Little Martina loves to dance She leaps in the grocery aisles, shimmies in the park, and pli s in her kindergarten classroom. Each week, she attends ballet and sets her spirit free. The music fills her with great joy, and she dances to her heart's content--but she doesn't listen to her teacher. Martina just does whatever she wants to do instead.

Her lack of discipline inspires her parents to take her to a ballet performance so that she can see the hard work of a real ballerina. She does learn a few things at the show, but Martina is still a wild thing at the barre. When the director of the Nouvelle Ballet Troupe comes to Martina's class in search of a young ballet dancer with promise, Martina is thrilled.

The director needs a young lady to be featured in The Nutcracker, so at the audition, Martina gives it her all--but she still won't listen. Martina must learn the hard way that ballerinas are calm, poised, and good at taking instruction. Will little Martina achieve her dream of making it onstage or will a difficult lesson and a setback make her want to give up?