Tiler Peck becomes New York City Ballet’s first choreographic associate
The Principal Dancer, who created Symphonie Espagnole for the company this year, will premiere a new work each season for the next three years, beginning 8 May 2027 – and becomes the first woman to hold a choreographic title at NYCB.
New York City Ballet has appointed Tiler Peck as its first-ever Choreographic Associate, a newly created position that will run alongside her continuing work as a Principal Dancer. Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan announced the appointment, which takes effect at the start of the 2026–27 season.
Under the new role, Peck will be commissioned to create world premiere ballets over NYCB’s next three seasons, with her 2026–27 premiere scheduled for 8 May 2027. She will also take part in educational programmes such as the “Inside NYCB” presentations, and will mentor dancers in the company’s First Steps scheme, which gives NYCB artists space and support to develop their own choreographic voices.
Stafford and Whelan called Peck “an extraordinary artist who continues to give dazzling performances in a vast array of repertory night after night,” adding that in recent years she has become one of ballet’s most exciting choreographic voices, and that they are eager to see what she creates for the company’s dancers and audiences.
Peck said she was grateful to NYCB for creating the position, and admitted to being taken aback on learning she would be its first holder – and the first woman ever to hold a choreographic title at the company. Her immediate thought, she said, was “I’m just getting started.” She added that she hopes the visibility of the role might help open the door for more women choreographers within major institutions.
A ballerina turned choreographer
Peck, who has danced with NYCB for 21 years, made her choreographic debut at the Vail Dance Festival in 2018. Her two works for the company to date are Concerto for Two Pianos (2024), set to Poulenc, and Symphonie Espagnole (2026), to Lalo; her third NYCB piece premieres in May 2027.
Beyond New York, she has choreographed for Miami City Ballet, Boston Ballet, BalletX, Cincinnati Ballet and Northern Ballet, as well as for her own touring programme, Turn It Out with Tiler Peck & Friends, which earned an Olivier nomination and two UK National Dance Awards. Her wider credits span film and television, including choreography for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” video, plus appearances in Tiny Pretty Things and Ray Donovan.
She joined NYCB in 2005, was promoted to Soloist a year later and made Principal in 2009. Her repertory includes roles created by Balanchine and Robbins alongside originated roles from choreographers including William Forsythe, Alexei Ratmansky, Justin Peck and Christopher Wheeldon. She is the subject of the Emmy-winning PBS documentary Tiler Peck: Suspending Time, published a book with Penguin Random House in October 2025, and is this year’s recipient of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award.
Peck joins NYCB’s current roster of resident choreographic voices, which also includes Resident Choreographer Justin Peck and Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
