In 2022, New York City Ballet’s beloved ballerina Tiler Peck curates a show for New York City Center’s inaugural Artists at the Center program: Make it a reality with Tiler Peck and friends. The play received critical and audience acclaim in New York and was subsequently performed at the Sadler’s Wells Theater in London, where the play was performed. time spell Nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Work), it then toured Peck’s home state of California. Now it’s returning to the city center for encore performances from October 16th to 19th, which is great news for those of us who missed this popular show the first time around.
The program includes fresh works of ballet, modern dance and tap by some of today’s greatest choreographers (for example, they are premiering in 2022). Start with a quartet Barre Project, Blake Works II Created by modern ballet pioneer William Forsythe, with music by James Blake, followed by Peck’s Sextet Thousands of oranges, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw provides live music. followed by a duet Swift Arrow Created by San Francisco contemporary ballet king Alonzo King, with music by jazz composer Jason Moran. It was the Downtown Council that shut down the plan time spell, Peck collaborates with tap dance queen Michelle Dorrance and Emmy-nominated contemporary choreographer Jillian Meyers, with music by Aaron Marcellus and Penelope Wintertland. Peck dances in all but her own productions, which features an all-star cast that also includes NYCB company members India Bradley, Chun Wai Chan, Christopher Grant, Mira Nadon, Quinn Starner and Ryan Tomash, as well as Boston Ballet principal dancer Jeffrey Cirio, dancers and So you think you can dance Season 14 winner Lex Ishimoto and tap dancer Byron Tittle.
The Observer recently caught up with the always enthusiastic, humble, and busy Peck to talk about her excitement for encores, her endless desire to grow as an artist and her love and admiration for her friends.
how to do it Make it a reality with Tiler and friends Come together first?
I’ve curated other shows, but this is the only one I’ve created from scratch. None of these pieces existed before I asked the choreographer to make them. so Do it with Tiler It feels the most special to me because it’s kind of like my little kid.
I started researching this issue during the pandemic. I always wanted to work with Bill Forsythe and he wanted to work with me, but we could never get our schedules together. So I called him and said, “Hey Bill, I know everything is closed, but do you want to work together? I know it’s not ideal.” He said, “When can we start?” I was like, “What about tomorrow?” And that’s how that piece was born. We just started working together via Zoom. We don’t know what it will become. After a while he said, “I think we need to bring some gentlemen in.” So we did. when we’re done barre project, We made it into a movie so people could see it. But the first time it was performed live was this show downtown, and the only time we performed it with the original cast, the way he created it, was during this particular Do it with Tiler Show us the tour.
What about Alonzo King’s work?
It’s the same thing. I called Alonzo and said, “I’d really like to work with you. How would you feel if you created something for me?” He said, “Oh my gosh, I’d love to.” So we created a little bubble in San Francisco. There were only four of us in the room. During that time he created a pas de deux for Romain and me, which you can only see at the end of the show. my choreographer, Thousands of orangesstarted at the Vail Dance Festival, but this version we perform is very different. The time spell was created specifically for this show and has only been performed on this show.
How is your recovery going? Thousands of orangesa work you created a few years ago?
It’s nice because I can adjust it for the dancers I’m doing right now. It doesn’t have to be a museum piece. That’s a great thing about being a living choreographer – you can still make these changes!
How was the audience’s reaction when you first performed and toured?
I think time spell Really transports people. I felt this way when I was listening to Penny and Aaron singing backstage, but I wasn’t sure how the audience would react. I think it’s really hard to try to mix styles without looking like, “Oh, there’s a tap dancer and there’s a ballet dancer and a modern dancer and they all want to dance together!” But to me, the integration is so seamless that you don’t even realize you’re watching so many different forms of dance in one piece. Many dancers are versatile. Like Lex tap dancing with Michelle Dorrance and then doing a pas de deux with me because he also does ballet. Many people have told me time spell Don’t leave them. They don’t always understand how to interpret it, but they are deeply moved by it. This is true every time we execute.
How did you go about making this piece?
I wanted to work with Michelle, and Michelle wanted to bring Jillian Meyers in as well. So the three of us really worked together. They are so talented. I just help incorporate ballet into it. But everyone is very collaborative. Michelle is just… I don’t know, she’s like the most talented person I know and I think this is one of her favorite things she’s ever done.
What excites you about returning to this project again?
The good thing about doing something more than once is that you get to know each piece and character on a deeper level. I think that’s the beauty of the show now – it’s really found its roots and everyone feels comfortable in it.
These are the most incredible artists. I think we all enjoy being in the room together because we each feel like we are growing by working with each other. We all push each other. We became a very close family. I think that feeling comes across in the exhibition because these works were created at a time when no one could be together. This is the first thing we can do. We all wore masks at the beginning! So it does have this sense of longing, of not being with someone and then coming back, and the intersection that happens there. I feel like the more we learn about this work, the richer it becomes. Because we don’t do it often, it feels fresh every time we dance together.
How is the dance style different from your usual dance style at NYCB?
Growing up, I wasn’t a classical dancer at all. I studied ballet to enhance my technique, but I am actually a jazz modern dancer. So I guess that’s why I feel so comfortable with these types of jobs. At this point in my career, I want to be pushed by choreography, not just physically. Alonzo really digs into the human side of dance. He was kind of a philosopher, and I was interested in the way that I grew as a dancer. When you’re in the studio with him, you learn a lot about yourself, dance, and the world. I think he shares it differently than other choreographers.
Bill is the most musically gifted man who ever lived, so working with him was a dream. The way he explains things like compressing and stretching time, it feels like I’m getting a lesson on how to choreograph and dance at the same time every time I work.
And you’re also very musical – what a great pairing!
You know what’s funny? Michelle was the only one who made me feel like I had no musical talent. She can hear notes and beats that my ears just can’t pick up, and I think I’m pretty musically gifted, so that’s why I’m always so interested in working with her. She constantly pushes me to listen, observe, and explore further. What I love about this show is that it has it all. It combines many dance forms into one. I only wore pointe shoes from one of the items! This is more than just a ballet performance. It’s a dance night.
Get it done with Tiler Peck and friends Will be held in downtown New York City from October 16-19, 2025.
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