Parents put a pre-historic twist on a Christmas classic

No sugarplum fairies in this version of the Nutcracker!

GREENVILLE, S.C. (KYMA, KECY, KSWT/NBC News) - Dinosaurs and ballet dancers don't have a whole lot in common, but recently some pre-historic predators actually performed part of a beloved holiday favorite.

It happened during a rehearsal of the Nutcracker at the Greenville Ballet in South Carolina.

Young dancers were focusing on their graceful footwork when a herd of tyrannosaurs swooped in a stole the show. The dinosaurs were actually parents dressed up in inflatable T-rex suits.

The dancers' parents thought it would be a good way to calm the girls' nerves ahead of this weekend's big premiere. From the looks on the dancers' faces their plan worked!