Combining the resources of American Ballet Theatre, America’s National Ballet Company®, and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the ABT William J. Gillespie School just announced that former ABT dancer, Eric Tamm, will join their faculty for their 2024-2025 school year. Tamm will teach courses in ballet technique and partnering with the level 6 and upper level 2 students in the Gillespie School ‘s Pre-Professional Division. It is said that he also has hopes of enlarging the school’s curriculum by “providing male students with specialized classes that is crucial for their training.”
A native of San Francisco, Tamm trained in tap and ballet and studied with Martine van Hamel, Bonnie Mathis and Christian Holder, among others. He joined ABT Studio Company in August 2004, the main Company, as an apprentice, in January 2007 and the corps de ballet in December 2007. Since rejoining ABT in 2020, among Tamm’s repertory with the company includes the principal role in Ballo della Regina, Lead Highlander in The Bright Stream, the Nocturne in Fall River Legend, the Second Sailor in Fancy Free, the Dancing Master in Gaîté Parisienne, Des Grieux in Lady of the Camellias, and he created roles in Dumbarton, One of Three and Private Light. Tamm was named a Chisholm Foundation Scholar in 2004 and received the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts in 2012. In 2017, he co-created Ballet Mentor, an online program formed to help educate the next generation of professional ballet dancers.
Eric Tamm – Photo courtesy of SCFTA.
Now transitioning away from a performing career, Tamm and his husband are very excited to call Orange Country home. With the help of Jacquelyn Pash, Public Relations Associate at The Segerstrom Center, I was able to send Tamm a few questions about his new job.
What inspired you to accept a teaching position at the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School?
While dancing with the company, ABT was fortunate to perform at Segerstrom Center for the Arts multiple times a year. During one of those tours, under the direction of then Interim Artistic Director Sarah Jones, I started teaching masterclasses at the ABT Gillespie school and quickly realized what a wonderful school environment they fostered. Everything from the facilities to the student’s work ethic made it an ideal environment to study ballet. So, when it came time to shift roles from performing with ABT to teaching full time there was no other ballet school higher on my list.
Jacquelyn Pash mentioned that you will be teaching men’s technique classes as well as partnering classes in the pre-professional division. What other ideas do you have for expanding these classes?
Bridging the gap from student to professional dancer is challenging to say the least. My hope for all of my pre-professional classes, men’s technique and partnering included, is to create well-rounded dancers that are able to make small adjustments based on the technical and stylistic demands of the choreography. ABT’s repertoire is vast and my knowledge and personal experience dancing it the last 20 years is the best gift I can pass along to my students. In addition to regular technique classes my hope is to be able to expand into teaching and coaching choreography that would be expected of them as first year apprentices in the main company. Not only would this build an understanding of the different ballets, choreographers, styles, etc. but it would also build strength, musicality and spatial awareness when dancing in a group on stage which are all vital tools to a professional dancer.
Eric Tamm as Prince Cocoa with Misty Copeland in Alexei Ratmansky’s “Whipped Cream” – Photo courtesy of SCFTA.
Talk about your teaching experience?
My teaching experience has primarily involved conducting masterclasses at various esteem institutions across the country. During these sessions, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of students, helping them to refine their techniques and develop their artistic expression.
For the past 20 years, I have devoted my career to performing with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), an experience that has enriched my understanding of the art of dance. This extensive performance background allows me to bring a unique perspective to my teaching, as I can share real world insights and practical advice drawn from my time in the industry.
What is your experience as a choreographer and will you be creating work for students or re-staging ballets?
While I don’t possess experience in creating new choreography, I am excited about the opportunity of re-staging of ballets. I very much look forward to doing [that] and I know [it] will provide a fun opportunity for the students to absorb new experiences and appreciation for what it means to dance in an ABT ballet.
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It is certain that the students at the ABT William J. Gillespie School will be fortunate and excited to train with Eric Tamm.
To learn more about the ABT William J. Gillespie School, please visit their website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Eric Tamm as The Nutcracker prince – Photo courtesy of SCFTA
