Amazing! it has been such a great experience for our son this summer, the coaching teaching is amazing, the director Mrs Jhones and Mr Lopez have been so professional and so positive with all the kids, you can tell how much they love their job and the passion they have for teaching the kids. Truly a magical group, the production they put together in 3 weeks was exceptional! we are so thankful and happy with this conservatory with Mr Lopez and can't wait to continue with the programs and private coaching this year. read more

We had a wonderful experience to participating after school program, all teachers are nice and professional, kids plays and acts very well , my daughter loves Lopez Studio so much, unfortunately we had to leave this school , due my work we moved to another state. So it was one of the sad reasons to move . I wish we can find such a program in new place. We were planning to take piano and singing classes and summer camp. Definitely Lopez studios would first reason to move back to Reston,VA when I finish my project in FL. read more

Steer as clear as you can from this money-hungry and chaotic operation. 1. Be prepared to sign long-term contracts that lock you in on voice lessons whether you'e happy with the instruction or not. 2. The "auditions" for stage musicals favor tall children over talented ones. Staff admitted this to me. My daughter has been asked to record with major university music conservatories and has a strong following on social media. Twice selected to All County Chorus and All District Chorus. She's shorter than the performers who can't sing, so too bad for her. Even so, she makes it second in line for the lead, so they stick her with a role with one line. Three weeks in a drama camp for a role with one line (you can't withdraw from camp without paying the total fee). So we keep her in so at least she can be with friends. 3. The summer musical camp is so insanely chaotic and disorganized that Sesame Street could run a better (and more entertaining) camp. Some examples: 1. Events are "maybes" and thrown together at the last minute. A field trip was "dependent on whether we can get tickets" and then a day before parents are told to make sure to pick up their kids early and drive their kids across town from Reston to Alexandria in rush-hour traffic to attend. Oh, and stick around to take them home at 11:00 PM! 2. Parents are not notified of special travel requirements until the last minute, and the requirements are insane. Example: "Be sure to pick up your child in Manassas by 2:30 during the week! (What? Where did Manassas come from? The camp is in Reston!). "You are responsible for transportation" (Wait, some of us are actually employed in jobs, and could you have warned us about this like BEFORE CAMP BEGAN?) "Pick up your child at 10:30 PM from Manassas. (What???!!) Manassas is 25 miles from the camp location! 3. My daughter has a life-threatening food allergy to milk. After acknowledging that campers have allergies, the camp director cheerfully announced that "pizza will be served!" (Which would drive my daughter into anyphalactic shock and death within 7 minutes.) When I ask the camp director about getting a sandwich for her instead so that, you know, she won't die, he said "I have to get authorization from Mr. Lopez." Really? So a camper doesn't die? Best line at the end of this conversation: (him speaking to me): "You could look into other options for her yourself!" 4. Files, pictures and bios that are turned in on time are missed, filed incorrectly or lost, so you get perpetual warnings to submit material you've already submitted. I cannot stress enough how honestly chaotic, crazy, disorganized and insane this whole operation really is. And expensive! It's painfully understaffed, so everything they can foist off on other people they do. Everything they can dump on parents in terms of responsibilities will be dumped on parents. There are terrific and well-run camps in this area (TIC is highly recommended) -- send your child to a camp where insanity and chaos are not the rule. read more

This school is a waste of money, time, and tears! When you walk into this musical studio, you don't think it's bad at all! They offer a lot of classes and workshops, and the teachers are very nice and know what they are talking about. But it's also a money magnet. The classes are overpriced, and you should be prepared for money traps. On snow days, you still pay the money, but get no makeup class! There are many extra, not necessary bills all the time.So to save your money, time and your child's tears, don't go to this school! read more

There is some fine young talent at Lopez, although in all likelihood the talent would be just as good without Lopez. But, your kid gets to work with some high-quality young actors. The bar is high. The casting process seems fair. The directors don't seem to play favorites. Lopez participates in the yearly Junior Theatre Festival; other theatres don't. The festival a trip to Atlanta with a tight 15-minute version of a play that is adjudicated by Broadway professionals. There are 6,000 kids there. If your kid is a theatre lover, it's not to be missed. The cost has been mentioned by other reviewers. They aren't lying. However, it does seem on par with the better theatre camps. The school has recently switched directors. I can't give an honest opinion of the new director, as he hasn't done anything extraordinary to stand out from any other theatre professional I've met. The former theatre director, however, who was there for many years, brought a heart to the organization that is sorely missed. She genuinely cared about the kids. The organizational side of things, as has already been mentioned, is ridiculous. There are many last-minute issues. A trip to see a play, including parents, at 8 pm in Alexandria was canceled at the last minute and an email wasn't sent out until 9:30 the night before. If you need to pick up your kid midday, you may not hear about that until the day before, either. When anyone asks what's going on, it's always "We're going to send an email out ..." If you are a working parent, it is hard to deal with the logistics of last-minute changes. Several parents have complained about last-minute issues and lack of communication. It's all true. The older kids are nice. The younger kids are nice, too. The tween girls are a disaster. Lopez preaches a family atmosphere, but there are some serious divas and cliques going on at Lopez, and never have I heard of staff talking with the kids about it or stressing the importance of team-building. One former student who came to a cast party was greeted with "What are YOU doing here?" I guess it's like a family, if your family is the Royal Tenenbaums. The parents can be just as bad. Some are very overbearing and difficult to deal with. Some form their own cliques, which is just ridiculous. Some will treat you fine until they get what they want out of you, then dump you. Someone actually used our name to get something, yet her kid won't even give our kid the time of day. It's really quite disturbing and you see where their kids get it. You will not get a family atmosphere at Lopez; you will get a bunch of catty tween girls on the warpath to make your kid feel like crap and parents who do nothing about it. The festival division this year is made up of several cats and if you have a tween girl, I would advise you not to let your kid participate in this as a first-timer. If you're going to pay astronomical prices, at least make sure you and your kid feel included and have a chance at having fun. The instructors simply don't have the time to give your kid one-on-one assistance during a production. It's sink-or-swim, so I would hesitate to call this a performing arts academy. If your kid doesn't make the cut, they will be taken out parts of the performance. It's a FAIR decision, because your kid probably didn't make the cut for a good reason, but at the same time the teachers do nothing to help your kid IMPROVE. Just go in with eyes wide open before you leap. read more

Micheal Fowle is not good. Jennifer Kessler was amazing. Old Lopez was amazing with her, now it is awful because of him. I hate to say it, but it is true. He is so annoying and doesn't know how to train or direct kids NEARLY AS WELL is and understatement to the level that she did. Also this studio is INCREDIBLY overpriced and the vocal lessons don't teach me anything. People say "I am paying a lot for amazing lessons." Not. I am at a new teacher and he/she does way cheaper lessons. I learned more from 1 lesson at my new teacher than I have for years from Lopez lessons. read more

I cannot say "waste of time" is fair, as other posters have. But. All the complaints are accurate, save the comment re the shorter girl who can sing, which I can't comment on. Mr Lopez is a talented instructor. But. The school is a pay to play school. Do kids learn to sing and perform? Absolutely. Is Mr Lopez intent on extracting max $, requiring parents to commit to paying, then walking back promises? Yep! Are the kid directors pushed to schill for Mr Lopez, with high pressure 'one time only' ticket discounts for a show you already paid to have your kid in? Yep. Got money to spend for your little snowflake? Go for it, you'll be happy, they probably will be as well. Want a studio whose mission is to make your kid the best they can be, and is high on integrity? Keep looking. read more