History

Tanju and Patricia Tuzer opened their first ballet school, the Tuzer School of Ballet, in 1977. In 1985, as their reputation spread and the enrollment grew, they designed and constructed a modern cultural center in Richardson. The Tuzer Dancenter is the largest and finest dance facility in the Southwest. It houses both the school and the Tuzer Ballet Company. After over 30 years, the Tuzer’s remain Directors of Tuzer Dancenter, Artistic Directors of Tuzer Ballet Company, and principal ballet instructors in the school.

Tanju Tuzer was born in Istanbul, Turkey and at the age of nine he began his dance training at the Ankara State Conservatory. After nine years, he joined the Turkish Ballet, where he danced for four years. He also studied as a scholarship
student with the Royal Ballet in London. His first engagement in a foreign country was in Hamburg, Germany in 1968. Two years later he joined the Harkness Ballet in New York City as a principal dancer. In 1975, he danced in Europe, performing in France for one year. He danced in Germany in 1976 as a principal dancer in John Neumiere's Hamburg Ballet Company. Mr. Tuzer has danced lead roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cinderella, Don Quixote Pas De Deux, Le Corsaire, Giselle, Balanchine's Agon, Four Temperaments, and Symphony in C.

Now in Richardson, he brings the European touch to the art of ballet. Mr. Tuzer is as adept at staging the classics for his young dancers as he is at choreographing new works to display their talents.

Patricia (Machette) Tuzer was born in Dallas, where she began her dance training at the age of three. During her early teens, she was accepted to many summer workshops and received scholarships to several major New York companies including New York City Ballet, Harkness Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. In 1969, she accepted a full scholarship with the School of American Ballet and finished her academic classes at Professional Children's School. In 1970, she joined Harkness Ballet in New York City where she danced as a soloist and principal dancer in many ballets including Firebird, Schubert Variations, Abyss, Nightsong, Rodin, and Souvenirs. It was during her Harkness stint that she met her future husband, Tanju Tuzer. In 1975, she moved to Europe where she danced as a soloist before joining John Neumiere's Hamburg Ballet in Germany.

In 1977, Patricia and Tanju moved to Dallas and opened the Tuzer Dancenter. They formed the Richardson Ballet and staged their first
performance of The Nutcracker in 1982. In 1984, they created their own troupe, the Tuzer Ballet Company.

The Tuzers’ classical style of instruction and expertise has earned the Tuzer Dancenter the undisputed reputation as one of the finest dance preparatory academies of its time. Many of their former students are enjoying successful careers in major professional companies around the globe. In addition, Tanju and Patricia have enriched the Dallas dance community and inspired thousands of dancers over the past 30 years.