New York City Ballet resident choreographer Justin Peck‘s Copland Dance Episodes is his first full-length work and the company’s newest non-narrative full-length ballet since George Balanchine’s 1967 Jewels. Set to four of Aaron Copland’s acclaimed compositions, Peck’s ballet features scenery by Choctaw/Cherokee painter and sculptor Jeffrey Gibson, including a vibrant quilt-like backdrop. In this Mounia Akl–directed […]
In partnership with On, an athletic shoe and sportswear company, Justin Peck created “Become a Mountain” to explore the intersection of athleticism and artistry. “I came at dance from an athlete’s point of view,” says Peck, who uses his soccer background from his youth to inform his choices as a choreographer. Peck combines pedestrian, classical and […]
Each year, The New York Times Magazine shines a spotlight on who they deem to be the best actors of the year in its Great Performers series. But, what we’re wondering is, can they dance? Thankfully, the NYT Mag recruited none other than Justin Peck to put them to the test. Peck choreographed and directed […]
Justin Peck has been tapped to choreograph Steven Spielberg’s upcoming Hollywood reboot of West Side Story. And we ask, Can you think of anyone better suited for that job than the dancemaker who’s been following in many of Jerome Robbins’ footsteps? Let’s review: Choreograph for New York City Ballet: check. Choreograph for Broadway: check. Snag […]
Could Justin Peck be any busier? In the midst of pulling triple duty at New York City Ballet—as a soloist, resident choreographer and a member of its interim artistic team—he also managed to choreograph a Broadway show. Then, last month, on his first try, he won a Tony Award for best choreography for the revival […]
Question: What do you get when you combine a dreamy real-life dance couple, hundreds of balloons, a buzzy dance filmmaker and a quietly haunting song from indie rock band The National? Answer: A music video that captures all our unfulfilled middle school dance dreams. The National’s “Dark Side of the Gym” features Justin Peck and […]
Since creating his first work for New York City Ballet in 2012, 29-year-old Justin Peck has catapulted into a dancemaking career that spans ballet and contemporary companies across the world. His spellbinding formations, unusual partnering and impossibly fast petit allégro—along with his hipster-cool collaborations with trendsetters like alt-rocker Sufjan Stevens and fashion label Opening Ceremony—give […]
At first glance, Justin Peck, with his full-rim glasses and modest demeanor, resembles Clark Kent. What he’s accomplished choreographically, however, seems more like Superman. At 26, the New York City Ballet soloist has already created 20 ballets, and the buzz about his talent has people equating his potential with the likes of Alexei Ratmansky and […]