Westlake School for the Performing Arts (WSPA) was founded in the summer of 1991 by Malu Rivera-Peoples and Karen Dycaico in partnership with the City of Daly City Parks and Recreation Department. What began as a small summer dance program with 35 students, three instructors, and one studio inside the Larcombe Clubhouse has since grown into one of the Bay Area’s most respected performing arts institutions.

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WSPA’s very first performance took place at Pacelli Gymnasium as part of Daly City’s celebration for the reopening of a newly renovated park. From the very beginning, the community embraced WSPA’s mission of providing high-quality performing arts education in a nurturing and inclusive environment.

As enrollment quickly grew, WSPA relocated in 1994 to the former Olympia Elementary School, transforming classrooms and cafeterias into dance studios, rehearsal spaces, and music rooms. This move marked the beginning of WSPA’s evolution into the thriving Performing Arts Center it is today.

That same year, WSPA launched its Performance Program, creating opportunities for students seeking more intensive training and performance experience. Built on the dedication of students, families, and faculty, the program has since earned an outstanding reputation for excellence in the performing arts community.

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Today, WSPA is home to seven thriving departments: Westlake Ballet, the Contemporary Training Program, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, and Te Orama. Each program is led by passionate directors and educators committed to developing not only strong performers, but confident, disciplined, and compassionate young people.

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Over the past 35 years, WSPA students have received recognition at regional, national, and international competitions and festivals including Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), World Ballet Competition, Prix de Lausanne, New York City Dance Alliance, World of Dance, Body Rock, Vibe Dance Competition, and Tahiti Fête. WSPA has proudly received the YAGP Outstanding School Award for 15 consecutive years – a reflection of the school’s longstanding commitment to excellence in dance education.

WSPA students have also had the opportunity to perform around the world, including in Maui, Tahiti, the Philippines, Macau, China, and Scotland. These opportunities are supported in part through Artists in Motion Bay Area, WSPA’s nonprofit parent organization dedicated to supporting the arts and youth performance experiences.

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Throughout the year, WSPA presents a wide range of performances and productions including The Nutcracker, Holiday Showcase, Good Times, musical theatre productions, department showcases, community events, and the annual Year-End Recital. These performances provide students of all ages the opportunity to grow as artists, performers, and collaborators while sharing their work with the community.

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From its humble beginnings in 1991 to the vibrant arts community it is today, WSPA has remained rooted in the same mission: to inspire, educate, and uplift young people through the performing arts.

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While not every student will pursue a professional career in the arts, every student leaves WSPA with something meaningful – confidence, discipline, creativity, resilience, lifelong friendships, and a sense of belonging. Many alumni now return with children of their own, continuing the full-circle legacy that makes WSPA such a special and deeply connected community.

More than 35 years later, WSPA continues to be a second home for generations of families – a place where artistry, excellence, heart, and community come together.