The Prince, the Jester, and the Sister: A Dancer's Journey
When choreographer Wendy Somes announced in her characteristic wit, "Let’s give Tyler a go," Principal Artist Tyler Gum couldn't have known that moment would launch him into his first major solo role at Ballet West.
The year was 2013, and while he had been diligently preparing as a cover for the Jester in Cinderella, the leap from understudy to spotlight performer happened in an instant. Soon he found himself commanding the stage before a crowded theatre, executing the demanding pyrotechnic physicality required of the role. It would also mark the beginning of his artistic transformation with the company.
By 2018, when Ballet West staged another production of Cinderella, Gum faced an entirely new challenge - his first role as a Prince. The transformation went beyond mere costume and character; he had to fundamentally learn how to walk as a Prince.
"Every step needed to emanate nobility," Gum reflected. "I couldn't drag my feet or march - each movement had to be precisely measured, deliberately royal." After his debut performance, former Ballet West Artistic Director Bruce Marks approached him with words that would resonate far beyond that evening, saying Gum truly belonged in this regal role. "It was one of the most validating moments of my career as a dancer," Gum said.
In that same 2018 season, and again in this year's production, Gum embraced perhaps his most nuanced role yet - one of Cinderella's stepsisters. Here, neither the Jester's acrobatic prowess nor the Prince's regal bearing would serve him. Instead, the role demanded a different artistic vocabulary altogether, one where every gesture tells a story.
"Each movement becomes like a spoken word," Gum explained. "The challenge lies in the subtlety of British humor, which is not about broad physical comedy. Sometimes the biggest laugh comes from just one precisely timed look or a single, perfectly executed gesture."
At the heart of the role is how he portrays the character’s inner nature. “The stepsisters desperately want to be beautiful on the outside, never realizing that their true ugliness lies within." At the end of the ballet, he hopes the audience will see the powerful transformation when the sisters finally recognize their mistreatment of Cinderella.
Each of his roles in Cinderella has represented a different facet of Tyler's artistic growth, contributing to his versatility as a dancer and shaping him into the kind of artist that Artistic Director Adam Sklute describes as "exceptional" with "a superb technique and dynamic stage presence."
Whether leaping as the Jester, walking nobly as the Prince, or exuding humor as a stepsister, Gum says the greatest reward comes from bringing joy to audiences. Come see him perform in Cinderella at the Capitol Theatre Feb. 7 – 16. Buy tickets today at balletwest.org for as little as $29.
