Tandy Beal
Performing Artist: Choreographer, Dancer
Tandy Beal creates “dance that is exciting, mysterious, theatrical, humorous and energetic” (Seattle Post Intelligencer). “Her stage is a wondrous wayside where mystery unfolds.” (Los Angeles Times). She is “a choreographer of taste and intelligence…with a sure sense of theater.” (New York Times) “Astonishing virtuosity…theatrical savvy…her solos are like jewels, all of which shine…” (Libération, Paris)
Tandy began her career at age 16 touring world-wide with Alwin Nikolais Dance Theatre, performing off-Broadway, appearing as a guest with Atlanta Ballet, Momix, Remy Charlip, Murray Louis, Oakland Ballet, Carolyn Carlson in France and Bobby McFerrin, with whom she has worked for over 30 years. She has made 100+ works for her own company touring 4 continents. In 2014, she premiered a new show for Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in Salt Lake City.
Her off-the-map career has led her to opera, circus, music videos, corporate events, solo shows, animation, horse spectacles, commercials, and fundraising extravaganzas.
A woman of diverse theatrical talent and expertise, Tandy served as Artistic Director for the Moscow Circus in Japan for 2 years and for the Pickle Family Circus for 10 years.
Tandy has worked with many composers, including Art Lande, Lou Harrison, John Adams, SoVoSó and for 40 astonishing years with her co-conspirator, Jon Scoville. She was the choreographer for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, MTV and the Emmy award-winning PBS special, Voice/Dance. She received awards from the American Film Institute to make a film on Hildegard von Bingen, and the San Francisco Museum of Performance and Design chose Beal for their video project Four Dance Icons of the West.
Tandy has taught at the Centre National de la Danse Contemporaine (France), 30 years at the University of Utah as an annual guest artist, UC Santa Cruz and chaired the Cabrillo College Dance Dept. She is an articulate and inspiring speaker on creativity, arts, collaboration and arts education. (Dance USA, SF Business Bureau, Cherry Foundation, Arts Council Santa Cruz, Westaff and more.)
