Clare Hoffman is a ballerina on the rise. Or she was, until an injury forced her to watch from the wings and stripped her of the coveted role of Snow Queen in the company's annual production of The Nutcracker. The only advantage to her position as Stage Manager is that she gets to watch Ian Simard dance every night. And though her foot has mended, she secretly fears she'll never be able to trust a partner ever again, and ballerinas must partner if they want the best roles. But an unusual mouse attack allows her to save the company's Nutcracker Prince, and in the process, she just may save herself.