in some performances), and he’s really coming along.”

New West Ballet Theatre will mount a “Nutcracker” at El Camino High School’s Truax Performing Arts Center on Dec. 20-23. This staging of the Christmas classic features artistic director Eugenia Keefer (the reigning Sugar Plum in this 10-year-old North County-based production), and Paul Giovinazzo (her Cavalier for the past six years). James Francis, as Herr Drosselmeyer, is another 10-year veteran playing an active role in this incarnation of New West’s Ballet School’s “Nutcracker.”

If you prefer a name-brand “Nutcracker,” you can venture to the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa Dec. 13-17 for the Joffrey Ballet’s lavish production. This version of the holiday bonbon, staged by the company’s late director Robert Joffrey, is set in 19th-Century America, but it retains the fanciful spirit of the ever-popular fairy-tale ballet.

The dance world’s favorite Christmas confection is not the only holiday dance event on the horizon.

Palomar College will say Merry Christmas with a concert that features three different performing groups on the same program. The triptych includes a “Christmas Fantasy,” choreographed by instructor Tom Hansen, and musical selections by the Palomar Community Orchestra and the Palomar Chorale. This festival of music and dance is slated for a three-performance run at Palomar College Theater on Dec. 15-17.

The Palomar dance program presented a series of seasonal vignettes under the “Christmas Fantasy” umbrella in 1987, but, as Hansen explained, at least three of the pieces have been replaced with new choreography for this concert.

“I’m trying to keep everything light because I firmly believe Christmas is for children,” said the former Vegas dance maker. “I’ll be using familiar Christmas music, but I’ve also snuck in a jazzy number.”

The Palomar Community Orchestra, under the baton of Robert Gilson, will begin a concert with a musical interlude that includes Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.” David Chase and his 90-voice Chorale will perform Bush’s “Christmas Cantata,” and the 35-member dance group (composed of students and community kids) will provide the lively finale.”

When the North Coast Ballet School took a step toward professional status by forming the Gilleen Ballet Ensemble recently, it decided to abandon its annual “Nutcracker” in favor of a full-scale production of “La Fille Mal Gardee.”

“Just about everybody does ‘The Nutcracker,’ ” said director Kathleen Gillie. “We think people are tired of it.”

Gillie’s unseasonal alternative is based on Sir Frederick Ashton’s choreography for the 18th-Century classic. “La Fille” will be danced at La Jolla High School’s Parker Auditorium on Dec. 16-17.

Black Mountain Dance Center will celebrate the season with a student recital, titled “Holiday Potpourri of Dance,” at Mt. Carmel High School Theater. The one-night stand, scheduled for a 7 p.m. curtain Dec. 21, will feature works by Misha Morawski, Lani Donohoe, Sylvia Palmer and other members of the school’s faculty.

More happy holiday entertainment for the small-fry set is headed our way, compliments of the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet. A new dance work, dubbed “A Winter Fantasy,” will showcase the youngsters of this Balboa Park-based school at the Casa del Prado on Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

The newly formed Del Mar Theatre Ensemble is geared to young audiences and their parents, but it uses adult performers to create the stage magic.

The troupe’s first Christmas offering will include a theatrical dance interpretation of “Peter and the Wolf” (narrated by local actress Ann Richardson) and other winter stories. A reading of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is also in the holiday grab-bag running through Dec. 20 at the Del Mar Plaza. It opened Nov. 25.

The Yuletide season is traditionally a time for togetherness and family entertainment. The members of the San Diego dance community had that in mind when they conceived this cornucopia of holiday events.