Radmir and Elena met in Moscow in 2012. He was a classical guitar student; she was training in jazz and pop vocals. From their first conversation, it was clear — this was not just a romantic connection, but the beginning of a powerful creative alliance.
Soon, they formed Zaman, an ethno-project featuring eight talented musicians. The group toured extensively across Europe and Asia, performing on major stages and collaborating with global organizations like the UN and UNESCO. Alongside the project, Radmir was developing as a producer and PR specialist, while Elena became a leading teacher at Moscow's Academy of Children’s Musical Theater.
After Radmir’s solo concert in New York in 2019, the couple received an invitation to relocate to the United States. In 2020, now a young family with a baby boy named Gali, they made the leap — embracing a new country, a new market, and a new cultural environment. Their focus was clear: to grow professionally and bring their creative vision to life in the U.S.
That focus was soon formally recognized. Both Radmir and Elena were granted U.S. Green Cards under the Extraordinary Ability category — a recognition of their exceptional contributions and achievements in music and the arts.
Once their son grew a bit older, Elena began offering music classes to neighborhood children — right in their living room. “Within a few months, we couldn’t fit everyone anymore,” she recalls. That organic interest became the seed of a full-fledged venture. The couple registered their company in California and opened their first location in Glendale. This marked the birth of Big Steps, a school of musical theater for children.
“We worked nonstop. Our goal was to understand every nuance of the American market and polish our product to perfection. We even took jobs in other schools: Elena joined Angeles Academy, and I taught at VRMA in Huntington Beach,” says Radmir.
Once the system was streamlined, they began expanding. New locations opened in North Hollywood, Irvine, Palo Alto, and Encino. Not all of them survived — the North Hollywood and Palo Alto branches closed within six months. But these lessons helped shape a robust internal system and a clear playbook for success.
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What makes Big Steps unique is its structure. Unlike many U.S. studios where a single teacher covers multiple disciplines, Big Steps assigns a dedicated professional to each area: choreography is taught by a dancer, vocals by a singer, acting by a working actor. All instructors are experienced in working with children, and the teaching philosophy blends the rigor of Soviet educational traditions with the playful, child-centered methods of modern American pedagogy.
And the results are striking: every six months, Big Steps stages full-scale performances in Los Angeles theaters. Original music and scripts, costumes, lighting, makeup artists, real dressing rooms and backstage — children experience the full magic of theater. Parents get to witness true progress.
Recently, the school hit another major milestone. The Big Steps team was invited to partner with one of the most prestigious general education in Pasadena — a city renowned for its strong educational institutions. The project was well received, and Big Steps was brought in to manage the school’s theater program. Classes at the new Pasadena branch began in February 2025, and the first showcase performance is just around the corner.
“We’re confident the parents will be thrilled. We’ve built a strong team, and we’re proud to be part of this school community,” says Elena Muftakhina, co-founder and creative leader of Big Steps.
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