Joined Ballet West II: 2009
Joined Ballet West: 2010
Promoted to Demi Solist: 2014
Promoted to Soloist: 2016
Promoted to First Soloist: 2018

Tyler Gum is from Calhan, Colorado.  He joined Ballet West II in 2009 and joined the main company in 2010.  He was then promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2014, Soloist in 2016, and First Soloist in 2018.  Tyler studied with Holly Marble at the Ballet Society of Colorado Springs, and with Fernando Schaffenburg at the Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre.  He attended summer programs at Walnut Hill, Harid Conservatory, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School on scholarship.  Tyler attended the University of Arizona where he performed with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.  He competed in the Youth America Grand Prix, where he received first place with his classical ballet solo at the regional competition and a contract with Ballet West II at the New York City finals.  Some of Tyler’s favorite leading roles he’s performed with Ballet West include the Prince in Ashton’s Cinderella, Robbins’ Fancy Free, the Sugar Plum Cavalier in Christensen’s The Nutcracker, and Edward Sterlie’s Lacrymosa solo.

Click below to see Tyler’s roles.

2022-23 Season

  • Onegin (Cranko) Onegin
  • Return to a Strange Land (Kylián)
  • Rodeo (DeMille) Champion Roper
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Drosselmeyer, Mouse King, Snow Cavalier, Arabian, Chinese Warrior, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Cavalier

ON TOUR

  • Orange (Nunes) – Ballet West in the Garden, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, Utah

2021-22 Season

  • Dracula (Stevenson) Frederick, Innkeeper
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Herr Stahlbaum, Mouse King, Snow King, Arabian, Chinese Warrior, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugarplum Cavalier
  • Romeo + Juliet (Smuin) Benvolio

ON TOUR

  • The Solo Year (Neenan) – Ballet West in the Garden, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Romeo + Juliet (Smuin) Benvolio – George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center, Park City, Utah

2020-21 Season

  • Tides (Archibald)
  • Nine Sinatra Songs (Tharp) “Forget Domani,” “My Way”
  • Precious Gems
    • Variations For Four (Dolin) Fire
  • The Solo Year (Neenan) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • The Thing With Feathers (Adams) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

ON TOUR

  • The Thing With Feathers (Adams) – George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center, Park City, Utah
  • The Solo Year (Neenan) – George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center, Park City, Utah

2019-20 Season

  • Le Chant Du Rossingnol (Balanchine) Mechanical Nightingale
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Herr Stahlbaum, Mouse King, Snow Cavalier, Arabian, Chinese Warrior, Russian Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Cavalier
  • Giselle (Sklute, after Coralli and Perrot) Wilfred, Hilarion, Peasant Pas de Quatre

ON TOUR

  • Giselle (Sklute, after Coralli and Perrot) Wilfred –The Soraya, Los Angeles, California

2018-19 Season

  • Jewels (Balanchine) Emeralds, Diamonds
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Mouse King, Chinese Warrior, Russian, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Cavalier
  • Swan Lake (Sklute, after Petipa and Ivanov) Benno
  • Onegin (Cranko) Neighbors, Old Man
  • Constant Light (Liang) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

ON TOUR

  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Mouse King, Chinese Warrior, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Cavalier – Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.

2017-18 Season

  • Carmina Burana (Fonte)
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Mouse King, Snow Cavalier, Spanish, Chinese Warrior, Russian, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Cavalier
  • Cinderella (Ashton) Cinderella’s Father, The Prince, Stepsister
  • Return to a Strange Land (Kylián)
  • The Shakespeare Suite (Bintley) Bottom
  • Jabula (Weir) National Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

2016-17 Season

  • Madame Butterfly (Welch) The Bonze, Prince Yamadori, Yamadori Attendant
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Grandfather, Mouse King, Snow Cavalier, Spanish, Chinese Warrior, Russian, Waltz of the Flowers
  • The Sleeping Beauty (Sklute, after Petipa) Catalbutte, Prince Floristan, Bluebird, Tutor
  • Chaconne (Balanchine)
  • Facades (Smith)
  • The Green Table (Jooss) Standard Bearer, Gentleman in Black
  • Fox on the Doorstep (Fonte) National Choreographic Festival (George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • Tremor (Oguma) National Choreographic Festival (George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City)

2015-16 Season

  • Fancy Free (Robbins)
  • Overgrown Path (Kylián) “A Blown-Away Leaf,” “Come With Us,” “Words Fail”
  • Symphony in C (Balanchine) Third Movement
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Grandfather, Mouse King, Nutcracker Prince, Spanish, Waltz of the Flowers, Chinese Warrior, Russian
  • Romeo and Juliet (Cranko) Carnival Dancers
  • The Rite of Spring (Fonte)
  • In Memoriam (Ruud) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • Barre Spot (Sellars) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • Homer:  A Study in Phenomenological Ontology (Naumann) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • Lyric Pieces (Lang) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

2014-15 Season

  • Giselle (Sklute after Perrot and Coralli) Peasant Pas de Quatre, Peasant Men
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Drosselmeyer, Grandfather, Mouse King, Nutcracker Prince, Spanish, Waltz of the Flowers, Chinese Warrior, Russian
  • Swan Lake (Sklute, after Petipa) Benno, Spanish Escort
  • Square Dance (Balanchine)
  • Almost Tango (Fonte)
  • Pulse (Fry) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • The Hunt (Addison) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

ON TOUR

  • The Lottery (Caniparoli) – Royal Theater, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • Mercurial Landscapes (Gates) – Royal Theater, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • Mercurial Landscapes (Gates) – Winspear Opera House, Dallas, Texas
  • In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe) – Winspear Opera House, Dallas, Texas
  • The Sixth Beauty (Neenan) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
  • The Lottery (Caniparoli) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) – Austad Auditorium, Ogden, Utah
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) – Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
  • Mercurial Landscapes (Gates) – Aspen Performing Arts Center, Aspen, Colorado

2013-14 Season

  • The Firebird (Christensen) Monster (Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City)
  • Petite Mort (Kylián)
  • Who Cares? (Balanchine) “Bidin’ My Time,” “Lady Be Good”
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Herr Stahlbaum, Grandfather, Mouse King, Nutcracker Prince, Spanish, Chinese Warrior, Russian
  • The Sleeping Beauty (Sklute after Petipa) Catalbutte, Beast, Bluebird
  • Forgotten Land (Kylián)
  • Divertimento #15 (Balanchine)
  • Rite of Spring (Fonte)
  • The Sixth Beauty (Neenan) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • Great Souls (Ruud) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

2012-13 Season

  • The Lottery (Caniparoli) Mr. Dunbar
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Mouse King, Nutcracker Prince, Chinese Warrior, Russian, Mother Buffoon
  • Cinderella (Ashton) Prince’s Friend, Jester
  • Jewels (Balanchine) Rubies, Diamonds

2011-12 Season

  • Dracula (Stevenson)
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Mouse King, Spanish, Chinese Warrior
  • Don Quixote (Holmes after Petipa) Matador, Sancho Panza

2010-11 Season

  • The Nutcracker (Christensen) Bear
  • The Sleeping Beauty (world premiere Sklute after Petipa) Carabosse’s Minion
  • Chaconne (Balanchine)
  • Regarding Us (Adams) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
  • White Noise (Scher) Innovations (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)

2009-10 Season

  • Songs of the Valley (Marks)
  • The Dream (Ashton)
  • The Nutcracker (Christensen)
  • Swan Lake (world premiere of Sklute after Petipa)
  • Stars and Stripes (Balanchine)

Dolin’s Variations for Four

Stierile’s Lacrymosa

Sugar Plum Cavalier in Christensen’s The Nutcracker

Sklute’s Swan Lake

Photos by Beau Pearson