Born: Tucson, Arizona.
Joined SFB in 2001.

Garrett Anderson was born in Tucson Arizona November 5, 1981. He began taking ballet class when he was eight years old after seeing a demonstration of ballet at school and telling his mother how he "wanted to learn to do that." His first teacher was Edna Austin who taught ballet at Ballet Arts of Modesto. Anderson's mother had studied ballet and she began to take Anderson to ballet performances of the San Francisco Ballet all the time. He fondly remembers seeing Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson's versions of Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet, which inspired him to continue his studies. His first personal memory of ballet, Anderson's recalls, was when "I was putting on tights and my older brother was laughing at me. There was no way either one of my brothers were going to take ballet." Anderson's older brother is now a Lieutenant in the Navy and his other brother a junior in high school.

In spite of sibling pressure, Anderson moved to Walnut Creek when he was 15 to study ballet at the Contra Costa Ballet, under the directorship of Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong, while attending Las Lomas High School. With persuasion from Cammack, Anderson received a full scholarship to study at the San Francisco Ballet School before going to Seattle to continue his training with the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He remained for two years as part of the company's professional division and performed with the Pacific Northwest Ballet as an unpaid student.

In June 2000 he received his first contract as a Corps de Ballet dancer with San Francisco Ballet. He had wanted to be a professional dancer from a young age but wasn't sure it would be possible. When he was accepted into the Company he was shocked. His long time dream was finally a reality.

So what does he enjoy the most about being a professional dancer? "Being an artist, surrounded by great art and those who create it. When I am dancing I think, this is my job, and I am so grateful I am doing what I love for a living. My favorite ballet to date is Concerto Grosso. This ballet gave me an opportunity to develop artistically while challenging me technically and physically. Other favorite roles include the Gypsy King in Don Quixote, Lead Russian Cossack in Nutcracker, and Carnival in Othello.

What does Anderson do when not dancing? "I play the cello, read, and I am a  student at St Mary's University in their Liberal Education for Arts Program. Occasionally I do different visual arts such as drawing and painting."

When asked what advise he has for the aspiring dancer, he says, "As a student you have to always strive for perfection but never forget you are dancing. Dancing means so much more than technique. Good technique allows you to put energy into every part of being an artist and performer. You will get from your dancing everything you put into it."

Website:http://sfballet.org/about/company/corps.html#anderson