This feature highlights the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (T.U.P.A.C.) and its mission to provide world-class classical arts education to “marginalized and BIPOC youth”. The narrative centers on the "Urban Nutcracker," a signature production that reimagines the traditional ballet within the setting of 1980s Tacoma, featuring guest artists from the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Pacific Northwest Ballet, alongside students and parent volunteers. Beyond the stage, the piece explores how a rigorous arts education builds the "tolerance for concentration, necessary for academic and professional success”.