Top 10 Performance Camps in Southern California
Some kids are born seeking the spotlight. Others get a taste of it by chance and love it for life. If you have a child with a love for performing and attention, chances are your camera roll is full of little videos or movies they’ve made. Not a filmmaker? Maybe they’re a dancer, or an actor, or even a magician? No matter the type of spotlight your child loves, there’s an awesome 1-week summer camp for it. Can’t decide which they’d love most? Sign them up for multiple weeks. Yes, we have a program for kids who need to stay between sessions. Ready to get started and be the best parent ever? Here are the 10 best performance camps in California.
The Best Performance Camps: What to Look for
When you’re looking at performance camps, you want an experience. That experience needs to be well-planned, high- quality and taught by people who are actually in the field.
Acting Camp
Less than two hours from LA, our acting camp will make kids feel like they’re in Hollywood, but without all the pressure. They’ll also get to experience our actually “woods” which the real Hollywood lacks in. In the acting camp specialty, they’ll work all week to
- Develop their personal acting skills
- Hone live and movie acting techniques
- Play and perform in improv games
- Do character development
- Work on their audition skills
- Act in a Film
- Take home a professional headshot
What’s really cool about this acting camp is that the films kids act in are directed and written (partly) by other campers.
Broadcasting Camp
Does your child imagine themselves on the news every night (or morning?) Do they have goals to be a news anchor and have a byline like “And I’m ____, reporting for channel 5 news”? If that’s their goal, they’ll love this broadcasting camp. In it, they’ll…
- Write and research news stories
- Work on interview skills
- Produce on-location segments
- Learn how to read cue cards
- Practice anchoring in front of a green screen
- Operate cameras
- Learn about journalistic ethics
- Enhance public speaking skills
We’re not saying they’ll be the next Katie Couric, but if the pantsuit fits (…)!
Cirque Du Pali (Circus Camp)
Are you always saying “get down from there!” or “please don’t do a flip off that”? Then your adventurous and gymnastics minded child will love Cirque Du Pali. Think of it as a mix between parkour and Cirque du Soleil. Campers will get a chance to jump and soar through the air – literally. During the week they’ll
- Develop strength and balance with acro-yoga
- Work on slacklining (more balance)
- Develop aerial skills like lyra, silks, and hammocks
- Learn coordination by practicing juggling and twirling
- Work on common safety techniques
During all of this, they’ll be watched by professionals and have strict supervision. They’ll get to practice new skills in our Pali Aerial Arts Pavilion as they get more comfortable.
Comedy Camp
Kids say the darndest things – and some kids really like to practice to say even more … darndest things. If you have a kid who loves comedy and will bend over backward to get a laugh, check out this comedy camp. During comedy camp, they’ll have the chance to
- Learn about stand-up, improv, sketch, and physical comedy
- Find their comedic persona
- Learn how to write a “tight 5” for performance
- Work on a sketch and turn it into a script
- Learn to crowd work techniques to keep people laughing
Once they’ve mastered their set, they’ll crack other campers up at the Pali Showcase.
Dance Camp
So your child thinks they can dance? We’d believe it! We see jaw-dropping talent at our dance camp every year. If your dancer is looking to work on their skills, they’ll love this one-week sleepaway camp. During the day they’ll
- Learn dance basics
- Discover different dance types and styles
- Practice stretching and do light conditioning
- Learn famous dance moves
- Perform a routine for the rest of the camp
Make sure your dancers bring their dancing shoes for this week-long adventure in dance and music.
DJ Camp
Wikka-wikka-yeah! If your child is always creating “sick beats” or making videos on the app Tiktok, they’ll love our DJ camp. It’s taught by a professional DJ, you know – the kind who can use their skills to make money. At DJ camp your little record scratcher will learn…
- Hot DJ Tips and practicalities from pro’s
- To set up and use state-of-the-art equipment and DJ software
- Develop their own persona or character
- Get to DJ different events around camp (like the Pali Dance)
- Come home with a recording of their skills
Now they can market themselves to friends and family members for events. Watch out, Bat-Mitzvah scene!
Magic Camp
Illusions of the hand and of the mind… is that what your child is into? They’ll love magic camp, where they can work on magician performance art (like balloon animals) as well as actual magic tricks. At magic camp, your little Houdini will learn to
- Perform close-up magic with props
- Develop their sleight of hand technique
- Work on and master card tricks
- Learn some basic illusions to perform
- Come home with classic magician props
At the end of the week, they’ll get to perform their skills for other campers.
Rock Star Camp
This one is for all the singers and rockers out there! If your child would sell their most prized possession to get some time with a microphone on a stage, register them for this camp – now! During camp they’ll
- Learn songwriting techniques
- Discover and improve singing skills
- Create an onstage persona
- Record in a true recording studio
- Learn and practice an instrument
- Collaborate and work on harmonies
- Perform for the whole camp
That’s a lot to do in a week, but we get it all done!
More Camps? Check!
Not the kind of performance you were thinking of? We also cater to daredevils of all kinds with the
And more options. Your child will have the time of their life and you’ll have a week to yourself. What could be better? Start the enrollment process now by opening a chat with our helpful parent liaisons.