Born in Shanghai, she was admitted to Shanghai Ballet School at the age of 11. Her ballet attainments can be regarded as a myth in the ballet world. Her superb ballet skills have shocked the whole world: she is the only Chinese to act as the leading actress of San Francisco Ballet, one of the three largest ballet companies in the United States, and the first Asian to participate in the world star show in Prague, Czech Republic.

11歲考入上海芭蕾舞學校，但由于父親希望她從醫，結果入學時間推遲了半年。后來，她在習舞期間受傷，她父親更是堅定了讓她放棄芭蕾的想法。爭執不下時，她家以拋硬幣決定她的前途。結果，譚元元抱著狂喜的心情看到了命運之神的安排。

At the age of 11, she was admitted to Shanghai Ballet School, but because her father wanted her to become a doctor, she was delayed for half a year. Later, she was injured during her dance practice, and her father was more determined to let her give up ballet. When there was no dispute, her family decided her future by tossing a coin. As a result, Tan Yuanyuan saw the arrangement of the God of destiny with ecstasy.

在少年時代，譚元元就多次在國際芭蕾舞大賽中獲獎。她14歲就參加了第二屆芬蘭赫爾辛基國際芭蕾舞比賽，在少年組160名選手中，一舉奪得第二名。

In his childhood, Tan won many awards in International Ballet competitions. At the age of 14, she took part in the second international ballet competition in Helsinki, Finland. She won the second place in the group of 160 young people.