The Studio of Performing Arts often known as SOPA is located at 116 W Branch Street in the Village of Arroyo Grande. We offer beginning through advanced level classes for all ages in jazz, tap, ballet, modern, hip hop, and drama. We now offer a Saturday morning tumbling program for children ages 3-7 and started the 5 Cities Youth Performance Choir in January of 08. Our students are offered many performance opportunities throughout the year, including an annual recital in July and a holiday show called “A Night Before Christmas” in December. The studio also has several competition groups that compete twice a year.
The drama department puts on 1-2 musical theater productions per year that all of our students have the opportunity to audition for. Past musical productions include, CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, Westside Story, Annie, and more. Click on the “Upcoming Performances” link above to view what’s coming up next. Our large scale productions are held at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande and our smaller scale shows are held in house, at the “Black Box Studio Theater.”
BIG NEWS! Congratulations to SOPA Competition Group Dancers on doing a fabulous job at this years competitions. The groups won 2 platinums, several high gold, gold and silver medals. Aria Miller won the award for best performer at the Co. Dance Competition. The tap trio of Blue Note Boogie won a best overall. Recently, this same trio won 1st place in a local talent competition and will be traveling to northern California for the state finals in June.
We’d like to say congratulations to some of our amazing student teachers as well. Kendra Pearson was accepted to the summer intensive programs at both State Street Ballet in Santa Barbara and Ballet Hispanico in New York. Ballet Hispanico also gave Kendra a $600 scholarship. She will be traveling to NYC this summer with the hope of joining the student company at the end of the program. Kati Schell was accepted to Disney College. She will be moving to Anaheim this summer to take college course through Disney while gaining work experience from them as well. Taylor Murphy was one of a select few students accepted into the UCLA Drama department. Randyn Spear and Nikki Pena will be moving to LA next fall to pursue careers in dance. SOPA would like to wish all our soon to be traveling student teachers the best of luck in following their dreams!
It is the goal of the instructors at the studio to give the students as many opportunities to pursue their art as possible. You will see us performing regularly in the Village during the Harvest Festival, the Strawberry Festival, and many other local events. During the holidays, we take our show on the road and travel to local rest homes to share music and dance with those who may not be able to travel to the theater.
Shannon Lowrie, owner and director of the studio since 2000 has recruited a multi-talented staff of professionals to teach, guide and motivate our students to follow their dreams.
OUR MISSION
The Studio of Performing Arts is here to motivate people to explore their talents, create new ones, and us those talents to entertain themselves as well as others. Through our instruction and performances we strive to inspire art as an expression through discipline, dedication and most of all passion!
The Studio of Performing Arts often known as SOPA is located at 116 W Branch Street in the Village of Arroyo Grande. We offer beginning through advanced level classes for all ages in jazz, tap, ballet, modern, hip hop, and drama. We now offer a Saturday morning tumbling program for children ages 3-7 and started the 5 Cities Youth Performance Choir in January of 08. Our students are offered many performance opportunities throughout the year, including an annual recital in July and a holiday show called “A Night Before Christmas” in December. The studio also has several competition groups that compete twice a year.
The Studio of Performing Arts is here to motivate people to explore their talents, create new ones, and us those talents to entertain themselves as well as others. Through our instruction and performances we strive to inspire art as an expression through discipline, dedication and most of all passion!