A new arts studio has opened at 120 E. Live Oak Ave. that offers lessons in many styles of dance as well as painting, floral arrangement, and much more. One of the dance instructors at the new studio is 29-year-old Ricky Sun, who lives nearby and has been a popular instructor at Arcadia Fitness and made it to the next-to-final Las Vegas round of competition in 2008 and 2009 on the Fox TV dance series “So You Think You Can Dance?”
Natalie Avakian submitted an article describing the new studio that appears below the following photograph.
A new arts studio at 120 E. Live Oak Ave. offers lessons in dance, floral arrangements, and more.
ARTS STUDIO WALTZES INTO ARCADIA Written by Natalie Avakian
The Milly/Frank Arts Studio, in business for just a few months, has already created a buzz in the Arcadia community with people flocking to morning workout classes such as Zumba, Ballroom Blast, and Latin Groove.
The Arts Studio has combined art and dance to form a unique community center for Arcadia residents. The studio offers classes such as Salsa, Hip Hop, Belly Dance, Swing, Latin, and Ballroom. And that’s just for the dancing! The art classes include, Fine Arts Painting, Ikenobo Floral Arrangement, Reading, Painting, and Writing for kids, Beginning Glass Art, and more.
The patient and enthusiastic teachers, Frank promises, want to help their students to become the creative individuals they always dreamed of being. Frank Yang, the studio owner (no relation to the owner of the Din Tai Fung Dumpling House with the same name), has combined his passion for art and business into the Arts Studio, where he enjoys painting as well as teaching.
Frank has enjoyed drawing and painting all his life. During his teens, he had the good fortune to study with several fine artists. However, art did not seem to be the best career choice at that time, so he abandoned his love for art and attended Cal State Los Angeles earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science. Frank’s passion for drawing and painting never ceased and when he was presented with an opportunity to work as a portrait and caricature artist at Disneyland Theme Park, he jumped at the chance. His work for Walt Disney Productions paved the way for him to focus on his artistic talent and that is his mission for the Arts studio- to pave the way for artists and dancers in the community to explore and advance their talents in a safe, fun environment.
Milly, Frank’s business partner and wife, has enjoyed dancing from a young age. “Dancing helps to keep you fit and healthy. It makes you feel light and young.” It was originally Milly’s idea to merge their passions for art and dance. In fact, among Milly’s many talents is her love of doing Ikenobo floral arrangement. Milly has been doing Ikenobo since she was a young girl in Hong Kong and has since continued.
Ikenobo is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. More than simply putting flowers in a container, Ikenobo is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. “The flower arrangement can make you feel graceful and you will bond with the flower and feel ethereal and sophisticated because you put your feeling into it and that is the spirit of Ikenobo… to put yourself into the art and to make it a tranquil experience,” Milly explains.
Frank and Milly had previously owned a business selling glass-blowing figures and they always want to stay deeply imbedded in the creative arts. They want the community to enjoy the studio’s safe, warm environment, leaving with a feeling of joy and happiness. Milly wants everyone to smile and have fun with their dancing. “We want people to come in and join the class, where the children can paint or write and the parents can take dance lessons,”Milly and Frank say. “We want to bring up the culture of the city through the arts and dance so that our students can learn from the studio, and take a sense of pride and confidence in the creativity they possess.”
So come by and check the studio out at: 120 E. Live Oak, Arcadia Ca. 91006. Call 626-348-2008 for more info or visit ruthsartgallery.com
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