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While it may not have been something he envisioned doing at 40 years old, Joe Laver is completing the twists, turns, jumps and synchronized dance steps "The Nutcracker" ballet production requires.

The Newberry resident is not alone in his second year involved with the Williamsport Civic Ballet's "The Nutcracker" that's set to hit the Community Arts Center's stage at 7 p.m. Dec. 5.

In fact, Laver is among several fathers of the actors involved in the play who are casting aside otherwise masculine gear to slip into the form-fitting costumes to leap and frolic across the stage for a musically- bonding experience with their children.

For most them, they're gaining an appreciation for the moves their children pick up so easily, and enduring the muscle aches of rehearsals and the pointed, light-hearted jeers of their co-workers and friends.

"None of us are doing anything too elaborate," said Ray Cerezo of Selinsgrove with a laugh. "Most of us are confined to the party scene. We're out there for several minutes, but it takes quite a bit of time to learn what you're doing just for those few minutes out there."

Cerezo, who is also participating for the second year in a row alongside his wife Janet and two children John and Jolee, said he is amazed at how much work can go into just 30 seconds of a performance.

"I'm not really much of a dance person," he said, adding he was always uncoordinated growing up, and his admiration has grown seeing his and the other children's ability to pick up the dance moves so easily.

"It was kind of scary actually," he said of his decision to join the play's cast, "because I'm not really any kind of a dancer. I kind of have two left feet."

Williamsport resident David Montis is joining his daughters Gwynneth and Tara in the play.

"It's going great," Montis said. "I'm having a great time."

Montis comes to the play with a slight advantage, as he said he has previously taken some dance instruction lessons and participated in theater productions in the past.

However, Montis said he meets some difficulty with dance moves he hasn't encountered before.

"The strenuous moves during the fight scenes, and after about a five-minute fight scene, it feels like you've been exercising for about an hour," he said.

Despite that, he said he's having a great time getting to spend time with his daughters during rehearsals.

Robert Bond, who has been involved with the production for three years, said he comes to "The Nutcracker" with some ballet experience that he had been taking with his son Ian for a few years.

"There's a lot of jumping involved," Bond said of his character, a father of one of the families. "That's the hardest thing for me, because it's pretty fast and takes a lot of practice for me, compared to the young kids who pick it up right away."

Bond said his son and wife Brenda think his participation is great.

"I'm there with my family, and they're glad I do it," he added.

The men have been rehearsing for the play for a few hours a week since September, they said, beneath the direction of Alicia Little, daughter of a Thomas Enterline who owns and operates the Williamsport Civic Ballet at the Pajama Factory.

Enterline, who helps with his daughter's instruction, said with a laugh he finds the men harder to train than the kids.

"It's funny," he added. "They don't do things the same way the kids do, because most of them don't take class. They're older and they hurt easier, but their kids are having a ball."

Enterline said the men learn fundamental ballet steps to make them maneuver around the stage without appearing awkward.

"They're willing to stand there and do it until it works," he said of their work ethic. "You have to repeat it many times, but once they have it, it's there."

Laver said a few of the fathers also take some brush-up ballet courses through the week.

"While it's something to do with our kids," he said, "we respect the fact that we have to do it appropriately. We all take that responsibility to get it correct."