Drop Down Selection Menu

I'm trying to configure Hikashop to do a drop down menu like I have on this page: portlandsalsacongress.com/index.php?opti...icle&id=55&Itemid=57 under the title "Workshops." This drop down menu allows customers to choose different options and add them to the cart.

Is this possible?

Yes.

You will have to create a products listing menu with the layout type "table" and the add to cart button displayed. If you need a dropdown for the options, you will be able to do that by creating custom fields of the table "item" via the menu Display->Custom fields in the Business edition of HikaShop.

Is the drop down menu options not possible to do in the essential version (which is the one I purchased)>

Is the drop down menu options not possible to do in the essential version (which is the one I purchased)?

You're talking about the products item custom fields in order to display dropdowns next to the add to cart button so that the user can select options for his products ?
They are only available in the Business edition.

However, for menus, you can create as many menus as you want via the joomla menu manager.