News + Info
A guest post by Elise Collins, PAA student and Boettcher Scholar. My greatest passion is life, observing and experiencing it in all of its teeming and vibrant complexity. Perhaps it is for this reason that I have an intense fervor for performing. Yet such excitement for the miracle of existence did not blossom overnight. It…
Read MoreA post by Krista Beckman, PAA Assistant Producer. Among the ambiguities in spelling that have arisen during the evolution of the English language, perhaps few are as hotly contested as the “theatre”/“theatre” pairing. The spelling entry for these words on the Grammarist website is followed by a long comments section full of insults and sarcasm,…
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A post by Krista Beckman, PAA Assistant Producer. At PAA, we’ve found that one of the most unique and effective ways to motivate students and foster friendships is – perhaps not surprisingly – CANDY! Though it involves hundreds of chocolate bars and countless lollipops, our Candy Kudos initiative is about much more than satisfying the…
Read MoreA post by Jenna Wilcox, PAA Artistic Director. The summer has been a blast! You have met and worked with new teachers, made new friends and grown in your confidence and abilities. You’re good, right? Well, not really. The reality of the arts is you must keep moving to grow as an artist and if…
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A guest post by Kay Coryell, PAA Band & Orchestra Camp Director. I started playing the flute when I was 10 years old. There was never a question in my mind about which instrument I would play. My mom played flute…I would too. So began my lifelong journey into the world of instrumental music, and it’s…
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A post by Valerie Koenig, PAA parent & staff. My six year old daughter attended her first PAA Intensive program in June. She was among the youngest of the students, and with 7 hour days for 2 weeks, I was both nervous and excited for her. I knew she would learn a lot and have…
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A guest post by Melanie Kirkpatrick, PAA Site Director. PAA’s first intensive of the summer wrapped up on Friday, June 13, and a great time was had by all! More than 225 friends, family and members of the community crowded into the East Elementary gymnasium to watch our 38 students sing, dance and act their…
Read MoreA guest post by Krista Beckman, PAA Assistant Producer. For musicians of every age and skill level, music theory has the potential to inform and enrich every aspect of their music-making. Young musicians in particular benefit tremendously from its ability to empower – by experiencing the music they learn on a deeper level with an increasing knowledge of…
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A guest post by Brian Olson, PAA Marketing Consultant. All through school and our professional lives we’re expected to perform. Maybe not on stage (Although wouldn’t that be cool!) but in just about everything we do. Ever seen a great speaker at an event? You know, someone with poise, a person who commands the room.…
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A guest post by Seth Alison, PAA Technical Director and Co-Theatrical Director. theatre has two main aspects. There is the performance side that is most widely recognized, and there is the technical side which is where you will find me more subtly creating the lighting aspects of the performance. I work closely with the Design team…
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A guest post by Tracey Zimmerman. I can’t imagine my life without the art of dance. My dance training began at the age of two, and I have been fortunate enough to still have it be such a huge influence on my life both professionally and personally. I have trained with some amazing teachers and…
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A guest post by PAA instructor, Sarah “Frankie” Frank. When I was 12 years old, I started training in improvisational acting and the skills I learned from my coaches and peers have had incredible influence on my life. Improv is a form of acting that requires quick thinking, word and image association and spontaneous partnership…
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