It’s getting close to the winter season and signs of the upcoming holidays are appearing everywhere.

The Christmas trees and decorations are scattered throughout the mall, commercials for irresistible toys have taken over the airwaves and traditional holiday shows are beginning to appear.

This year, one group has found tradition in the untraditional as Co’Motion Dance Theater will be hosting its second performance of “Spiked!,” calling it “Spiked! Again!”

Based on the music of Spike Jones, “‘Spiked! Again!’ is a parody of the traditional ‘Nutcracker’ ballet,” Valerie Williams of Co’Motion Dance Theater said. “It is meant to be comical and irreverent.”

This year’s ballet is named for two reasons. The first is after music arranger Spike Jones. Jones rearranged classical music in a more vaudeville style during the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, Williams said.

“He is full of musical humor, is highly trained and worked with fine performers,” Williams added.

“Again!” is because this is the second year performing the ballet, she continued.

Williams began to coordinate the ballet when the Co’Motion board asked her to do something seasonal. With a little research, Williams soon discovered a Jones children’s arrangement of the Nutcracker from the late ’40s and early ’50s.

“I studied his version but it was too short and sappy,” Williams said. “But I started to look at his other music and I began to come up with some ideas. The ballet is snide and I guess I have a snide sense of humor.”

But her ideas for “Spiked!” did not stop with Jones’s music — she gets ideas from all over.

“I see things and they just strike me one way or another,” Williams said. “Spike Jones is very inspirational and very funny and his music is wacky.”

With a snide sense of humor and wacky music, what can the audience expect?

To begin with, a large cast.

Williams and Co’Motion have also called for the help of other dance performance groups including Kids’ Co’Motion, the Octagon Tappers and Ballroom Dancers combining for a cast of 50 performers.

Some of these performers are cast members from last year’s performance, but what they will do is different.

“I don’t want to give everything away,” Williams said. “But this year’s performance will be different than last year’s.”

In this year’s performance, the mice are more than mice — they are Kung Fu ninja mice, performed by the Shilkaitis Family Martial Arts, and they will win the big battle scene, Williams said.

“Martial arts is between athletics and arts,” Jill Hegland, master instructor of the Shilkaitis Family Martial Arts, said. “It’s good to get together with other artists and see their level and proficiency.

“It gives my students an opportunity to use their ability in a unique situation and to take part of something as a team to see the finished product,” Hegland added.

Beyond Ninja Mice, there will be three Claras this year.

“Everybody wants to be Clara and this was one way to solve that,” Williams said.

“There will be lots of surprises,” she said. “Part of the fun is being surprised and being entertained. People who are hearing this music for the first time will appreciate it.”

“If people know ballet and dance well, they will find the parodies funny,” Williams added. “Even if they don’t — from Ninja Mice to herbicides — there are lots of jokes.”

“Spiked! Again!” will be performing tonight, Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. and in a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. at the Ames City Auditorium, located at the corner of Sixth and Clark Street.

Tickets are $7 for students and $10 general admission and are available at Big Table Books, Stomping Grounds and at the door of the event.