Meet Kareena Kirlew: Ballerina and Social Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kareena Kirlew and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kareena, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my own business was a combination of the pandemic abruptly ending a means to income that brought me great joy, and the fact that I saw a need for the parents of Black and Brown dancers to be prioritized and centered in gaining access to the arts. I realized after the pandemic, though, that it wasn’t just children who needed access to the arts, but adults as well. It would come up so often that adults were actually stifled artists – people who had grown up dancing or who love to dance – but who couldn’t continue because of classism, inequities, discrimination or a combination of all of these. I can’t tell you how many adults say they quit dancing at a young age because of their body type or a lack of money. The pandemic gave me a surprising ability to bring dance, ballet and physical fitness to adults and babies alike, and it gave me the opportunity and the freedom to choose social entrepreneurship – to seek out and center underserved communities to service them better and with more intentionality.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a ballet dancer and I also teach children, ages 3-7 years old, ballet. Before the pandemic I would teach classes in the studio and in one-on-one training sessions. Now, I still prioritize teaching children, but solely one-on-one and in the beautiful dance studio that I’ve built at home with the help of community! I lead outdoor group stretching for adults on a fairly frequent basis, and I hope to bring on-demand and livestream videos of stretching, conditioning and barre classes to an even larger audience. People often forget that ballerinas are athletes, and so, by the end of the year a goal of mine is to become a certified personal trainer. I’m hoping to help coach people into rehabilitating their bodies from the painful effects of COVID, but also from everyday, subtle things like stress and trauma.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m going to pretend that COVID is not a thing for a second, and say that I still haven’t conquered the LA museum scene! Devastating! If they were open I’d drag my friends along to that, hopefully not kicking and screaming or bored to tears. The original Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles is non-negotiable. LA hiking is always a good way to upset friends in the moment but have them thank me later. Leimert Park. The beach. Any beach. I like Laguna though. Peaceful, at low tide.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes! My shoutout is dedicated to my Mommy – my example of fierce courage, bravery and love. I’d be nowhere without her, and without the love and support of my brothers and my friends who believed I could make it in Los Angeles and who helped keep me afloat when things were looking real crazy. These days, I am particularly and especially thankful for the radical beloved community of the Black Lives Matter movement, who challenge me and the world to envision better, to be better and to usher in better with urgency and without apology. Hella shoutouts to the radicals, the dreamers and the doers.

Instagram: @kareenakirlew

Image Credits
Kacey Bonner