WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023 · 7:30 PM

TURN IT OUT with TILER PECK & FRIENDS

CIVIC THEATRE
Prelude Interview hosted by Molly Puryear · 6:30 PM

With her personal touches on every aspect of this unique evening, award-winning New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck embraces the role of director for Turn It Out with Tiler Peck & Friends, turning up the heat with innovative, handpicked repertoire performed by some of today’s most exciting talent including fellow NYCB dancers and the reigning diva of tap dance, Michelle Dorrance. The virtuosic program includes Thousandth Orange, set to live music composed by Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw; an electric pas de deux choreographed by Alonzo King; and a dynamic finale reflecting Peck’s creative partnership with choreographer William Forsythe, set to music by James Blake. While different in so many ways, all four pieces share a captivating joyfulness—joy for dance, for music, and for the inspiration that comes from surrounding oneself with creative and inspirational friends.

Regarded as a “dance luminary” (Washington Post), “pure joy in toe shoes” (Los Angeles Times) and “the ballerina who can stop time (and re-start it too)” (New York Times), Tiler Peck is widely recognised as one of the top American ballerinas of our time. A Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet (NYCB), an actress, choreographer, author and designer, Peck continues to evolve as an artist and add to her extensive repertoire. She added the title of curator when she launched and starred in the Los Angeles Music Center’s presentation of BalletNOW. She was the subject of the Hulu feature documentary, Ballet Now, and also choreographed the box office smash action movie, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Tiler  starred in CLI Studios’ A New Stage and the world premiere of William Forsythe’s The Barre Project (Blake Works II), and was Executive Producer on both. She appeared in Season 7 of Ray Donovan opposite Liev Shreiber and the Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things. The first ballerina ever to appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, she guested on Dancing with the Stars for three seasons and on Julie Andrews’ Netflix series, Julie’s Greenroom. She also starred in the film Ballet 422.

Born in Bakersfield, California, Tiler began her dance training at the age of two at her mom’s dance studio. At 14, she entered the School of American Ballet. The same year, she became an apprentice with NYCB and within a few months was asked to join the corps de ballet. Tiler was promoted to Soloist in 2006 and to Principal Dancer in 2009 where she remains to this day.

At 11, Tiler made her Broadway debut in The Music Man and later appeared on Broadway as Ivy Smith in the Tony-nominated On the Town. She played Louise in the Emmy-nominated production of Carousel (New York Philharmonic, Live From Lincoln Center) and more recently played the title role in Susan Stroman’s musical, Little Dancer (Kennedy Center). She is due to star in the production (now called Marie) on Broadway.

Tiler had the honour of performing for President Barack Obama at the 2012 and 2014 Kennedy Center Honors. She was the 2004 Mae L. Wien Award winner, the Janice Levin Honoree for 2006–07, winner of the Leonide Massine’s Positano Premia La Danza for International Emerging Artists, and a 2004 recipient of a Princess Grace Foundation–USA Dance Fellowship. In 2013 she was named in Forbes’ “30 under 30 in Hollywood Entertainment” and won the Princess Grace Statue Award. She also received the 2016 Dance Magazine Award.

Tiler developed and produces a daily ballet class, #TurnItOutWithTiler, initially aimed at helping people stay connected and moving during the pandemic. The show’s down-to-earth tone coupled with its very necessary purpose attracted the attention of enthusiasts like Jennifer Garner, Sarah Jessica Parker, Leslie Odom Jr, and Josh Groban, who all guested on the show.

Tiler curated and directed the inaugural Artists at the Center for New York City Center. Marking her NYC choreographic debut, it also featured premieres from William Forsythe, Alonzo King, Jillian Meyers and Michelle Dorrance. With a passion and keen eye for fashion, Tiler designed the “Love, Tiler” collection for Só Dança and the capsule collection, Tiler Peck X STATESIDE, in collaboration with the popular Los Angeles-based sportswear company. Her second capsule collection was released in early 2023. Her first children’s book, Katarina Ballerina (Simon & Schuster) was published in 2020, and Katarina’s adventures continue in Katarina Ballerina & The Victory Dance (2022), in which she helps a fellow ballet dancer follow his dreams.