Norbert De La Cruz III was born in Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He is a NYC and LA-based freelance contemporary dance choreographer and artist. Since receiving his BFA from the Juilliard School in 2010, he has danced professionally as a soloist with Balletto Teatro di Torino, the Metropolitan Opera House, Aszure Barton & Artists, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet to name a few. He was recently casted as dancer in Warner Brothers Entertainment’s musical film, In The Heights, directed by Jon Chu.  As a choreographer, he has been commissioned to choreograph for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Tulsa Ballet II, Barak Ballet, Hubbard Street II, James Sewell Ballet, Ballet X, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, Grand Rapids Ballet, and was commissioned twice for the New York Choreographic Institute (an affiliate of the New York City Ballet). De La Cruz has been awarded fellowships from the Jerome Robbins NEW foundation, the Princess Grace Awards - USA, The Jerome Foundation, The Wolf Trap Foundation, and the Commissioning Choreographers Campaign.

He has been selected for professional development programs such as the NY Choreographic institute, the National Choreographers Initiative (Irvine, CA), Hubbard Street’s National Choreographic Competition (Chicago), Joffrey Academy of Dance Winning Works (Chicago), and Alvin Ailey New Directions Choreography Lab (NY).

His work has been presented by the Joyce Theatre (NY), Wolf Trap (VA), Ailey CitiGroup Theatre (NY), Martha Knoebel Dance Theatre (CA), Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (NY), Blanch Touhill Performing Arts Center (MO), Aspen District Theatre (CO), Lensic Performing Arts Center (NM), Wallis Annenberg (CA), Kelly Strayhorn Theatre (PA), the Broadway Playhouse (IL), Irvine Barclay Theatre (CA), and McCallum Theatre (CA). 

In teaching and choreography, his credentials include The Juilliard School Summer, Ailey/ Fordham University, Joffrey Ballet School J&C NYC, Princeton University Ballet, University of Hartford Dance Division, The University of Richmond. SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, Marymount Manhattan College, NJ Performing Arts Center, Center Of Creative Arts (St Louis), LA County High School for the Arts, OC School for the Arts, Windward School for the Arts, Westside Dance Project, and is currently developing a new work for Point Park University.

Additional honorable mentions include the Asian Arts Alliance Jadin Wong Award, McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival Award, and was featured as one of Dance Magazines Top 25 to watch. While navigating a career as a freelance Choreographer and educator, Norbert is currently performing and collaborating with NYC-based contemporary dance company Boca Tuya with Omar Román de Jesús whilst completing his Masters degree in Fine Arts in dance at Hollins University Graduate Program.