A few months ago, some students at the College of Adaptive Arts would not even have pointed a toe or tapped a heel in front of someone.

On Saturday night, the Showboaters, all developmentally disabled adults, will appear on stage, performing the “Glee” version of “Lean On Me” and the Beach Boys’ “Be True To Your School,” for their annual Palooza fundraiser. At a rehearsal last week, they were in their element.

“The arts just ignite our kids,” said Linda Gonzales, who said her daughter Renee has blossomed at the college.

“To see these students grow is so amazing,” said Katie Zeisl, 23, who helps teach the Showboaters.

Student Trevor Lucken, 26, said his goal is to someday appear on “Dancing With The Stars.”

“I just love to dance,” he said.

The key word here is “goal.” The class at the fledgling college aims to help students such as Lucken dare to dream and to fulfill those aspirations.

Most educational services for disabled youths cease at age 22. The College of the Adaptive Arts hatched an idea so simple, it’s a wonder it has been elusive for so long. Using the arts, the college creates opportunities for continuous learning, achievement and progress for adults with developmental disabilities.

“We want to create lifelong collegiate experience through expression, exploration and friendship — delivering excellent services to adults of all disabilities,” said co-founder DeAnna Pursai.

Started in 2009 with

a handful of students, the college now has 75 students enrolled in 17 classes at two campuses in San Jose and one in Redwood City. Courses range from personal fitness and soccer to dance, puppetry and public speaking.

Both the Showboaters, who perform popular musical tunes, and the puppetry class take their shows to schools, senior citizen centers and other venues. A golf team, with clubs donated by a Roseville team, is in the works. An online health and fitness class meets via Skype every Wednesday.

The classes are free. While instructors are paid, Pursai and co-founder Pamela Lindsay they earn only a $300 monthly stipend.

The school is not accredited, but instructors are called professors and students work toward degrees. Pursai calls it “semantic validation,” to reinforce the notion of students attending college, becoming productive, contributing citizens.

“The way DeAnna and Pam work with our children — it’s their absolute belief in them that makes them feel valued,” said Jasmina Naleid, of Campbell. Her daughter, Maya, 21, has autism and Down syndrome. “I want her to continue learning,” Naleid said. “She lives for the days when she has the College of Adaptive Arts.”

Her daughter has made friends, socializes with classmates on Facebook and tours with a troupe, her mother said, that “brings lots of joy to people.”

“I like showboating,” said Kim Rains, 33, who during some performances also signs to interpret lyrics for the hearing-impaired.

Her mother, Candy Rains, of San Jose, like other parents was effusive about the classes. “My daughter is a born performer,” she said.

Both Kim Rains and Renee Gonzales joined the college’s Speaking with Confidence class on a field trip to a Toastmasters meeting at PayPal. “It was phenomenal,” Linda Gonzales said, because the students were treated like any other Toastmasters guest.

Extending those kinds of opportunities that others take for granted are part of the college’s mission.

Pursai, 40, had long been thinking of starting the college, spurred on by seeing how her younger sister Angel, who has Down syndrome, was treated.

“There’s a real disconnect between what so many adults are capable of contributing and the opportunities that are presented to them,” Pursai said.

A number of programs exist for adults with disabilities, but most focus on either living skills or recreation, like adult day care. The difference at the college is the idea of progress, that students are learning then refining skills and advancing to higher levels.

Across the country, programs like the college are popping up to broaden horizons for those with autism, cerebral palsy and other cognitive delays.

As with all nonprofits, the bottom line is a challenge. “We’re fundraising all the time,” said Lindsay, a professional actress who teaches theater at San Jose State. They’ve found sympathetic landlords in Randol School in San Jose, the Veteran’s Memorial Senior Center in Redwood City and Terry Peckham, co-founder of the Silver Creek Sportsplex in South San Jose.

Pursai and Lindsay’s goal is to create a full-fledged conservatory and to also serve high-functioning people with Asperger’s syndrome, those with physical disabilities, traumatic brain injury and hidden disabilities.

“Our biggest challenge is trying to find outside investors who believe in this new model,” Pursai said.

Eventually, she said, students will become professors and will run much of the school.

Student Kim Rains is enthusiastic. “My goal,” she said, “is to reach out to the other people and spread the word.”

Contact Sharon Noguchi at 408-271-3775. Follow her at Twitter.com/NoguchiOnK12.