When her niece is cast in The Philadelphia Ballet's production of the Nutcracker, a jaded ex-ballerina is forced to come to terms with the life and love she left behind.

Rising ballet star takes provincial talent Lily under his wing and they become a happy lover couple, until he agrees she should cancel her first star role due to her sister's tragic accident as her family expects. She resigns and moves back to her home town, as surrogate mother to orphaned niece Sadie, who probes no less gifted at ballet. An audition brings them to Philadelphia, where Mark is now choreographer. Lily still hides her dancing past for the mothers and holds back in reconnecting with Mark, but things have their course, with a star dancer's accident working out for them.—KGF Vissers