Florenz Tamara

Florenz Tamara (May 12, 1898 – December 31, 1947), also known as Florence E. Fowler, was an American dancer active in the 1920s and 1930s. Born Florence Gustave, she listed Chicago as her birthplace on travel documents and census records, though she was frequently described as originating from San Francisco or possibly Oakland. As a child she was considered delicate, and dance was recommended to her as a form of exercise.

Tamara began her dancing career in southern California, where she performed with Jack Holland as a young woman. Around 1921 she became the professional partner of Ernest Addison "Jack" Fowler, and together they built a reputation as a tango and modern dance team billed as Fowler & Tamara. Their act was characterized as "fancy and eccentric," encompassing the tango, foxtrot, and modern dance styles. Tamara was also recognized individually as a toe dancer. In 1924, when the orchestra failed to appear for a scheduled performance at Aeolian Hall, the pair improvised by dancing to a live radio broadcast, an unusual solution that drew public attention.

Her Broadway appearances took place between 1924 and 1926. She performed in Zelda Sears' musical comedy Lollipop and in the revue George White's Scandals. Fowler and Tamara toured extensively throughout the United States and internationally during the 1920s and 1930s, and press coverage of the period frequently noted Tamara's costumes, pets, and shopping habits, as well as her public advice on posture and carriage. A 1938 review described their program as an "inept exhibition," suggesting their performances had declined from earlier standards.

Following their retirement from full-time performing, Fowler and Tamara established a dance school in Providence, Rhode Island. The two had married in London in 1930. Tamara died on December 31, 1947; her husband survived her until 1957. Her scrapbook and a selection of her costumes are preserved in the collection of the Lake County Museum in California.