A Performing Arts Academy is a dance school in Salem, Massachusetts, founded in 2006 by Susan Byrne and Seanna Chmura. Drawing on two longstanding local dance lineages, the academy provides serious dance education for children and young adults with an emphasis on strong fundamentals, technical discipline, and personal growth. Its teaching approach balances structure with creativity, encouraging students to build control, precision, confidence, and self-expression through both formal instruction and movement exploration. The academy operates with two state-of-the-art studios equipped with professional barres, mirrors, and sprung floors, and it incorporates performance opportunities through the APAA Dance Company.