Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Oak Street Performing Arts Co.'s first show is a diverse community effort that will be worth the ticket price.

The dance showcase, called "Jolly Holidays," features about 70 performers from ages 5 to 50 dancing and performing a variety of works.

"My idea was to give the town something different, instead of the normal dance production Christmas show," Heidi Meshurel-Jolly said.

Meshurel-Jolly is the owner and artistic director of the Oak Street Performing Arts Co. She explained the production, which opens today and runs through the weekend, encompasses a variety of dance routines, such as Rockette-style dance, ballet and Celtic, as well as choral singing.

"It's basically a revue of different Christmas traditions," Meshurel-Jolly said.

It's also a huge community effort, with dancers, singers, musicians and crew from all segments of the community involved in the production.

This is the first large show that Meshurel-Jolly has solely organized, which she admitted is a little overwhelming, but exciting.

The plan for the Oak Street Performing Arts Co. is to provide a Christmas program every other year in Steamboat Springs. On the off years, she would put on a dance showcase in October.

The company is a nonprofit organization, started under the umbrella of the Northwest Ballet Co., which Meshurel-Jolly also owns.

She took over the company about a year and a half ago after considering retiring from dance.

"I thought this would be a great opportunity to pass on knowledge," she said.

Jolly has been performing for 27 years, including nine years dancing for "Disney's Beauty and the Beast."

The nonprofit organization allows her to bring in guest instructors and give students an opportunity to earn dance scholarships.

Proceeds from "Jolly Holidays" will go into a scholarship fund.