Nicholas Garlo
Nicholas Garlo is a highly accomplished dancer and choreographer with a diverse and
extensive background in the world of dance. His journey began in southern Florida, where he
received his technical training before furthering his studies at the Conservatory of Dance at
SUNY Purchase College in New York. There, Nicholas earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in
dance and a minor in Arts Management, graduating Cum Laude in May of 2017 while being
honored as the only recipient to receive the prestigious Bert Terborgh award. Throughout his
academic years, Nicholas participated in various summer intensives including the Netherlands
Dance Theater, Vancouver’s Arts Umbrella under Ballet BC, Joffrey, Juilliard, Jacob's Pillow,
Springboard Danse Montréal, Launch with NW Dance Project, Cunningham under the Trust, and
more. He also expanded his horizons through a semester abroad at the Taipei National University
of the Arts in Taiwan.
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Post-graduation, Nicholas embarked on a successful professional career, starting with
Ballet Quad Cities in Rock Island, Illinois. He further honed his craft in the professional program
at Hubbard Street. Nicholas then went on to work with Cocodaco Dance Project in Chicago and
the Ballet Florida company. Notably, he toured to & performed at the Suzanne Dellal Center in
Tel Aviv, Israel while working for Roderick George with kNoname Artist based in Berlin,
Germany; and participated in the 'Dance Festival München' in Munich, Germany under
choreographer Jasmine Ellis. Next, Nicholas went on to dedicate five seasons to the Kibbutz
Contemporary Dance Company in Israel - touring internationally to places such as Germany,
Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Croatia, Lithuania, Romania, Paris and others.
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During his time with the Kibbutz, Nicholas also taught repertory, company auditions,
master classes and workshops within Israel and abroad. While there, he choreographed two of his
own works on fellow main company and second company dancers, for two different festivals
abroad. He also set repertory on the Masa (a five month dance journey program under KCDC),
as well as choreographed two of his own works on the Masa, and set a solo he created on a
senior dancer in the professional program: Maslool in Tel Aviv.
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After returning to America, Nicholas choreographed a senior solo for a graduating
student at Loyola University Chicago. Since he relocated back to Florida in ‘24, Nicholas has worked with Tampa City Ballet, Atlas Modern Ballet, Brandon Ballet, and Azara Ballet. Teaching at multiple studios and summer intensives; he has also performed at the PalladiumTheater, New Tampa Performing Arts Center, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the Manatee Performing Arts Center among other venues. He has been seen on Fox News live while working with Tampa City Ballet and the Suncoast News Network under Azara Ballet. Nichola began teaching at the University of South Florida (USF), West Florida Dance Company, and was
promoted to Interim Associate Artistic Director of Azara Ballet for the remainder of Azara’s second season. Nicholas was recently one of three artists to be selected as a 2026 Creative Fellow through the Palladium Theater and just finished re-staging his choreography for a graduating senior at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria. Additionally, his piece: Hurt People Hurt People created on West Florida Dance Company was performed at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa Bay. His choreography has been recognized at numerous national competitions - such as Youth America Grand Prix. Recently in Nashville, his
choreography was awarded Top 12 at YAGP for the Senior Contemporary division. Nicholas will be touring to Lublin, Poland this fall to perform again with Jasmine Ellis Projects.
Eager to start his second season with Azara Ballet, Nicholas could not be more excited to continue on as a company dancer and rehearsal assistant.