CAPA’s Story

Joan Robinson founded CAPA in 1981 with the assistance of Ronn Guidi, the Director of the Oakland Ballet Company. She wanted to create a place in beautiful “Lamorinda” where local children would have access to the finest professional training. Joan, with Ronn’s help, realized her dream, and Ronn was confident that Joan would continue the professional integrity of their initial plan. Since then CAPA has flourished, growing from the original 110 students of the first session to over 400 students and more than 1800 student hours weekly. CAPA’s staff includes the finest professionals in the Bay Area, whose experience goes far beyond the studio, stage and university classroom, including performing and/or choreographing for professional companies around the world, plus theater, movies, television, videos and more. Through the years, CAPA’s dancers have performed all over the world and throughout the USA. Many alumni are still working professionally, and some have even joined our staff at CAPA!

Joan, along with her late husband Peter Robinson, raised their family in Moraga. In 1999, Joan and her new husband Doyle Borchers (now CAPA’s President/CEO and co-owner) moved to to the Napa Valley where they make their home while still operating CAPA.

The CAPA Philosophy

“To teach the art of dance and theater in a professional manner, and to develop life skills in individual students that will be a lifelong benefit whatever path they take.”

CAPA has been working with young people since 1981, providing something very special to our students and families. Our main goals are:

–   Teaching our art
–   Teaching life skills through our art
–   Creating a safe and nurturing environment for our students

“The product is important, but the emphasis is on the process.”

This is a great environment for your children. Our graduates are very successful after leaving us. Their time here and the life lessons they learn translate into success in many walks of life. Dance mates become their lifelong friends – much like family.

Each student is unique and equally important. Dance progress does not always follow a rigid timeline. Many things determine a student’s progress – effort, attendance, physical and mental development, parental cooperation, attitude, and behavior. Not every student moves at the same pace, nor should they.

We ask you to trust our professionalism. CAPA has one of the finest dance teaching staffs in California. Please do not question a teacher’s placement of your dancer in a class or in a dance. 

Did you know?

CAPA graduates go on to further their education. You’ll find CAPA grads at some of America’s top universities including UC Berkeley, UCLA, Princeton, Columbia, Juilliard and NYU - to name just a few. 

Many of our dancers continue on to very successful professional careers in the arts. Other grads go on to succeed in so many different areas - medicine, teaching, business, high tech - you name it and you will find CAPA grads doing wonderfully. CAPA training sets the stage for success in so many walks of life.

While at CAPA, our dancers are honor students and are involved in both school and community activities. Many also play sports, are on the spirit squad, or sing in choir - on top of dancing many hours a week!  They learn how to efficiently budget their time to succeed in all their chosen activities.

CAPA is a family. Quite a few of our students today are the children of former CAPA students!