How it all began...
Born and raised in the small town of Norfolk, Nebraska, Tanner's love for entertaining was evident at a very young age. With his Fisher-Price tape recorder in hand, he would dance around the living room singing at the top of his lungs to his favorite song "Man I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain. At age 7, he began taking dance at Broadway and Main Street Dance Studio in Wisner, Nebraska. Despite the fact that he held his mother's hand and cried the entire class, dance became his favorite activity, and there was no turning back. From there, he went on to take dance at Nebraska Dance in Omaha and became a member of their competition team, where he stayed until his senior year of high school.
The Opportunity of a Lifetime
In 2008 at age 13, Tanner was given the extraordinary opportunity to play the lead role of Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical in London's West End. Even though he would have to move nearly 4,500 miles away from home, this was an experience he could not pass up. Preparation for the role of Billy required a great deal of dedication and hard work. He was trained in acting, dialect, singing, dancing, and acrobatics, all of which had to be mastered in a matter of three months. He made his West End debut on September 29, 2008. During his run he was given the chance to perform in the Broadway production from April to June of 2009. He gave his final performance as Billy on September 26, 2009. It was the experience of a lifetime that he will never forget.
University and Beyond
He is an alumnus of the prestigious Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment at Oklahoma City University under the dance department chair Jo Rowan. He graduated summa cum laude in December 2017 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance. While at school, he performed regularly with the American Spirit Dance Company in their annual Home for the Holidays Christmas show and Spring shows. He also has had the privilege of performing with the reputable Music Theatre Wichita and the Muny in St. Louis during the summers of his college career. Tanner now resides in New York City where he is pursuing his passion of performing and creating a name for himself in the entertainment industry. He thanks his many teachers and professors for their direction and guidance in getting him to where he is today. Special thank you to his loving family for the endless sacrifices they made to help him pursue his dream. He is eternally grateful. Carpe diem!