Karla Puno Garcia
Karla Puno Garcia (born June 30, 1985) is a Filipina-American choreographer, performer, and educator. She won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming for the 76th Tony Awards. She is the first woman of color to choreograph in a year where the opening number had no script, only dance and music opened the show.[1]
Early Life and Education
Karla Puno Garcia was born in Oxon Hill, Maryland to Rodney Dakita Garcia, who was originally from Pasig, and Ella Puno, whose family lives in Quezon City. Rodney passed away in 2014. Karla has a younger sister, Jitter, and a younger brother, Rocky.[2] Garcia started dancing at the age of 3. She eventually joined competitive dance teams, competing between the ages of 6 to 18.
Garcia went to earn her BFA in dance with a minor in journalism from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she had a $75,000 scholarship to attend. At NYU she joined the International Filipino Association to bond with other Filipino students and share their culture with the rest of the student population. At Tisch she worked closely with Kyle Abraham and Bridget Moore.[3]
Career
Filmography
Film
| Year | Titl | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Tick, Tick... Boom! | Additional Choreographer | additional scenes; uncredited |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | So You Think You Can Dance | Contestant | Season 5; eliminated Week 4 |
| 2013 | Smash | Dancer | Season 2; (as Karla Garcia) |
| 2020 | Hamilton (2020 film) | Stand | Disney+ |
| 2021- 2025 | Power Book III: Raising Kanaan | Lead choreographer | Starz |
| 2022 | Blue's Big City Adventure | Broadway Dancer | Paramount+ (as Karla Garcia) |
Theater
| Year | Title | Theater | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 - | Wicked | 1st National Tour | Ensemble | Replacement dates unknown |
| 2005 | Hot Feet | Lyric Theatre | Ensemble | (Apr 30, 2006 - Jul 23, 2006) |
| 2009 - 2011 | West Side Story | Palace Theatre | Lupe/swing | Replacement (Mar 19, 2009 - Jan 02, 2011) |
| 2011-2012 | The Addams Family | 1st National Tour | Addams Ancestor | (Sep 15, 2011 - Dec 30, 2012) |
| 2015 | Gigi | Neil Simon Theatre | Parisian | Replacement (Apr 28, 2015 - ?) |
| 2016 - 2021 | Hamilton | Richard Rodgers | Various roles | Swing/Dance Captain/Asst. Dance Captain |
| 2018 | Gone Missing | New York City Center | Choreographer | ENCORES Off-Center production July 11-12, 2018 |
| The Cher Show | Neil Simon Theatre | Finale Co-Choreographer | Save Up All Your Tears; departed Dec 23, 2018 | |
| 2019 | Confidence (and the Speech) | Theatre Row Theatre | Movement Director | Off-Broadway |
| 2022 | Other World | Delaware Theatre Company | Choreography by | World premiere |
| 2023 | Days of Wine and Roses | Atlantic Theater Company | Choreographed by | Off Broadway Linda Gross Theater |
| 2024 | Studio 54 | w/ Sergio Trujillo (Jan 28, 2024 - Mar 31, 2024) |
References
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