Local Dance Studio Joins Beloved Tri-City Parade And Premieres Original Holiday Production In Fremont

FREMONT, CA — Bellissimo Dance Co., a women-led, community-centered dance studio, is celebrating the holidays with two major events, appearing in the Niles Festival of Lights Parade on Friday and the premiere of its original holiday production on Dec. 14.

Bellissimo Dance Co., co-founded this past summer by Fremont natives and friends Nicole Pagán and Jessica Jimenez, is now gearing up for what will be its largest community celebration to date this season.

Bellissimo will be among more than 60 floats, performers and community groups participating in in the Niles Festival of Lights Parade. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m., immediately following the 6 p.m. tree lighting. Bellissimo dancers are set to perform original choreography along the parade route, marking their first holiday season as a vibrant part of Niles' artistic and cultural community.

“Being in this parade means so much to our studio and to me personally,” Pagán told Patch. “I’ve attended the Niles Festival of Lights Parade my entire life — it’s one of my favorite Fremont traditions. To now return not just as a spectator but with our dancers, contributing to the magic I grew up loving, is incredibly emotional and special.”

Transport back to the playful disco decade of the 1970s with Bellissimo’s 2025 production, “A Vibey Holiday,” on Dec. 14. Evoking warm holiday nostalgia, the performance will have two shows at the Fremont Veterans Memorial Building Veterans Hall at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. .

The production will feature a 1970s holiday theme with hit songs, speaking roles for youth and adults cast through auditions, over 90 performers, from toddlers to adults, and extensive parent volunteer support for costumes, sets, props and backstage needs.

“Our dancers and families are pouring their hearts into this production,” Jimenez told Patch. “For us, this show is about bringing creativity and connection to the Niles community in a way that feels joyful, nostalgic, and totally our own. It’s a chance for families here to experience something unique together — you won’t find another holiday performance in the Bay Area quite like it.”

Tickets will be available beginning in early December.

Bellissimo Dance Co. offers inclusive year-round instruction for all ages. The studio offers youth camps, intensives, and master classes in a nurturing environment focused on creativity, community, technical training, and individual expression, the owners told Patch.