This May, local dance studio formerly known as Captivating Dance by Nona announced that it is changing its name to Studio650. Along with the new name came a full rebranding, with a new logo and blue-filled photoshoot.
A name change has been in the works ever since Nona Ybarra—the founder and namesake of the studio—moved out of California in 2020, leaving the studio in choreographer Kate Lynn Roberts’ ownership. The studio, which has been open for 17 years, currently has two Menlo Park locations and will be opening a Palo Alto location this coming fall.
Roberts said, “When opening the new location in Palo Alto, we strongly feel it is the perfect opportunity to change our name to Studio650 to better reflect my vision for the studio moving forward. Although I am so grateful to Nona and the legacy she built, having the old studio owner’s name in our studio name became a bit confusing. We hope Studio650 reflects a shift to a lively, modern, and welcoming environment where dancers of all levels can thrive.”
Senior Olivia Marsh, who has been dancing at the studio for almost 12 years, said, “It doesn’t make much sense for the studio name to reflect a dance teacher who doesn’t come back to visit or even care much about the studio anymore. It was time for a change and for all of us to finally move past this shift in the studio dynamic, and it feels great that the change is finally done.”
It doesn’t make much sense for the studio name to reflect a dance teacher who doesn’t come back to visit or even care much about the studio anymore. It was time for a change and for all of us to finally move past this shift in the studio dynamic, and it feels great that the change is finally done.
Senior Olivia Marsh
According to Roberts, the new name took “forever” to decide on. “We wanted something memorable, relevant to our location (area code 650), and something that was more trendy,” she explained. “We needed to make sure the new name was not already trademarked or in use by another business. We also had to consider the marketing side and see if the name was available for websites, emails, and social media.”
Once staff had come up with three potential names that fit those criteria, students, parents, and staff got to vote for their favorite. “Studio650 was the overwhelming winner,” Roberts said.
Marsh said, “I don’t find the rebranding to be as weird of a shift as I thought it might be. I think it was a necessary change for our studio and going through this change has brought us closer together.”
Freshman Siya Singla added, “It feels like a new chapter for us as a studio and a lot of new people are joining, so it’s nice to have this fresh start.”
On the studio’s goals moving forward under the new title, Roberts said, “Studio650 is dedicated to providing a supportive environment where students can explore their passion for dance and develop their skills to their fullest potential. I firmly believe that dance should be accessible to all dancers, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why we offer many scholarships to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of dancing and pursue their passion.”
I firmly believe that dance should be accessible to all dancers, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why we offer many scholarships to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of dancing and pursue their passion.
Owner Kate Lynn Roberts
Marsh said, “The studio is a second home to me. I can’t imagine my life dancing anywhere else. It has taught me about dance, but also the importance of teammate and coach relationships.”
“I think these next few seasons are going to have a new level of community and hype that we didn’t have before, and that the studio is going to really flourish because of this refreshing name change,” Marsh added.
Singla said, “The studio is a really special place and the name change doesn’t change that fact.”
