WHO WE ARE
PRE-SCHOOL TO PRE-PROFESSIONAL
We are proud to offer a large facility with four separate classrooms, all of which have professional dance flooring to protect our growing dancers’ legs and feet from injury.
Our talented and diverse faculty hold university degrees, teaching certifications, and professional stage, film, and television credits, as well as extensive experience training dancers of all ages.
Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts is a family-owned and operated business and has been training Ventura County dancers since 1999.
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Our credentials provide us the unique ability to nurture and welcome dancers of all ages and levels, instilling the following principles:
A joyful love for dance and music.
Self-discipline and time management.
A strong sense of teamwork and community awareness.
Whether a student chooses to pursue a career in dance or simply enjoys taking his or her weekly class, this love will help students achieve their personal best in technical training, as well as leave them with a lasting appreciation for the arts.
Dancers learn from a young age to be respectful and dignified in class, as well as to balance time spent in dance classes with schoolwork, social and family commitments, setting them up for success in college and beyond.
Dancers know that they are only as strong as their weakest classmate. We teach our students to build one another up by celebrating each other’s successes and offering support and compassion when needed. We also encourage participation in community service projects throughout the year in order to translate these lessons to a larger scale.
CAPA got a brand new home in Spring 2022! Our beautiful new facility has four large dance studios with custom-designed sprung floors to protect our dancers' feet and legs, a comfortable lobby for parents to wait and watch, a dedicated quiet room for students and parents to work in, a retail boutique with both fun and practical dancer necessities, and a dressing area with lockers. We are also proud to be the only dance studio in the Ventura county area with an event space that can hold in-house productions. We can't wait to give you a tour!
OUR SPACE
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
“CAPA helped me to grow in many ways: Technically, my classes gave me advanced skill and strength. Artistically, my teachers, especially my mentor, Miss Ashley Feinsinger, gave me creativity and passion. Emotionally, my teachers, studio directors, and fellow dancers provided a warm environment that nurtured my deep love of dance from a very young age. I’m so happy that I grew up in, and will always be part of, the CAPA family.”
- Michele Carter
Alumni, Juilliard School
“My years as a CAPA student gave me a strong foundation to excel as a dancer. The training I received provided me with strong technique as well as the versatility that is needed to succeed in today’s dance world. Most importantly, the relationships I made with friends, teachers, and directors will be lifelong. I am honored now to teach and choreograph alongside my childhood mentors.”
- Crystaldawn Bell
Alumni, California Institute of the Arts
Dancer, Robert Moses’ Kin, San Francisco, CA
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WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
“I brought my then 2-year-old daughter Emily to her first ballet class at CAPA for the first time over ten years ago. Little did I know that it was the first of thousands of trips to CAPA, that it would become a second home and family to her, and that it would literally change the course of her life. Now, as she spends her summers dancing and studying across the country with some of the world’s most renowned ballet teachers and schools, including the Kirov Academy and the School of American Ballet, we are always so happy to come home to CAPA, which has given her the confidence, skill, and passion to pursue her dream.”
- Kathy Ireland
Mother of Emily Ireland
CAPA is a wonderful place to learn how to dance because I feel like I am free to be myself and express my feelings through dance. Everyone is so nice, I feel “at home,” as if we are one big CAPA Family!
- Kendyl Y.
CAPA Student, age 12
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WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"I took my first steps when I was 3 years old at CAPA and continued as a competitive dancer until I was in high school. The numerous competitions we did helped me learn how to manage stressful situations while the daily training taught me discipline. Through my time at CAPA, I not only became a better performer, but was introduced to my two mentors: Maggie Danielsen (tap instructor) and Vanessa Townsell (vocal coach). Both Maggie and Vanessa introduced me to musical theater and helped me become a more well-rounded, stronger performer. Without their support and encouragement, I never would have known to pursue a career in musical theater and would have never found my passion. The dance training I received at CAPA was essential in many roles I had in community and regional theater, but was especially key when I joined the Angelica 1st National Tour of Hamilton, initially as a dance swing. I currently am the Standby on tour where I cover the leading ladies: the Schuyler sisters. Although I do not dance as much these days, I am forever grateful for my dance background because it helped open doors and allowed me to take my first steps into my career. Without my years of dance training at CAPA and my introduction to my mentors, I would not be where I am today.
