About KDA

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To provide a love and respect for the arts and a safe space to enjoy, grow, be challenged, express yourself, connect with and support the community.

What is KleinDance Arts?

KleinDance Arts (Klein means “Small” in German) is an intimate learning environment that provides students the opportunity for:

Physical Movement, Self-Expression, Confidence, Discipline, Focus, Respect, Creativity, Knowledge of the Arts, Having Fun!

Our Priorities

SAFETY

KINDNESS

QUALITY

PASSION

PROFESSIONALISM

COMMUNICATION

Our goal is to inspire, motivate and encourage all students that they are capable of more than they imagine.  We challenge students with a positive approach that they can accomplish anything, while celebrating who they are in the present.

"I can do anything." 

"I am enough."

At KDA, we believe in positive reinforcement, patience and encouraging each student’s personal development in the arts and in life skills. We stay up-to-date with current teaching styles, and at the same time, use tried-and-true teaching methods to instill traditional Performing Arts knowledge and etiquette, as well as keep up with the most updated information and happenings in the Performing Arts world. 

We embrace everyone’s individuality, self-expression and personal growth. We aim to accept and support others in the arts community and welcome our studio to people of all different backgrounds.

We are primarily a recreational performing arts studio, as well as offer the option to train at an elite level. Multiple lessons per week and private lessons are advised to provide the accelerated level of training for a student and artist that wants to dedicate their time to the performing arts. Ultimately, we aim to provide high quality classes, with a feeling of home.

Originally from Santa Maria, CA, Irene Kleinbauer has trained in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, tap, social dance, ballroom, and many ethnic dance styles. She has been privileged to dance professionally with Invertigo Dance Theatre, BodyCurrent, and work with artists, such as Laura Karlin, Debbie Lush, Gerald Casel, Lorin Johnson, Marco Cruz, Chelsea Braverman, Sophie Monat, Andrew Vaca, Keith Johnson, and Michael Blake.

Some of Irene’s teaching and choreographic opportunities have been provided at all three Dellos Dance Studios, Invertigo Dance Theatre, Dancing Through Parkinson's, Braver Players Theater Company, Orange County Creation Station Dance Studios, Ballet Hispanico, Allan Hancock College, and Nipomo High School. She received the honors of being 1st and 2nd place recipient of the Santa Maria Arts Council Award in 2006 and 2008, respectively, as well as the 1st place recipient of the Santa Barbara Ballet Competition in 2006.

At age 8, Irene's first teaching experience was directing her neighborhood friends in original dances and plays performed in front of her house for all their parents. Irene continued through college with dance, earning a B.F.A. in Dance (cum laude) from CSU Long Beach. She has been involved in many productions with the CSULB Department of Dance as a performer and soundboard operator. She has also studied with Northwest Dance Project, Ballet Hispanico, Colorado Ballet, and the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C.

Irene currently teaches group and private dance classes at KDA and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, piano lessons, barre fitness, choreographs for musical theater, operates KleinDance Shop, consults performers and helps build their resumes/biographies/websites/

headshots/danceshots, and is the owner of KleinDance Arts. Irene feels very fortunate she is able to use dance as the center of her career work.