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Middleton School of Dance 3-year-old students and their parents stand on the stage during the dress rehearsal for the annual Christmas program Wednesday at Natchez City Auditorium. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

(Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

(Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Marcie Carlton, John Carlton and Kate Carlton go over their dance routine during the Middleton School of Dance dress rehearsal Wednesday at Natchez City Auditorium. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Matt Malone dances with his daughter, Ellis Malone during the Middleton School of Dance dress rehearsal Wednesday at Natchez City Auditorium. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Ellis Malone collects her candy at the end of the dress rehearsal for the annual Christmas Program Wednesday in Natchez City Auditorium. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — One Natchez teen said this year’s ballet rendition of Twas the Night Before Christmas will be special because she gets to lead the 3-year-old girls in their debut.

Miranda Allen, 18, has been participating in the Middleton School of Dance ballet since she was in the seventh grade. Now a senior at Cathedral School, she is excited for her last performance with this ballet at the Natchez Auditorium today.

“Even though I had never done ballet before, Mrs. Ann (Gaudé) started me with people in my class,” Allen said. “My goal the entire time has been catching up to my class, and now I’m leading the ballet. It is really great.”

While Allen will be featured in multiple dances including several solos, one particularly memorable one will be she and her father, Glynn Allen, leading the 3-year-old girls and their parents in a dance.

“Me and my dad are out front — it’s going to be real special dancing with my dad,” she said. “But the little girls, they are always right behind me looking up at what to do. Watching them is so cute.”

Gaudé, the ballet’s director, said every year the 3 year olds ask to participate, and this year she decided to give them the opportunity in a mommy-daddy dance.

“They have done a fantastic job,” she said. “It has been real rewarding working with them.

“We have some other surprises in the ballet, as well. You have to keep things fresh and alive.”

Reeve and Katie Gibson of Natchez, said their daughter Lola, 3, loves it.

“She loves to be a ballerina,” Reeve said. “She has always watched her bigger sister (Zoie, 6) and wanted to do what she did. Now she can.”

Heather Malone of Vidalia said Ellis, 4, enjoys getting to dance with her parents.

“She finds her perfect Christmas gift when she finds her dad Matt under a bag,” Malone said.

“And she acts surprised every time,” Matt said. “It’s a great program.”

Gaudé said she hopes to see a packed house tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door, which opens at 6:15 p.m.

“A lot of people tell me this is how they start Christmas off — the children get them into the holiday spirit,” she said. “It has become a Christmas tradition.”

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