Karla Garcia

Karla Garcia (SYTYCD)

Karla Garcia hails from the DC Metropolitan area. After learning traditional Filipino dancing, she started dancing competitively at the age of 6. She trained under Fran and Jimmy Peters at Fran’s Studio of Dance. She also attended the Kirov Academy of Ballet and the Washington School of Ballet prep classes. She decided to take her dancing further and pursue her dreams in The Big Apple. She received a scholarship to New York University Tisch School of the Arts where she received a BFA in dance and a minor in journalism. Throughout her college career, Karla danced in works by Dwight Rhoden (Complexions), Kyle Abraham, Tracy Lang, and Bridgette Moore. During her final year of college, she made her Broadway debut in the dance musicale HOT FEET, choreographed by Maurice Hines. She then completed 7 months on the national tour of the Broadway hit WICKED. She went on to perform in a Rite Aid industrial, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a series of Lucille Roberts Fitness commercials, and the 2009 VH1 Divas Live show behind Jordin Sparks.

In the summer of 2009, Karla made her way to the top 7 girls on FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance” Season Five. Here she had the opportunity to work with Nappytabs, Mia Michaels, and Stacey Tookey to name a few. She is also a member of the Boogie Bots Crew (as seen on Randy Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew, Season 2).

Now residing in Brooklyn, NY, she continues to perform, and teaches and choreographs at select studios all over the east coast. Karla constantly strives for creative growth, as she aims to combine influences from her technical background with different textures of contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. She believes that dance is an evolving art with room for new ideas, bold innovation, and a myriad of cultural influences. She is currently represented by Clear Talent Group. She is blessed to have a continuously loving and supportive family.

Karla’s Limited Class Series: http://www.gendance.com/newsletter/031810/adv3/adv3031810.htm

Karla will be hosting “The Main Event Dance Competition” on Saturday, April 10, 2010.

Meet the rest of our Front Runners.