Ellen ten Damme is a Dutch actress, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Ten Damme both sings and acts in four languages, and plays piano and keyboards, guitar and violin. During her school years Ellen was an enthusiastic gymnast, and incorporating some gymnastic tricks or even circus acts into her shows has become a trademark.
Ten Damme grew up in the rural village of Roden, close to the university town Groningen, where she studied Dutch for a while. However she switched to the Amsterdam Theatre School for stage, film, cabaret and musical actors. After spending a great deal of time in Germany, Ten Damme returned to Amsterdam, where she lives on a houseboat.