Jon Rua

Jon Rua (born Jonathan Rua, August 14, 1983) is an American actor, singer, and choreographer, best known for his roles in Broadway musicals such as Hamilton, In the Heights, The SpongeBob Musical, and Hands on a Hardbody. Rua was the choreographer for the 2016 Muny production of Aida in St. Louis, and a creative consultant for the 2016 musical SpongeBob SquarePants, joining its Broadway cast in 2017. Early life Rua was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Linden. His parents, Maria Nohelia Castañeda Cano and Elibanier "Marco" Rua, were both immigrants from Colombia. Rua graduated in 2001 from Linden High School, where he participated in the musical theatre program and began dancing socially. He received a B.A. in Communication and Public Relations from Rutgers University. During Rua's college years, he attended his first dance class, and later started teaching dancing to younger students.