PAA Summer Camps

PAA Summer Camps offers dance camps, summer theater camps, and theatre camps that include acting, singing, and stage skills. Camp themes and classes include options such as Bluey’s Dance Mode, K-Pop Hunters, Dancing Under the Sea, Tiny Musicians, Broadway Show Stoppers, Going on a Bear Hunt, Work! A Hamilton Dance Intensive, Disney Song & Dance, Fosse & Friends, Dancing Through Life, Wicked Moves, Stage Steps, Broadway Pop Dance, Dinosaur March, Stormy Dancers, Broadway Time Warp, Movie Mashup, Modern Moves, Choreo Creation, Jungle Boogie, and Legends of Broadway: Dance. Additional offerings connected with the program include ACTING UP! OUTREACH – Scenes & Songs from Tangled, ACTING UP! OUTREACH – Scenes & Songs from Jungle Book, theatre shows, theatre classes, summer theatre skills, a Playwriting Workshop, a Tap Masterclass, PAA Afterschool, Voice Classes, Technical Theater Classes, Acting Classes, Dance Classes, Children’s Theatre, Work Study, and Private Lessons.

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Summer Camp Shows run for 1–2 weeks, with both half-day and full-day options throughout June and July.

PAA Summer Camps is part of PAA Colorado – Performing Arts Academy – Colorado, a non-profit theatre arts company based in South Denver/Highlands Ranch, Colorado. PAA employs quality, seasoned professionals with degrees in music theatre, music performance and music education. The leadership team includes Dr. James Ramsey (Executive Director), Gena DiMuro (Marketing Manager), Marisa VerSteegh (Social Media Specialist), Heather Bauer (Webmaster), Samantha Leahy (Registrar & Site Manager), Taletha Pogge (Financial and Operations Manager), Jessica Shelton (Assistant Finance and Operations Coordinator), Barb Maxwell (Facilities Manager), Melanie Kirkpatrick (Artistic Director), Madeline Shaffer (Resident Director), Katie Reid (Resident Director), Christopher Lengerich (Resident Director), Jennifer Lillibridge (Education & Outreach Manager), Adam Lillibridge (Production Manager), and Cassy Meier (Development Coordinator).

In 2006, Dr. James Ramsey created a theatre arts program that would engage 26 children and their families, and PAA has grown from 26 students in 2006 to over 1,600 students in 2024. PAA provides performing arts education for students 3-years old through 12th grade in the south Denver metro area through classes, camps, and shows, and operates year-round out of a 10,000 square foot home facility at County Line Place in Highlands Ranch as well as rented facilities and schools, with continued facility use support by St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Each Summer Camp Show ends with a fully staged performance that requires a ticket purchase, and Summer Show Camps have audition dates that fall before the camp starts. PAA’s K–12 theater camps, classes, and shows use curricula that follow or align with state standards for music and arts education, and the educational model focuses on teaching confidence, cooperation, collaboration, creativity, and community through performing arts experiences. PAA’s core values are Character, Curriculum, and Community, and the organization incorporates teamwork and collaboration into every program, encouraging students to share their learning and talents with the public.

PAA’s mission is to “Create Community Build Character Inspire Excellence through performing arts education, and making the transformative power of the performing arts available to all people.” PAA gives back to the greater community through fundraising performances for scholarships and local causes, and partners with local businesses and other organizations through sponsorships and collaborations. PAA is supported by sponsors and foundation grants including Colorado Creative Industries, Denver Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, SCFD, the anschutz foundation, and Virginia W. Hill Trust Foundation.

Last updated February 24, 2026.