◆ ABOUT SUPA
Our
Story
From a Backstage West ad in 2008 to stages around the world.
Not a disability program that does arts. An arts community that is radically inclusive.
SUPA teaches dance, music production, DJ training, theater, and life skills — side by side, students with and without disabilities learning together. That integration isn't an accommodation. It's the model.
“I really feel like people don't know what these kids are capable of. And they don't expect them to be capable of much.”
— Robin Olive, Founder and Executive Director
Programs built for real artistry
Dance
From adaptive ballet to hip-hop, taught by professionals who hold every student to the same standard — and send them to perform on world-class stages.
Music Production
Students leave with something they made — original tracks on Apple Music and Spotify, built with industry-standard equipment from day one.
DJ Training / Beat Lab
Led by Numark's North American Ultimate DJ champion, this is where students learn to own a room — and build a career in sound.
Theater & Life Skills
Scene work, improvisation, and stage presence training that builds the one skill everything else runs on: the ability to show up and be heard.
◆ OUR JOURNEY
The
Story
Robin Arrives in Los Angeles
Leaves home to pursue her dreams in entertainment. The city that becomes the foundation of everything SUPA builds.
The Meeting That Changes Everything
A Backstage West ad leads Robin to Zina Bethune — Hollywood actress and inclusive dance pioneer. Robin begins teaching students with disabilities in Anaheim at Magnolia School District. What starts as a part-time gig becomes a calling.
A Promise Kept
Zina Bethune passes away unexpectedly. Robin tells the board: “I will keep this program alive.” She does. When Zina's nonprofit dissolves, they give Robin their blessing to start her own organization.
SUPA Is Born
Robin founds Straight Up Abilities as a 501(c)(3) with 35 students in Long Beach and Los Angeles. Real artistry. Radical inclusion.
Growing Beyond LA
SUPA expands to Orange County. Formal contracts with four school districts. The model works. Families are waiting.
The Royal Ballet Comes Calling
SUPA students train with the Royal Ballet at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Then they perform. A parent writes: “I wished I could share this moment with the whole world.”
Crisis Becomes Opportunity
The pandemic forces everything virtual. SUPA launches 11 weekly Zoom sessions. At peak, 200 students across 8 states tune in every week. Survival becomes a permanent national program.
The World's Biggest Stages
Special Olympics World Games. Walt Disney World Florida. The All-Stars are no longer waiting for invitations — the invitations are coming to them.
The First SUPA Gala
Straight Up Abilities holds its first ever gala. A community comes together to celebrate what's been built — and what's coming next.
London, Paris, and The Price Is Right
Royal Opera House, Paul Hamlyn Hall. 52 students. 300+ strangers rise to their feet. Then Disneyland Paris. CBS national television. Two continents. One year.
Going National
New York City launching this fall at Chelsea Piers. 485+ students weekly. The next chapter is just beginning.
◆ WHERE WE ARE
Our Locations
Los Angeles
Venice & Beyond
Las Vegas
Millennium Dance Complex
Orange County
Southern California
Anaheim
Magnolia School District
Indiana
Midwest
New York City
Opening Fall 2026
We’re proud of our SUPA stars.
Matthew Von Der Ahe
Matthew played Craig in Champions, the 2023 Bobby Farrelly film starring Woody Harrelson. A working actor and a SUPA All-Star — onstage at SoFi Stadium, Disney, and the Special Olympics World Games.
Melissa
Melissa just won Miss Amazing — the national pageant for women and girls with disabilities. She’s an advocate for health, fitness, and showing up for yourself. The crown is real. So is what got her there.
Fran
Fran is a rising music artist developing original work with SUPA. Recording, performing, building a real catalog. The kind of career SUPA exists to help launch.
IRS Form 990 (2022-2024), Audited Financial Statements, Board of Directors List, Program Descriptions & Outcomes, Letters of Support, Tax-Exempt Determination Letter — available upon request.