Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy was established in 2006 by Dmitri and Jennifer Kulev, former principal dancers at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. DKCBA was founded on the Russian classical training system called the Vaganova Method. In 2024, Alina Krasovskaya and Alexander Romanchikov, former soloists at the Mariinsky Theatre, became the new directors of DKCBA. They continue to uphold the Vaganova Method and aim to foster a new generation of professional ballet dancers with high quality instruction and the highest standards of Russian ballet. This dedication is reflected in the many international and national awards, company contracts, and college acceptances DKCBA students have received.
We currently offer training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and character technique. We also home to the Orange County Ballet Theater (OCBT), which offers students performance opportunities in and around Orange County. Furthermore, DKCBA students have the opportunity to train with WESTSIDE DANCE PROJECT, a preprofessional contemporary company based at DKCBA and directed by Cory Barnette & Troy Herring.