Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts, 6172 Garden Grove Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683
About
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts offers singing, dancing, acting, and performance troupes through studio classes, after school programs, and musical theater summer camps. Students can take specific classes such as the Dancely Early Childhood Dance Class, school age performance classes, hip hop, jazz, lyrical dance, acting classes, vocal performance technique, private performance coaching, and participate in children’s theater productions and performance troupes.
• Ages: 2½–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer camps run June 12–July 28 with registration opening January 15, 2023; acting and vocal performance technique meet in six-week sessions, and dance classes run in monthly sessions
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts started in 2016 and offers programs for ages 2½ to 22 at all experience levels. The studio includes audition-only national performance group Dynamix for ages 5–20, Tiny Troupe Performance for ages 2½–5 with open enrollment and no prior experience needed, a non-competitive Glee Club/Performance Troupe with open enrollment, and the Dynamix Competition Performance Troupe with national performances and spring auditions. It also offers private coaching with professionally trained instructors who specialize in preparation for performing arts high school and college auditions and applications.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Vanessa Knowles, Musical Director Katie Majors, Competition Choreographer Abby Kurtz, Competition Coordinator and Executive Assistant Kenzie Riddle, After School Program Director Paige Taylor, and Dance Instructor Essence Florie Jasperse. Vanessa Knowles has experience performing in choirs, theater groups, all-star and college cheerleading teams, college theatre and dance productions, and at Universal Studios and Disneyland, and has trained with The Continental Singers and Young Americans. Katie Majors has worked in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, grew up doing professional musical theater, sang with the Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus, studied private voice under Jan Ritschel, studied voice under Seth Riggs and associates and under James Lugo, worked on a degree in Music Education at Cal State Fullerton, and has been teaching voice for 7 years. Abby Kurtz is a former student of the Young Americans College of Performing Arts, has over thirteen years of dance experience, and has choreographed for many performing arts programs in schools and throughout Orange County. Essence Florie Jasperse holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, a teaching credential in Physical Education, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Teacher Leadership, has extensive training in multiple dance styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and heels, and has been teaching dance for over 10 years.
The studio’s stated mission is to provide quality performance training in a positive, enthusiastic, nurturing, and embracing environment, with an emphasis on teamwork, respect, responsibility, care, compassion, and character on and off the stage, and to inspire each student to be a positive light in the community. The program highlights inclusiveness and diversity, respect, passion and showmanship, community spirit, persistence, commitment, flexibility, and grace, and offers competition teams based on self-love. Dynamix, the national performance group for ages 5–20, has performed at The Rose Bowl, Miracle on Main Street, City of Signal Hill, City of Garden Grove, various festivals, malls, county fairs, fundraising events, The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and in Manhattan, New York.
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts has received multiple awards, including Access Broadway Best Musical Theater Studio in 2020, 2022, and 2023; Musical Theater Competitions of America 1st Place Theatre Revue Winner in 2020; Junior Vocal Group World Champions in 2022; Parenting OC Readers’ Choice in 2022; That’s Entertainment “Bound for Big Things” Award in 2022; selection for 2022 Team USA World Championships of Performing Arts in 2021; the Turn it Around Award in 2021; National Spark Award in 2021; Thunderstruck “Most Entertaining” in 2021; and That’s Entertainment National Diamond Dance Challenge Winners in 2021. In 2021, Executive Director Vanessa Knowles was selected as a Regional Director for Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts.
Parent testimonials describe individual experiences with the program, including comments from parents such as April Smith, Sarah Naccarato, Kristin Blair of Cerritos, CA, and Laury Creyaufmiller of Westminster, CA, about their children’s participation in workshops, music theory camp, Dynamix Performance Troupe, lessons, and theater programs.
Last updated June 22, 2026.
• Ages: 2½–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer camps run June 12–July 28 with registration opening January 15, 2023; acting and vocal performance technique meet in six-week sessions, and dance classes run in monthly sessions
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts started in 2016 and offers programs for ages 2½ to 22 at all experience levels. The studio includes audition-only national performance group Dynamix for ages 5–20, Tiny Troupe Performance for ages 2½–5 with open enrollment and no prior experience needed, a non-competitive Glee Club/Performance Troupe with open enrollment, and the Dynamix Competition Performance Troupe with national performances and spring auditions. It also offers private coaching with professionally trained instructors who specialize in preparation for performing arts high school and college auditions and applications.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Vanessa Knowles, Musical Director Katie Majors, Competition Choreographer Abby Kurtz, Competition Coordinator and Executive Assistant Kenzie Riddle, After School Program Director Paige Taylor, and Dance Instructor Essence Florie Jasperse. Vanessa Knowles has experience performing in choirs, theater groups, all-star and college cheerleading teams, college theatre and dance productions, and at Universal Studios and Disneyland, and has trained with The Continental Singers and Young Americans. Katie Majors has worked in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, grew up doing professional musical theater, sang with the Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus, studied private voice under Jan Ritschel, studied voice under Seth Riggs and associates and under James Lugo, worked on a degree in Music Education at Cal State Fullerton, and has been teaching voice for 7 years. Abby Kurtz is a former student of the Young Americans College of Performing Arts, has over thirteen years of dance experience, and has choreographed for many performing arts programs in schools and throughout Orange County. Essence Florie Jasperse holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, a teaching credential in Physical Education, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Teacher Leadership, has extensive training in multiple dance styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and heels, and has been teaching dance for over 10 years.
The studio’s stated mission is to provide quality performance training in a positive, enthusiastic, nurturing, and embracing environment, with an emphasis on teamwork, respect, responsibility, care, compassion, and character on and off the stage, and to inspire each student to be a positive light in the community. The program highlights inclusiveness and diversity, respect, passion and showmanship, community spirit, persistence, commitment, flexibility, and grace, and offers competition teams based on self-love. Dynamix, the national performance group for ages 5–20, has performed at The Rose Bowl, Miracle on Main Street, City of Signal Hill, City of Garden Grove, various festivals, malls, county fairs, fundraising events, The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and in Manhattan, New York.
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts has received multiple awards, including Access Broadway Best Musical Theater Studio in 2020, 2022, and 2023; Musical Theater Competitions of America 1st Place Theatre Revue Winner in 2020; Junior Vocal Group World Champions in 2022; Parenting OC Readers’ Choice in 2022; That’s Entertainment “Bound for Big Things” Award in 2022; selection for 2022 Team USA World Championships of Performing Arts in 2021; the Turn it Around Award in 2021; National Spark Award in 2021; Thunderstruck “Most Entertaining” in 2021; and That’s Entertainment National Diamond Dance Challenge Winners in 2021. In 2021, Executive Director Vanessa Knowles was selected as a Regional Director for Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts.
Parent testimonials describe individual experiences with the program, including comments from parents such as April Smith, Sarah Naccarato, Kristin Blair of Cerritos, CA, and Laury Creyaufmiller of Westminster, CA, about their children’s participation in workshops, music theory camp, Dynamix Performance Troupe, lessons, and theater programs.
Last updated June 22, 2026.
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