When Karla Puno Garcia visited the Philippines in October, she was daydreaming of some fun time at the beach—Bolinao in Pangasinan, to be specific. But things quickly geared up creatively, leading her to take a rain check on that vacation and focus on the task at hand: directing and choreographing the local production of “A Chorus Line.”

“A Chorus Line” is an American musical originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett and his associate, Baayork Lee. The show depicts the trials and triumphs of Broadway’s unsung heroes. When Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) overall artistic and creative director, Tony Award–winner Clint Ramos, thought of bringing it to the Philippines, it was a natural decision to tap Karla to lead the production.

With her Broadway credits—most notably as the first Filipino cast member and dance captain in “Hamilton,” and as the first woman of color to choreograph the opening number of the Tony Awards, which earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming—Karla is the perfect artist to take on the role of director and choreographer. But the show calls for more than technical excellence.

If TGA’s most recent production, “Into the Woods,” is any indication, “A Chorus Line” may also highlight elements of Filipino culture and artistry—something Karla is deeply familiar with.

Before the curtain rises on the local staging of “A Chorus Line,” Manila Bulletin Lifestyle got the chance to sit down with Karla as she shares her life on stage, her excitement for the upcoming production, and what makes dance a powerful form of art.

I started tap dancing at the age of three. I also began with traditional folk dances—I did itik-itik and bangkô. Those were my first memories of dancing with a group. Then I went on to dance competitively, learning American dance styles like tap, jazz, ballet, and more. After that, I studied dance at New York University and earned a BFA in Dance. I expanded my training in modern dance and concert work. Dancing on Broadway was always a specific goal for me. After college, I went on to perform in Broadway shows. That was my trajectory in a nutshell.

My growth as a choreographer came after I started dancing professionally and working with different choreographers in shows like “Hamilton,” “West Side Story,” and “Wicked.” Experiencing a diverse array of movement styles infused my work with new ways of moving. I was also inspired by hip-hop and the underground hip-hop scene. Overall, my aesthetic is a culmination of my experiences as a performer. That’s where my perspective comes from, along with a sensitivity to music and musicality.

The person I looked up to at a young age was my godsister, LaMae Caparas. She went on to perform in “The King and I” national tour, “Fosse on Broadway,” and “The Lion King.” I literally watched her go from my hometown and dance studio to Broadway and work professionally. Seeing that made me believe that if she could do it, I could too.

I think choreographers are directors in their own right. When working on a musical, the choreographer and director are often co-piloting the show. My job is to help stage the production in tandem with the director’s vision. Taking on the role of a director isn’t that different from choreographing a piece—I’m still supporting the story and conveying it through movement and space.

People often think choreographers are just making up dance steps, but we’re also responsible for how the piece feels and how the show moves overall.

There has been a lot of thought and intentionality put into incorporating Filipino elements into the piece, and I’m excited for everyone to see how we do that.

Dance has power because there are no words. It’s a visceral way of communicating and expressing how we naturally feel. My nine-month-old, whenever she hears music, immediately starts to move. That alone shows that we’re born to dance—it’s in our bones.