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Big-city U.S. ballet companies are bypassing Orange County this holiday season. But one troupe is coming all the way from China to deliver our yearly “Nutcracker” sugarplums.

The Classical Ballet of Guangzhou--trained, as all Chinese ballet companies, in rigorous traditional Russian style--will present a new “Nutcracker” production, Dec. 11-12 at Valley High School Auditorium in Santa Ana.

But don’t worry. If you miss it, there will be plenty of local schools and companies to provide the usual rush as the Christmas tree in Clara’s living room magically blooms to one of Tchaikovsky’s most soaring melodies, and Clara and her Nutcracker Prince set off to discover the sweet delights of Candyland.

At this time of year, who can resist?

Get in the holiday spirit with this guide to local presentations of “Nutcracker,” or try two alternatives to the classic at the end of the list:

* Friday and Saturday and Dec. 12: Orange-based Ballet Unlimited will mount a production with an estimated 70 Orange County dancers, ages 4 to adult. Guest soloists will be principal dancer Kaori Nakamura and soloist Seth Belliston, both of Pacific Northwest Ballet. But they will dance in the November performances only.

Dates and times: Friday and Saturday and Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Dec. 12 at 2:30 p.m. Fullerton College Campus Theatre, 321 Chapman Ave., Fullerton. $15. (714) 639-8525.

* Friday: The Golden State Ballet Company will present its second annual production of the holiday favorite at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the Artists Theater, 625 Park Ave., Laguna Beach. $10 for matinee; $12 for the evening. (949) 586-5422.

* Dec. 4: Festival Ballet Theatre will dance at 8 p.m. at Carpenter Center, Cal State Long Beach, 6200 Atherton St. $16-$20. (562) 985-7000.

Festival Ballet Theatre was formed in 1988 to showcase the talents of rising, young community dancers. Trained in the Russian Vaganova method, the company is directed by Salwa Rizkalla.

If you miss this date, you can catch the production--enlisting 125 dancers, from 8 to 60--on Dec. 10-12 at Orange Coast College (see below).

* Dec. 9-12: Anaheim Ballet will dance Dec. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m., Dec. 11 at 3 and 8 p.m. and Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. at McKinney Theatre, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. $11-$15. (949) 582-4656.

* Dec. 10-12: Festival Ballet Theatre performs Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., Dec. 11 at 2 and 7 p.m., Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. at Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. $14-$18. (714) 432-5880.

* Dec. 10-24: Ballet Repertory will dance Dec. 10, 12, 17, 21, 22 and 23 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 11 and 18 at 2 and 8 p.m.; Dec. 12 and 19 at 2 p.m.; Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. at Golden West College, 15744 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach. $11.50-$12.50. (714) 895-8150.

The company, now in its 22nd year in Huntington Beach, will mount a production with a cast of 150-200 dancers, ranging from 5 years old to 30. Anthony Sellars is the choreographer.

* Dec. 10-24: Ballet Pacifica will dance Dec. 10-23 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 11-24 at 2:30 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. $15-$19. (949) 851-9930.

Orange County’s oldest ballet company--it was founded in Laguna Beach in 1962--will mount its annual production which this year includes a cast of 150 Southland children and dancers.

* Dec. 11-12: The Classical Ballet of Guangzhou arrives in its first U.S. engagement dancing “Nutcracker” Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 12 at 2 and 7 p.m. at Valley High School Auditorium, 1801 S. Greenville St., Santa Ana. $10-$26 (children); $15-$36 (adults). (562) 290-0323.

David Wilcox, the founding director of Los Angeles Classical Ballet, is the choreographer of this new production. He was invited to create it for the Chinese company by artistic director Dan Dan Zhang. Orange County’s own Roger Hickman will conduct the Four Seasons Symphony in Tchaikovsky’s beloved score.

* Dec. 17-19: Nouveau Chamber Ballet will dance Dec. 17 and 18 at 8 p.m., and Dec. 18 and 19 at 2 p.m. at the Fullerton College Campus Theatre, 201 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton. $12-$15. (714) 871-8101.

* Dec. 18-19: Laguna Ballet will dance Dec. 18 at 2 and 7 p.m. and Dec. 19 at 2 and 6 p.m. at the Laguna Artist’s Theatre, 625 Park Ave., Laguna Beach. $13 for children; $15 for adults and seniors. (949) 855-0331.

This junior ballet company will present a cast of more than 90 local dancers.

For a change of pace from “Nutcracker,” consider these two alternatives:

* Dec. 18-19: Costa Mesa-based Ballet Montmartre will dance an original adaptation of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 19th at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Auditorium at Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange. $12.50 for adults; $10 for children. (714) 241-7424.

Company artistic director Stela Irorica, a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Romania, has choreographed the work. George Martinovich is the composer of the original score, which was orchestrated by Brent Neumeyer, the company’s musical director.

* Dec. 20: American Ballet Theatre’s new production of “Le Corsaire,” filmed in Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa in February, will be broadcast on KCET-TV Channel 28 at 9 p.m. and on Jan. 1 at 9 p.m. on KOCE-TV Channel 50.

Principal dancers include Julie Kent as Medora, Paloma Herrera as her friend Gulnare and Ethan Stiefel as the pirate Conrad. Other important roles include Ali the slave, danced by Angel Corella, and Lankendem, the bazaar owner, danced by Vladimir Malakhov. The Pacific Symphony is conducted by Ermanno Florio.