In a little theatre on the shore side of Worthing Pier, something magical happened on Friday. On stage, the Vienna Festival Ballet danced Hoffmann's fairytale of dolls and sweets coming to life: off stage, the capacity audience felt themselves caught up in Christmas celebration, moved by the children who seemed to float and touched by Tchaikovsky's score.

Forgotten was the wet autumn night in Worthing: for just one evening, we were in fairyland. However familiar The Nutcracker music may be, from either Fantasia or Fruit And Nut advertisements, it still mysteriously evokes sugar plum fairies, waltzing flowers - and Christmas.

Founded more than 30 years ago by the celebrated Austrian dancer Peter Mallek, the Vienna Festival Ballet aims to present classical dance in smaller venues around England and Europe. Most of the dancers are English (or Scottish) and seem to have been selected expressly to make their performances both accessible and exuberant.

Perhaps the modern choreography by Sheila Styles helped, or perhaps it was simply the joy of communicating through dance in a much more simple and immediate fashion than usually associated with classical ballet. Principals Melanie Cox, Richard Hackett, Anita Bradshaw, Joel Colmenero and Joseph Mackie Graves were outstanding: athletic, balletic and sympathetic actors with a sense of humour. Georgina Rose Connolly is made of elastic.

Dancing to recorded music is never ideal but it's cheaper, and it brings ballet to a wider audience and smaller theatres. Magic.