Monthly Newsletters - September 2026

Getting started in music, dance, & drama lessons - FAQ

Dear Students & Parents,

 

We just finished up with the busiest summer on record here at LAAPA! We concluded 4 weeks of Summer Performing Arts camps, our students under the direction of Carter Elkins, Paige Mulkey, and Curtis Billings put on a stunning production of “Newsies JR,” auditions have just concluded for our upcoming productions of Frozen JR. and The Nutcracker, and over 150 new students have joined us for fall music, dance, and drama classes!

 

We have had a blast meeting so many new families this school year, and all of our faculty and staff had an amazing beginning of the year meeting with many inspiring presentations and continued education that ensure we are always bringing the very best to our students!

 

With fall being a popular time for new students to get started in music, dance, and drama classes, we are chatting with prospective students and parents daily and wanted to share a few common Q&A’s.

 

“My child is interested in getting started in lessons this fall, and I am interested in taking lessons, too! What ages do you teach?”

 

We teach kids, teens, and adults! Whether you’re a brand new beginner or already experienced, our faculty are excited to get you started!

 

“When do lessons start for fall? Am I too late?”

 

At LAAPA, we operate year round and students sign up for lessons every day with us. While it’s never too late to get started, we do have a limited number of available time slots with our amazing faculty this time of year. If you’re thinking of getting started, please give us a call/text to find a spot that may work for you before the most popular lesson times are gone!

 

“I want my child to take music lessons, dance classes, or drama classes, but I’m not sure which program they may be interested in or if they will be interested in performing arts at all!”

 

“Just try it; you’ll like it.” As a youngster, these were my father’s words of wisdom at Cullen family dinners. Many times, I was indeed very surprised – “This man is a genius,” I often thought to myself. Other times, I thought, “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to him.”

 

(One of my brothers secretly opted out of all of his advice though, and a huge pile of moldy cauliflower eventually became dislodged from underneath the table near his place one evening… but I digress.)

 

The important thing to note here is that children need to experience a variety of things in life in order to discover what they like. Asking children ages 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. to make these kinds of decisions on their own is unfair, in my opinion, and the world would surely be at a loss for many talented amateur and professional musicians, dancers, and artists, had parents not insisted on private piano lessons or ballet classes for them during their formative years.

 

“I want my child to take lessons for fun, but I don’t want to have to make them practice.”

 

Sharing the joy of learning to play, dance, sing, and act is our specialty. Here at the Academy, we have the most inspiring instructors you will ever meet. The time students spend with their teachers each week will only take them so far, and in order to make progress, practicing outside of classes is paramount.

 

One of the biggest myths in performing arts education is that all students should be naturally inclined to just go to their instrument or practice space and get down to business every day, exactly as their teacher has asked of them, without any parental support, encouragement, or guidance.

 

If this happens in your house, that is amazing and congrats! The majority of students thrive on incentives, encouragement, and reminders.

 

If you read my article in last month’s newsletter (it’s ok if you chose to skip it, I know I can ramble), you’ll recall that I was certainly not a natural practicer myself. Funny how things turn out! My incentive during my lessons was that my former teacher, Associate Director Emeritus, Russell Tucker, would show me some magic tricks during lessons if I was doing well! Some of our long time families here may remember his now infamous “magic pencil trick.” Today, students can also earn tickets each week for a job well done in their lessons! Tickets can be redeemed for fun prizes from our treasure chest!

 

In short, every student’s success will be dependent upon parental support and involvement.

 

Finally, I always like to mention that music, dance and drama classes are more than just the instruction - they build the character and feed the soul of students. Whether or not they choose to continue in the arts down the road, the skills they have developed will always be a part of who they are.

 

~ Ryan Cullen, Academy Director

September Student Spotlight - Graduating Seniors

This month’s student spotlight is highlighting two Northshore students who recently graduated from both high school, as well as LAAPA, and are pursuing a higher education in music. We briefly interviewed them both and want to share their insights for all of our past, current, and future students:

 

Q: What is your favorite LAAPA memory?

Sasha: “I am particularly proud of my performance at the recent June recital - “Bethena, A Concert Waltz.”

Brynn: “It’s hard to choose just one! Really any lesson with Brian was a great memory for me, as we always got along really well. He was always great about pushing me to be my best and helping me to develop my skills!""

 

Q: How has LAAPA impacted your plans for your continued music education?

Sasha: “I will be auditing classes at ULL, and with how much I’ve enjoyed piano lessons at LAAPA, I want to continue my music education.”

Brynn: “All of the teachers I’ve had at LAAPA over the years have had a positive impact and encouraged me in my musical pursuits, which has carried through in my goal to study music with a concentration in business and minor in law!""

 

Q: Do you have any advice for any current LAAPA students wishing to pursue a career in music or the performing arts?

Sasha: “Spending time practicing outside of my lessons has definitely helped me with my musical development!”

Brynn: “Consistency is key! It will help you to continue expanding musically, and I also really recommend continuing to research areas of music on your own in conjunction with lessons. The teachers are great at helping you with developing your skills and musical technique, and it can only benefit you to continue your own research in exploring different areas of music. That’s how I realized my interest in the music degree program that I chose!"

September Birthdays and Upcoming Events

Shoutouts - New Students and Faculty & Staff!