Kara Chan, one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" for 2020, is a New York City dance artist and educator. A native of Vancouver Canada, Kara received her pre-professional training at Pro Arte Centre, under the direction of Astrid Sherman. A B.F.A. graduate from The Juilliard School (under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes), she performed masterworks by Mark Morris, Jose Limon, Murray Louis, Merce Cunningham, Lar Lubovitch, and Jerome Robbins. In 2014 (her senior year), Kara made her professional debut at The Joyce Theatre with the Lar Lubovitch Company as a guest artist.
Most recently, Kara made her Broadway debut as original cast in Justin Peck's Tony Award-winning musical, Illinoise. Previously, she toured and performed principal roles in both repertory works and new creations with Twyla Tharp Dance. Kara has performed professional for Pam Tanowitz Dance, Mark Morris Dance Group, Merce Cunningham Trust, Gleich Dances, Janis Brenner & Dancers, Dance Heginbotham, Kathryn Posin Dance Company, Keigwin + CO, Trainor Dance, Barkin/Selissen Project and MorDance.
In 2019, Kara assisted Twyla Tharp as a repétiteur in the staging of Deuce Coupe on American Ballet Theatre, which received a 2019 Outstanding Revival Bessie Nomination. She is currently assistant choreographer for the Off-Broadway Music, Music City, choreographed by John Heginbotham.
When she is not dancing, Kara can be found teaching Pilates, or dance and piano to her students! An experienced teacher of over 9 years, she has taught at multiple dance studios in NYC and NJ, and has been an invited guest teacher for summer programs including Dance Device Lab, Open Doors Dance Festival, and FRESH Dance Intensive. Kara is an ABT® Certified Teacher in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She also holds a Kelly Kirby Kindergarten Piano Teacher Certification and is a Balanced Body Pilates Instructor.
