Jon Stojan
Image credit: Tobias Ellehammer
On a late night in Copenhagen, Denmark, circa 2005, if you were to pass by the Ellehammer household, there’s a good chance you might see twelve-year-old Tobias just beginning to pursue a passion that would become a lifestyle for him in the years to come: dance and choreography.
Tobias Ellehammer saw Justin Timberlake’s music video, My Love choreographed by Marty Kudelka, and was hooked. Over the years, he has gained recognition for his unique movement style and has shaped an impressive career working with some of the biggest stars,conducted countless masterclasses & intensives, in more than 20 countries and headlined as a judge at various dance events worldwide.
Tobias Ellehammer’s Origins
Tobias Ellehammer was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1993. Originally from Copenhagen, Tobias spent 8 years working in London but has been based in Los Angeles, California, for over 3 years. He is a dancer, choreographer, and educator best known for his unique, complex style and grand-scale, world-traveling conceptual dance videos.
Besides his projects, Tobias has “worked with” recording artists such as Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Jungkook, Jimin, Riize, Jason Derulo, AJ McLean, Liam Payne, Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones, Olly Murs, Super Junior, Tempest, M Pokora, Kang Daniel, Steps, Ella Henderson, Fabio D’andrea, Madness, Enhypen, Martin Jensen, Louise Redknapp, and more.
Tobias has also worked with major corporations such as Google and on multiple TV shows like X-Factor, Eurovision, Strictly Come Dancing, and Dancing with the Stars, in addition to being featured in several movies and television productions.
The Full-Circle Timberlake Moment
Tobias began his journey in dance and choreography at 12 after watching a Justin Timberlake music video. Almost twenty years later, he collaborated closely with Marty Kudelka, who choreographed that same video and is Justin’s head choreographer till this day.
Recently, Tobias contributed choreography for the ongoing “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour” and served as the male swing dancer.
Additionally, Tobias also contributed choreography under Marty for Justin’s performance of his new single “Selfish” on the Graham Norton Show in London.
Accomplishments and Achievements
Tobias was also featured on the hit NBC TV show World of Dance as part of the group “Tobias & the EZtwins” and has gained millions and millions of views on his dance videos online. Videos that don’t just share dance steps but genuinely have something to say and a message to share. He also has incredible teaching experience as he started teaching when he was only 15 years old, and has conducted master classes, intensives, and workshops in over 20 countries at various dance camps and conventions. Tobias also consistently judges and headlines several worldwide dance competitions, including World of Dance. On the choreography side, Tobias’s work stands out and is easily recognized due to the unique movement patterns and complex yet soulful style.
You may also have seen some of Tobias’s recent choreography in BTS superstar Jimins music video to his hit single “Who” or in the live performance of that same song in The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
Adding to his impressive background, Tobias recently launched his first-ever dance company, Anomaly Dance Company, in partnership with the world-renowned Millennium Dance Complex LA, where he has taught weekly since the beginning of 2021.
Mentorship Philosophy
Tobias teaches workshops and masterclasses, which strongly focus on exploration and curiosity about what seems impossible.
As he says, “Perfection is the death of greatness if you ask me, and I translate that into all my classes when I teach. I encourage my students to make mistakes to help them discover their boundaries and push themselves beyond their limits.”
Final Thoughts
Tobias Ellenhammer is passionate about further pursuing his career in dance and choreography and passing that passion onto others through his mentorship role with Anomaly Dance Company.
Over twenty years, Tobias went from dancing alone in his childhood bedroom to dancing on a stage in front of thousands alongside Justin Timberlake. There’s no telling where the next few years will take Tobias, but he’s passionate and prepared to tackle it.