Academy of Palo Alto Performing Arts

Academy Of Palo Alto Performing Arts offers training in Ballet, Chinese classical dance, Chinese Dance, and Contemporary Dance. The program includes a comprehensive dance academy structure with Ballet, Chinese Dance, and Contemporary Dance as three core programs, and its Ballet Program is based on the Vaganova training system. Programs feature both ballet and Chinese classical dance, with a focus on Chinese dance training and cultural heritage.

• Ages: 4–18 years old

Academy Of Palo Alto Performing Arts was founded in 2018 in California. The leadership team includes Founder and Artistic Director Aiping Xiong, Artistic Consultant and Instructor Ying Liu, Ballet Instructor Lulu Zhang Li, and Ballet Instructor Anastasia Pavlova. Its mission states that it uses Chinese cultural symbols as a foundation, integrates contemporary dance language and a global vision, and tells Chinese stories that convey the beauty and spirit of the East, with an emphasis on a positive and inclusive environment where art has no borders and dance is viewed as both an art form and a cultivation of inner strength. The program also emphasizes cross-cultural fusion and dialogue where tradition and modernity, East and West, coexist on stage. APAPA-USA students have earned awards at competitions including YAGP (Youth America Grand Prix), UBC (Universal Ballet Competition), ICON Dance Competition, Showstopper, and KAR (Kids Artistic Revue).

Last updated March 12, 2026.