Jan Geter-Roberson is a retired LAUSD teacher, instructional coach, and former professional dancer who created the After School Arts & Performance Program (ASAPP) to bring the joy, discipline, and creativity of dance directly to public school campuses.

ASAPP is funded by schools and districts that choose to bring the program to their campuses. It is completely free for participating families. This funding model reflects Jan’s lifelong commitment to equity in arts education—making high-quality dance instruction accessible to all students, regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

Jan’s love for dance began on the South Side of Chicago, where she trained from age eight at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre, studying ballet, tap, jazz, and acrobatics every Saturday. These classes were more than just technical training—they were a celebration of Black culture and excellence, shaped by the vision of Shirley Hall Bass, a pioneer in African American arts education. The school’s year-end performances were major cultural events that left a lasting impression on Jan’s sense of identity and purpose.

Though there was a monthly fee for classes, her mother made sacrifices to keep her enrolled—even when money was tight and payments sometimes fell behind. That experience helped shape Jan’s belief that every child deserves access to the arts. It’s a belief that lives on in ASAPP’s mission: offer exceptional arts instruction on school campuses—funded by schools, not by families.

Jan continued her dance education at Whitney Young Magnet High School (graduating alongside Michelle Obama), and later trained at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her talent and discipline led to a vibrant professional dance career, with performances on cruise ships, in international venues like Japan’s Ocean Dome, and in iconic spaces like the Desert Inn casino in Las Vegas. She also appeared in music videos and as a background performer on popular television shows. These experiences gave Jan a global stage and deepened her passion for performance, which now fuels her commitment to bringing that same spark to young dancers through ASAPP.

Alongside her dance career, Jan earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s in Educational Leadership. She spent decades teaching in Los Angeles public schools, where she brought her love of the arts into the classroom. As a teacher leader and instructional coach, she supported colleagues and developed arts-centered opportunities for her students. She also taught at the Limbiko Tembo School of African American Culture (LTSAAC) and worked with the US Organization, reinforcing her long-standing commitment to cultural education.

Jan continues to honor her artistic foundation by serving as Treasurer of the Shirley Hall Bass Foundation, helping carry forward the legacy of the woman who helped shape her early artistic journey.

After retiring from LAUSD, Jan founded ASAPP as a nonprofit to continue her mission. Today, ASAPP runs after-school programs at 75th Street Elementary School and summer dance intensives at Avalon Gardens Elementary. The program offers instruction in ballet, jazz, modern, West African, hip hop, and student-created choreography. Each session culminates in a joyful school performance, celebrating the students’ hard work, creativity, and pride.

ASAPP delivers the same caliber of training found in private studios—but it’s offered right at school, after school, and free to families. Schools and districts fund the program as an investment in student well-being, confidence, creativity, and cultural pride. It doesn’t interrupt the school day—it enriches it.

For Jan, ASAPP is more than a program. It’s a continuation of the love, discipline, and cultural pride that shaped her life—and a gift she’s now sharing with the next generation.