Tom Porras

Tom started his dance training and performing early, competing on “Star Search,” and being featured in commercial industrials for corporations such as Mazda, General Motors, Aveda, The Boy Scouts of America, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Diesel, and Avon. He trained at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Marsh School of Classical Ballet and worked with Cirque du Soleil Choreographer Debra Brown’s dance company Apogee, where he danced with trampolinists, acrobats, and contortionists. Tom’s performance credits include Radio City Music Hall, the Country Music Awards with Shania Twain, and The Dance Hall of Fame, Los Angeles, honoring Rob Marshall and Chita Rivera. He was a featured performer and dance captain for the New York City, Los Angeles, and European productions of Michael Jackson’s Sisterella. He also co-conceived and was assistant director for Universal Studio’s Grand Opening of Islands of Adventure featured on CNN, an event hosted by Steven Spielberg which included Grammy Award Winning Gospel artist Kirk Franklin, the coordination of 300 dancers, 40-foot inflatables and Spider-Man repelling from a helicopter over thousands of spectators. Other choreography credits include Michael Bolton’s world tour. Tom was awarded a Theatre Critics Award for best choreography of a new musical by the L.A. Times for his work at PCPA Theatrefest in the new musical The Wildest!!! Hip, Cool, and Swinging (a show which he also co-wrote–published by New York publishing house Samuel French, Inc.).  Tom loves teaching and has has worked with The National Dance Institute in New York City, The Chicago Dance Institute, and the Joffrey Ballet. He joined NDI New Mexico in 2012.