The 2026 Spring Spectacular “Turn Up the Music” at the Mesquite Community Theatre on April 10 and 11 raised the bar with its musical diversity, choreography and dance. 

The Friday afternoon audience seemed to love the new format. Each team stepped up its game and livened up the stage with energy.

Mesquite resident Sherri Smith and her friend from Utah, Lori Denn, said for the past five years they have timed Denn’s visit to coincide with the two annual Mesquite Toes performances. “I liked the variety of the dances and the guest performances. My favorite is Masquerade; it was so different,” Denn said. “If I lived in Mesquite, I would join them in a minute. I loved the jazz numbers and the bell choir.”

Attendee Dave Domovic told the Progress, “I really liked the different format. It’s a good improvement, and the bell choir was beautiful.”

The Belltones’ five-person handbell ensemble was very impressive. Their rendition of “Danny Boy” made more than a few misty-eyed. 

Other guest performers were John Morwig and Marsha Swider, with lively ballroom dancing. The Jumping Fleas ukulele group clearly loves what they do, and crooner Cary Philip brings back memories. There was a beautiful solo by young dancer Mya Mangus, a relative of a troupe member.

Loveable Emcee Pericles Rellas kept everyone amused in between acts. Jane Lambert, spring show director, instructor and choreographer, said, “Pericles’ mother used to dance with the Toes, and she emceed for quite a while. He took over for her, and we love him; each of us feels like he is a member of our family.” 

The Mesquite Toes were formed in 2003 by the late Viki Eckman, and the group became the dancing ambassadors for the city of Mesquite, performing on cruise ships and in other cities. The dancers continue the traditions set by Eckman. 

Performer Russ Westwood, cowboy poet, reminded the audience that his wife, Marge, is the only original dancer left in the group. She’s been dancing for 23 years.

Cherie Kempe has been president of the troupe for the past four years, with two more to go. She said, “I see my position as president as a way to ensure the smooth operation of the Toes and to have adequate revenue to fulfill our mission of performing at our shows and also donating to our community whenever possible. Our mission is to not only perform for our community but to give back as well, and we do so by donating part of the proceeds from our Christmas show each year to local charities. In addition, we perform and assist at community events, such as Shreek-Reeka, the Veterans Day parade, the Parade of Lights, First Friday, etc.” Kempe took dance lessons from age three through high school. She came back to dancing in 2011 and joined the Toes in 2017. “I can’t imagine life without dancing and the Toes!” she said. 

Carol Harris has been dancing with the Toes since 2011. She said, “Dancing was my childhood dream, thanks to Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson’s performances with Shirley Temple in four of her movies. I took some tap and jazz classes in my 40s but didn’t keep it up. I kept my tap shoes, though, and they are shoes I wore when I joined the Toes. I love that we are not solely invested in maintaining/enhancing our personal mental and physical health but that we also focus on giving back to the Mesquite community through our volunteer activities. I strongly believe that the Mesquite Toes Dance Troupe is a vibrant, enjoyable way to engage in a learning process that is beneficial to our brains while enjoying camaraderie of like-minded individuals with a focus on giving back to our community.”

The costumes everyone loves to see were coordinated by Jud Mae Kramer. Kempe said, “Almost all of our costumes have been purchased. Many of the accessories, however — headpieces, gloves, etc. — have been designed and assembled by Toes members. We spend anywhere from $500 to $1,500 per year on costumes, and we have three storage units full of costumes, in addition to a large storage closet at our studio. We do reuse costumes from time to time, which is why we need to have such a large inventory.” 

“The goal for the Toes is to continue reaching out to the community and try to get as many people involved in this fun, worthwhile organization. If someone is hesitant about dancing in front of an audience, they can still join to learn dancing skills and be a non-performer. Many of our current dancers did just that. Also, we are an inclusive group and welcome anyone to join — women and men! Even if people haven’t danced before, or don’t want to perform, the Toes has a place for everyone,” stated Kempe. “We are a 501 © 3 nonprofit adult dance troupe.”

Many retired dance instructors are now sharing their expertise with the Mesquite Toes Dance Troupe. Their studio is located at 190 E. Mesquite Blvd., Unit C. (next to Valley Curls). If you are interested in the beginning summer classes, call Mary at 603-858-0194 or contact Cherie10@gmail.com.