Tatum Backer was born and raised in Huntington Beach, CA. She began her ballet and contemporary training at Southland Ballet Academy under the artistic guidance of Salwa Rizkalla. Tatum performed with Festival Ballet Theatre and Ballet RED, working with teachers and choreographers such as Andrea Schermoly, Josie Walsh, and Zak Ryan Schlegel. In 2019, Tatum began attending Boston Conservatory with a merit scholarship, currently on track to obtain a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance by 2023. Since moving to Boston, she has worked with choreographers such as Victor Quijada, Gabrielle Lamb, and Margot Gelber. In her senior year at the conservatory, she participated in a transitional semester in New York at the GibneyPro Professional Certificate Program with the direction and mentorship of Alexandra Wells, Gilbert T Small II, and Bret Yamanaka. Here she worked closely alongside and performed works by Rena Butler, Laja Martin, Maleek Washington, and Elia Mrak. To further support her training, she has attended rigorous intensives and workshops such as a b12 performance project with Johannes Wieland and Jos Baker, Gaga Lab NYC and Ate9.