Who We Are?
LITTLE BARN Dance & Musical Theatre in Bridgehampton, NY

Through learning the art of musical theatre, children are able to express themselves with song, dance, and their innate storytelling abilities.

Our goal is for each budding performer to cultivate confidence and develop poise in our inspiring space. Our beautiful settings are perfect for the merging of classical and current styles of music, theatre and dance.

Our cast of instructors at Little Barn pride themselves in being true Teaching Artists.

Each teacher is both a performer in the musical theatre world and a mentor in the classroom. They dedicate themselves to lead by example while listening to the unique interests of individual students.

Our “cast members” have specifically chosen to teach at Little Barn because they value the creative potential of each child while also gaining inspiration from the students for their own art.

Our Mission

To nurture joy, creativity, and confidence through the performing arts - and to make every child feel like they belong on stage.

At Little Barn, our mission is to provide children with a space to express themselves freely, creatively, and joyfully. Through dance, music, theatre, and play, we help kids explore their imaginations, discover their voices, and grow in confidence—one pirouette, line reading, or silly warm-up at a time.

Whether a child is here for one week or every season, we meet them where they are and make space for who they’re becoming.

Our Philosophy

We lead with kindness, always.

We believe in structure without pressure.

We meet kids with patience and curiosity.

We care about creativity as much as performance.

We believe the theatre can be a playground, a classroom, and a home.

Firefly Values

Little Barn was founded in the Hamptons and was inspired by the beaches, farms and the beautiful landscapes. Our first Summer Stock Camp was born here, in the very heart of the Hamptons in a picturesque farm-like setting, attracting a sophisticated crowd of New York City theatre enthusiasts.

The rainbows, butterflies, lady bugs, birds, the occasional dragonfly (and mystical flying unicorns) captured our imagination - something beyond our reach but present with a song, dance and story. We come alive in our summer farm and now: NYC setting learning, playing and putting on shows till the day is done when the fireflies come out for their magical nightly shows!

From Webster’s Dictionary “The sanguine Firefly…” meaning - Inspired, dreamers - what inspires us to practice daily to make our dreams come true and always with kindness, love, friendships and courage). Be brave, courageous, and kind on the journey with our friends.

F - Friendship: what it means to be a good friend - supportive, being happy for and cheering on each other

I - Inspired: to embrace and engage with what inspires us

R - Respect: being a good learner, friend; How do we show respect to our teachers and friends and keeping us and others safe.

E - Everyone is important: no such thing as a small role or small deed. Everything we do is important and becomes who we are.

F - Free, freedom: like the firefly that lights up the magical summer night, the arts light up our spirits.

L - Live and Love: in deeds, relationships and in our art

Y - Yes: we can-do attitude!

Meet Kim, Our Founder

Kimberly Eilian

Founder / Artistic Director / Dance Teacher

How it all Began

Starting at the tender age of four, Kim has followed a lifelong pursuit of performing arts, beginning with her first love - classical ballet while also participating in community theatre and Children’s Repertory Co., then jazz, hip hop, theatre dance, and tap - taking classes in high school at the local community college.

It was there she was later asked to join the dance team, where they traveled for competitions (always winning first place) with Karen Stenger Kovak, who danced with Paula Abdul and was assistant choreographer for all the Janet Jackson tours.

Karen also took the dance team on an unforgettable trip to Russia, where Kim witnessed Russian ballet, visited and performed at Chernobyl camps, and fell in love with the culture and architecture of Moscow and St. Petersburg. It was here she was inspired to be a Dance Major in college and applied to the University of California, Irvine, where she earned her B.A. in Dance with a teaching and musical theatre emphasis, with 4 consecutive years on the Dean’s Honor List.

Why NYC?

Kim dreamed about NYC since she was a little girl through her friends in ballet school who would go to NYC for summer intensives at SAB and Joffrey, and from her favorite movie and TV show, Fame. But when she auditioned for the New York City Musical Theatre program at University of California Irvine she had no idea what to really expect - but Kim was smitten with the big city and never left after her senior year. (Her first thought upon arriving in NYC for the first time from JFK Airport was, “Wow, this is just like the TV show Taxi! - finally getting the full picture.)

After college, moving to the city, and two musical theatre Bus and Truck Tours up and down the Midwest, and countless auditions and dance, singing, and acting classes in NYC, Kim decided it was time to settle down into the teaching career she had always dreamed of - specifically teaching children. Her first teaching job was in a little dance cabin at a sleepaway camp in the Adirondacks, which she now recognizes as the seed of inspiration for Little Barn.

Kim’s notable teaching jobs include “Darien Dance Center” in Connecticut, “The Dance School” (her own studio), summer camp/after-school dance programs at “Children’s Aid Society” in Harlem and an after-school dance program at Caedmon School on the Upper East Side, where she practiced her musical theatre teaching style - to teach all styles of dance with hidden ballet technique.

Thank you note

Kim would like to thank her husband, Kevin, and two boys and muses, Jerome and Lewie, for their continued support, love, and inspiration.

She would also like to thank her other true loves and muses: the happy and beautiful children that come alive in class and on stage doing classical and inventive musical theatre. She hopes that Little Barn will inspire her own children and the children of the Hamptons to find natural joy, courage, friendships, inspiration, and excellence in everything they do no matter what they do.