California Academy of Performing Arts, (CAPA) is located in Moraga, California, in San Francisco’s East Bay. Joan Borchers founded CAPA in 1981. Joan is the co-owner with her husband Doyle. She is also the Artistic Director and still teaches and choreographs at the age of 70!
According to Joan, they are not a competition school but produce a huge number of dancers who go on to ABT, Broadway, Julliard, Tisch, etc. They teach art rather than focusing on tricks. CAPA’a motto has always been to teach life skills through dance. They have nearly 450 students taking a total of nearly 1,700 dance hours per week, with a team of 14 professional teachers. They focus on classical ballet, contemporary, musical theater, jazz, tap, pre-school classes and even some hip hop. Their dancers make CAPA their second home and remain lifelong friends.
Joan believes that CAPA stands out from other studios because they made the choice not to participate in competitions. They have two tracks their students can take: They have regular dance technique classes, but also 9 Ensembles and 9 Ballet Companies that sign annual contracts regarding behavior, attendance, wholesome appearance, no bullying, no tattoos, bunable hair, etc. these groups have very specific requirements in terms of what classes they are required to take. Virtually all their grads are honor students and go on to prestigious colleges and universities such as Julliard, Tisch, Princeton, Berkeley, and UCLA. Then many go on to professional performing careers. Their staff is made up of the finest professionals in the Bay Area.
Joan has had two proudest moments coaching. One occurred when one of her students, Kate Lydon, who had danced with San Francisco Ballet and ABT, was named the director of the Studio Company at ABT. The second occurred when their very first Fritz in their annual Nutcracker, Bryce Pinkham, was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder.
In Joan’s opinion, the biggest mistakes she sees dancers make is not giving 110% all the time, bent knees, unpointed feet, either not turning out or forcing turnout. Not working on developing core strength . . . and her biggest peeve – not getting into the character and telling the story.
Her goals for this year are to help the students to be more responsible about remembering choreography and taking care of their costumes and possessions, and possibly adding a fifth dance room and more costume storage.
Joan had danced all her life and earned her Equity card when she was just 13. In college, she had majored in journalism and was working as a television newsperson when she found she just couldn’t be a good mom and do that at the same time because she lacked a support system. So, she started teaching just a few dance classes here and there, and the demand grew so quickly that she decided to open her own dance school in 1981.
CAPA puts on six full length, narrated Nutcrackers each year, with over 170 participants in three different casts. All their shows sell out every year, most of them in the first half hour that tickets go on sale! They have about $40,000 worth of costumes, with many of their costumes made in Moldova. Their Production Ensembles, her pride and joy, total 70 dancers that put on shortened versions of Broadway musicals such as Newsies, Cats, Alladin and Lion King and tributes to artists such as Jack Cole and Stevie Wonder, and some ethnic collections like Celtic Wind and Bollywood.
If you would like more information about California Academy of Performing Arts, visit their website at capadance.net, email them at capa@capadance.net, or call them at (925) 376-2454. You can also “Like” them on Facebook.
Anyone who has danced at CAPA is invited to comment on our blog.
Quote: “. . . the biggest mistakes she sees dancers make is not giving 110% all the time . . .”
Tags: dance, studio, ballet, contemporary, musical theater, jazz, tap, pre-school classes and even some hip hop
