The Academy of the Performing Arts values kindness, work ethic, teamwork, leadership, and confidence. APA first opened in 1996 as "Center Stage School of Dance" under the direction of Shoni Jaeger. It was the first dance school in the Flathead Valley to offer tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and a preschool program. By 1999, "Center Stage School of Dance" had out grown its facility and built a bigger, state of the art facility this time including a full music program. The facility went from 1,000 square feet to over 5,000 square feet complete with professional Harlequin floating dance floors, a waiting room, office, boutique where dance supplies could be purchased, a student lounge, viewing televisions, and a large parking lot. This is when "Center Stage School of Dance," was renamed to "Academy of the Performing Arts."








Today the Academy is celebrating over 28 years of superior service to the Flathead Valley and has been voted Best of the Flathead for dance and music instruction for four consecutive years. We have many qualified dance and music staff as well as office staff always ready to help you. We pride ourselves in continuing the tradition of quality trained dancers and musicians, and staying on the cutting edge with dance and music education. Many of our students have gone on to study dance and music professionally throughout the nation. We are a technique based studio and use a graded curriculum for dance and music. We value kindness, work ethic, teamwork, leadership, and confidence. 

 








The Academy, being the founder for dance and music education in the Flathead Valley, is "often imitated but never duplicated."