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Give Your Art: Instead of simply buying things, here's how you can help the arts for the holidays through memberships and volunteering.

War Children: Betsy Blakeslee uses art to heal the children of Bosnia.

Class Cut-Ups: Collage and assemblage artists win new respect for their work.

Hard Nut to Crack: Bay Area dance companies search for new ways to present the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker."

Dances With Songs: Choreographer Michael Smuin carves out a niche on stage and screen.

En Guarde!: The Academy of the Sword teaches actors the art of onstage swashbuckling and fisticuffs.

Tea for Two: Finding spots for afternoon tea by the Bay, not the Thames.

No Handel for Them: The New Century Chamber Orchestra eschews holiday standards in favor of new work this December.