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, studio classes, and performance troupes, including school-age performance classes and children’s theater productions. Students can take dance classes such as hip hop, jazz, lyrical, and the Dancely Early Childhood Dance Class, as well as acting classes, musical theater workshops, and vocal performance technique. The program also offers private performance coaching, after school programs, summer camps, and a Music Theory Camp.
• Ages: 2½–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer camps run June 12–July 28 with registration opening January 15, 2023; acting and vocal performance technique are six-week sessions; dance classes run in monthly sessions; Dancely Early Childhood Dance Class is offered as drop-in classes.
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts started in 2016 and describes itself as a premier performing arts studio focused on singing, acting, and dancing. Its mission states that it provides quality performance training in a positive, enthusiastic, nurturing, and embracing environment, emphasizes character on and off the stage, and lists core life skills such as teamwork, respect, responsibility, care, and compassion. The studio’s core values include inclusiveness and diversity, respect, passion and showmanship, community spirit, persistence, commitment, flexibility, and grace, and it states that it emphasizes fun and the power of performance.
The program offers performance troupes at several levels, including Tiny Troupe, Glee Club/Performance Troupe, and the Dynamix Competition Performance Troupe. Tiny Troupe has open enrollment for ages 2½–5 and does not require prior experience, while Glee Club/Performance Troupe is non-competitive with open enrollment for ages 5 and up. Dynamix is an audition-only national performance group for ages 5–20, with subgroups Petites (ages 4–6), Minis (ages 6–9), Juniors (ages 9–12), Teens (ages 12–14), and Seniors (ages 14 and up), and auditions are held in spring. The studio notes that ages 2½ to 22 are welcome at all levels, that its competition teams are based on self-love and celebration of each student’s abilities and talents, and that it offers private coaching specializing in performing arts high school and college auditions and application preparation.
The leadership team includes Executive Director and owner 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 amusement parks including Universal Studios and Disneyland; she has trained with The Continental Singers and Young Americans, participated in performance tours throughout the United States and Mexico, was selected in 2021 as a Regional Director for Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts, and combined studies in Early Childhood Education, Sociology, Psychology, and Theatre Arts Education. Musical Director Katie Majors has worked as a vocal teacher in Los Angeles and Orange County, grew up doing professional musical theater, sang with the Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus under conductors Carl St. Clair and John Alexander, studied private voice with Jan Ritschel, studied voice under Seth Riggs and associates and under James Lugo, worked on a Music Education degree at Cal State Fullerton, has taught voice for 7 years, trains many students from APA and OSHA, coaches vocalists in the OC and LA music scene including the lead singer of The Devious Means and the winner of The Voice of Signal Hill, and music directs for high schools and theater companies in Orange County. Competition Choreographer Abby Kurtz is a former student of the Young Americans College of Performing Arts, taught performance arts workshops throughout the US and Japan, has over thirteen years of dance experience, has choreographed for many performing arts programs in schools and throughout Orange County, joined the Free to Be team in 2019, and teaches adults how to use dance and movement as a healing modality. Competition Coordinator and Executive Assistant Kenzie Riddle graduated in 2020 from the Academy of Performing Arts, is pursuing a degree in Nursing, has performed in many community theatre productions, and is a member of Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts. After School Program Director Paige Taylor holds a BA in Theatre Arts with a directing emphasis from Cal State Fullerton and has spent over 5 years with Free To Be Me Performing Arts Academy directing youth troupes and running after school programs through Los Alamitos Educational Foundation. Dance Instructor Essence Florie Jasperse holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine from California Lutheran University, a teaching credential in Physical Education, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Teacher Leadership; she has extensive training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and heels, has been teaching dance for over 10 years, has trained and choreographed for dancers and recording artists in Los Angeles including Evan Craft, Djoir Jordan, and Juliet Piper, and has performed and choreographed on tours in South America and the Middle East.
The studio lists multiple awards and recognitions, 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 winners in 2021; Thunderstruck Most Entertaining in 2021; and That’s Entertainment National Diamond Dance Challenge Winners in 2021. Dynamix Team USA is listed as 2022 World Champions. The studio describes itself as an award-winning studio with multiple national and regional recognitions.
Dynamix, the national performance group, has performed at The Rose Bowl, Miracle on Main Street, events for the City of Signal Hill and City of Garden Grove, festivals, malls, county fairs, fundraising events, The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and in Manhattan, New York. The studio states that it aims to inspire each student to be a positive light out in the community.
Parent testimonials describe individual experiences with the program. One parent, April Smith, states that through workshops with Vanessa, her daughter has grown in understanding how to work with a diverse group of people, how to turn a negative into a positive, and that hard work pays off. Another parent, Sarah Naccarato, reports that after Music Theory Camp and joining the Dynamix Performance Troupe, her 10-year-old son began playing drums, learning piano, and taking voice lessons, and that he looks forward to lessons, performances, and friends at Free to Be Me. Kristin Blair from Cerritos, CA, states that over the years Vanessa has encouraged her daughter to find her inner voice, to grow from rejections, and to strive to be her best, and calls Vanessa an inspiring leader and role model. Laury Creyaufmiller from Westminster, CA, states that Vanessa understands how to move children to the next level while providing opportunities to shine, and describes her son as a better singer, actor, and person, noting that “her theater kids are family” who support one another and are held accountable for doing the work.
Last updated March 24, 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 are six-week sessions; dance classes run in monthly sessions; Dancely Early Childhood Dance Class is offered as drop-in classes.
Free to Be Me Studio of Performing Arts started in 2016 and describes itself as a premier performing arts studio focused on singing, acting, and dancing. Its mission states that it provides quality performance training in a positive, enthusiastic, nurturing, and embracing environment, emphasizes character on and off the stage, and lists core life skills such as teamwork, respect, responsibility, care, and compassion. The studio’s core values include inclusiveness and diversity, respect, passion and showmanship, community spirit, persistence, commitment, flexibility, and grace, and it states that it emphasizes fun and the power of performance.
The program offers performance troupes at several levels, including Tiny Troupe, Glee Club/Performance Troupe, and the Dynamix Competition Performance Troupe. Tiny Troupe has open enrollment for ages 2½–5 and does not require prior experience, while Glee Club/Performance Troupe is non-competitive with open enrollment for ages 5 and up. Dynamix is an audition-only national performance group for ages 5–20, with subgroups Petites (ages 4–6), Minis (ages 6–9), Juniors (ages 9–12), Teens (ages 12–14), and Seniors (ages 14 and up), and auditions are held in spring. The studio notes that ages 2½ to 22 are welcome at all levels, that its competition teams are based on self-love and celebration of each student’s abilities and talents, and that it offers private coaching specializing in performing arts high school and college auditions and application preparation.
The leadership team includes Executive Director and owner 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 amusement parks including Universal Studios and Disneyland; she has trained with The Continental Singers and Young Americans, participated in performance tours throughout the United States and Mexico, was selected in 2021 as a Regional Director for Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts, and combined studies in Early Childhood Education, Sociology, Psychology, and Theatre Arts Education. Musical Director Katie Majors has worked as a vocal teacher in Los Angeles and Orange County, grew up doing professional musical theater, sang with the Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus under conductors Carl St. Clair and John Alexander, studied private voice with Jan Ritschel, studied voice under Seth Riggs and associates and under James Lugo, worked on a Music Education degree at Cal State Fullerton, has taught voice for 7 years, trains many students from APA and OSHA, coaches vocalists in the OC and LA music scene including the lead singer of The Devious Means and the winner of The Voice of Signal Hill, and music directs for high schools and theater companies in Orange County. Competition Choreographer Abby Kurtz is a former student of the Young Americans College of Performing Arts, taught performance arts workshops throughout the US and Japan, has over thirteen years of dance experience, has choreographed for many performing arts programs in schools and throughout Orange County, joined the Free to Be team in 2019, and teaches adults how to use dance and movement as a healing modality. Competition Coordinator and Executive Assistant Kenzie Riddle graduated in 2020 from the Academy of Performing Arts, is pursuing a degree in Nursing, has performed in many community theatre productions, and is a member of Team USA for the World Championships of Performing Arts. After School Program Director Paige Taylor holds a BA in Theatre Arts with a directing emphasis from Cal State Fullerton and has spent over 5 years with Free To Be Me Performing Arts Academy directing youth troupes and running after school programs through Los Alamitos Educational Foundation. Dance Instructor Essence Florie Jasperse holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine from California Lutheran University, a teaching credential in Physical Education, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Teacher Leadership; she has extensive training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and heels, has been teaching dance for over 10 years, has trained and choreographed for dancers and recording artists in Los Angeles including Evan Craft, Djoir Jordan, and Juliet Piper, and has performed and choreographed on tours in South America and the Middle East.
The studio lists multiple awards and recognitions, 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 winners in 2021; Thunderstruck Most Entertaining in 2021; and That’s Entertainment National Diamond Dance Challenge Winners in 2021. Dynamix Team USA is listed as 2022 World Champions. The studio describes itself as an award-winning studio with multiple national and regional recognitions.
Dynamix, the national performance group, has performed at The Rose Bowl, Miracle on Main Street, events for the City of Signal Hill and City of Garden Grove, festivals, malls, county fairs, fundraising events, The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and in Manhattan, New York. The studio states that it aims to inspire each student to be a positive light out in the community.
Parent testimonials describe individual experiences with the program. One parent, April Smith, states that through workshops with Vanessa, her daughter has grown in understanding how to work with a diverse group of people, how to turn a negative into a positive, and that hard work pays off. Another parent, Sarah Naccarato, reports that after Music Theory Camp and joining the Dynamix Performance Troupe, her 10-year-old son began playing drums, learning piano, and taking voice lessons, and that he looks forward to lessons, performances, and friends at Free to Be Me. Kristin Blair from Cerritos, CA, states that over the years Vanessa has encouraged her daughter to find her inner voice, to grow from rejections, and to strive to be her best, and calls Vanessa an inspiring leader and role model. Laury Creyaufmiller from Westminster, CA, states that Vanessa understands how to move children to the next level while providing opportunities to shine, and describes her son as a better singer, actor, and person, noting that “her theater kids are family” who support one another and are held accountable for doing the work.
Last updated March 24, 2026.
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