{{Short description|American ice dancer (born 1996)}} {{Update|reason=new relationships and graphic novel|date=November 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox figure skater | name = Karina Manta | image = Manta, Johnson - 2018 Skate America - 13.jpg | caption = Manta and Joseph Johnson in 2018 | fullname = | altname = | country = {{USA}} | discipline = Ice dance | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|3|20}} | birth_place = Olympia, Washington, U.S. | hometown = Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. | height = {{cvt|1.60|m|order=flip}} | beganskating = 2002 | retired = April 18, 2019 }}
'''Karina Manta''' (born March 20, 1996) is an American former competitive ice dancer.
== Early life == Manta was born on March 20, 1996, in Olympia, Washington.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00034969.htm|title=Biography|website=www.isuresults.com|access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref> She began figure skating in 2002.<ref name=":2" />
== Career == Manta previously competed in ice dance with Jonathan Thompson.<ref name=":2" /> Manta has partnered with ice dancer Joseph Johnson since 2013.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ice-dance.com/site/profile-karina-manta-joseph-johnson/|title=Profile – Karina Manta & Joseph Johnson {{!}} ice-dance.com|website=www.ice-dance.com|language=en-US|access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref> The team is coached by Patti Gottwein in Colorado Springs.<ref name=":2" /> Manta and Johnson received their first Grand Prix assignment in 2018, competing at Skate America.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.advocate.com/sports/2018/11/09/karina-manta-team-usas-first-out-female-figure-skater|title=Karina Manta is Team USA's First Out Female Figure Skater|date=November 9, 2018|access-date=November 19, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usfsa.org/story?id=91760&type=media|title=Welcome to U.S. Figure Skating|website=www.usfsa.org|language=en|access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref> They finished in 10th place with a total score of 139.33.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108778.htm|title=Entry/Resultlist|website=www.isuresults.com|access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref>
On April 18, 2019, Manta announced that she was stepping away from competitive figure skating. She and Johnson plan to move to Montreal in June and join Cirque du Soleil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/JoeJohnsonIce/status/1119043371652091904|title=A retirement tweet pic.twitter.com/RDghJ2ooFQ|last=Johnson|first=Joe|date=April 18, 2019|website=@JoeJohnsonIce|language=fr|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://circusrunaway.blog/2019/04/19/saying-goodbye/|title=Saying Goodbye|last=circusrunaway|date=April 19, 2019|website=Circus Runaway|language=en|access-date=April 19, 2019|archive-date=April 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419043442/https://circusrunaway.blog/2019/04/19/saying-goodbye/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2020, it was announced that Manta would join the cast of ITV's ''Dancing On Ice''. During the thirteenth series, she was a replacement partner for Graham Bell, whose original partner, fellow newcomer Yebin Mok, was injured during training. Bell and Manta were voted off during Week 3. Manta won the fourteenth series with Regan Gascoigne.
As of February 2026, Manta and Johnson coach figure skaters at Chelsea Piers Sky Rink in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-18 |title=Former Team USA figure skaters are coaching the next generation of athletes in NYC {{!}} amNewYork |url=https://www.amny.com/sports/olympics/team-usa-figure-skaters-coaching-next-generation-nyc/ |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=www.amny.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == In 2018, Manta was a college student.<ref name=":2" /> In 2018, she came out as bisexual in a video accompanied by her girlfriend. This made her the first female figure skater competing on behalf of Team USA to come out.<ref name=":1" />
== Programs == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !Season !Short program !Free skating |- !2018–2019 <ref name=":2" /> | * Malagueña <br>{{small|by Ernesto Lecuona}} * Alcoba Azul <br>{{small|by Elliot Goldenthal <br> choreo. by Trina Pratt, Ben Agosto}} | * Sweet Dreams <br>{{small|by Eurythmics <br> performed by Emily Browning}} *Sweet Dreams (are Made of This) <br>{{small|by Eurythmics <br> performed by Dave Stewart & His Fabulous Orchestra <br> choreo. by Christopher Dean}} |- !2017–2018 | * Right Now <br>{{small|by Pussycat Dolls}} *Fireball <br>{{small|by Pitbull}} | * Your Song * One Day I'll Fly Away <br>{{small|by Elton John, Tony Phillips <br> performed by Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman}} |- !2016–2017 | * Dream a Little Dream * I Wanna Be Like You <br>{{small|by Robbie Williams}} | * Dream On <br>{{small|by Aerosmith}} |- !2015–2016 | * {{small|March:}} The Love for Three Oranges * {{small|Waltz:}} Cinderella <br>{{small|by Sergei Prokofiev}} | * Maple Leaf Rag * Bethana * The Entertainer <br>{{small|by Scott Joplin}} |}
== Competitive Highlights == ''GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series''
(with Joe Johnson) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="6" align="center" style="background-color: #ffdead; " |International<ref name=":0" /> |- !Event !14–15 !15–16 !16–17 !17–18 !18–19 |- | align="left" |{{small|GP}} Skate America | | | | |10th |- | align="left" |{{small|CS}} Autumn Classic | | bgcolor="cc9966" |3rd | | | |- | align="left" |{{small|CS}} Nebelhorn | | | |14th | |- | align="left" |{{small|CS}} US Classic | | |5th | |5th |- | align="left" |Lake Placid IDI | | |6th |5th | |- ! colspan="6" align="center" style="background-color: #ffdead; " |National |- | align="left" |U.S. Champ. |10th J |7th |8th |9th |7th |- | colspan="6" align="center" |<small> TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew</small> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.karinamanta.com Official website]
{{Dancing on Ice}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manta, Karina}} Category:American female ice dancers Category:1996 births Category:LGBTQ figure skaters Category:American LGBTQ dancers Category:American bisexual sportspeople Category:American bisexual women Category:Bisexual sportswomen Category:Living people Category:LGBTQ people from Washington (state) Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:Bisexual female dancers Category:Bisexual dancers