Justin Peck | |
|---|---|
 Justin Peck in 2018 | |
| Born | (1987-09-08)September 8, 1987 (age 38) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | School of American Ballet |
| Occupations | Choreographer,dancer |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Spouse | Patricia Delgado |
| Children | 1 |
| Career | |
| Current group | New York City Ballet |
| Website | justin-peck |
Justin Peck (born September 8, 1987) is an American choreographer, director, and dancer associated withNew York City Ballet, of which he was appointed Resident Choreographer in July 2014, being the second person in the history of the institution to hold this title.[1] A three-timeTony Award for Best Choreography recipient, he won in 2018 for the revival ofRodgers and Hammerstein'sCarousel, in 2024 for theSufjan Stevens original dance musical,Illinoise and in 2025 forBuena Vista Social Club. On film, Peck choreographed the dance sequences forSteven Spielberg musical adaptationWest Side Story (2021) andBradley Cooper's biographical dramaMaestro (2023).
Peck was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in San Diego, California. His father was from New York and his mother was of Ukrainian descent, born and raised in Argentina.[2] He began tap dancing when he was nine years old, after seeing a performance ofBring in 'da Noise. When Peck was 13, he witnessed a performance ofAmerican Ballet Theatre inGiselle which inspired him to begin training in the ballet form. At 15 years old, Peck moved to New York City to attend theSchool of American Ballet.[2]
In 2006, when he was 18 years old, he was invited byPeter Martins to join the New York City Ballet as an apprentice.[3] In Spring 2007, he was promoted tocorps de ballet.[4] In February 2013, he was promoted to soloist.[5] At New York City Ballet, Peck has danced extensive repertoire, performing in existing and new works byGeorge Balanchine,Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins,Benjamin Millepied,Alexei Ratmansky,Lynne Taylor-Corbett, andChristopher Wheeldon.[citation needed] In 2012, he choreographedIn Creases, his firstNew York City Ballet.[6] He has since created more than 25 works for companies such as New York City Ballet,San Francisco Ballet,Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet,[7]Miami City Ballet,[8] LA Dance Project,[9] andParis Opera Ballet.[citation needed]
Alastair Macaulay, the chief dance critic atThe New York Times, described Peck in an article as "the third important choreographer to have emerged in classical ballet this century."[1] In 2014, Peck was named the New York City Ballet's Resident Choreographer, the youngest and only the second ever to hold the position.[10] Peck is the focus of the 2014Jody Lee Lipes documentaryBallet 422.[11]Ballet 422 follows Peck's process of creatingPaz de la Jolla for the New York City Ballet,[11] focusing on aspects such as choreography, staging, lighting, and costumes.[10][12] The movie was filmed and directed by Jody Lee Lipes, an American cinematographer known for his cinematography in the television showGirls and filmManchester by the Sea.[12][13]
Peck has worked with composersSufjan Stevens,Bryce Dessner (of the bandThe National),Caroline Shaw,Dan Deacon,Steve Reich, andPhilip Glass. He has also collaborated with visual artistsShepard Fairey,Marcel Dzama,Sterling Ruby, John Baldessari, Steve Powers, George Condo; fashion designers Humberto Leon (Opening Ceremony,Kenzo), Dries Van Noten, Tsumori Chisato,Mary Katrantzou, andPrabal Gurung; and directors Steven Spielberg, Sofia Coppola, Damian Chazelle, and Jody Lee Lipes.[citation needed] He has contributed to the fashion world, working withVogue,[14]Harper's Bazaar,[15]Nowness,[16]Vogue China,Vogue Australia,DuJour magazine,[17]Vulture,[18]New York Magazine, and others.The New York Times has proclaimed that "Mr. Peck has quickly become the most eminent choreographer of ballet in the United States,"[19] and that "young Mr. Peck can do anything he wants with choreography: a virtuoso of the form."[20]
Peck provided the choreography for the thirdBroadway revival ofRodgers and Hammerstein'sCarousel in 2018 at theImperial Theatre.[21] Alastair Macaulay ofThe New York Times praised his work on the production writing, "His works, polished and contemporary, are energetic through each individual body and in striking ensembles; and they often ask gender questions, with both opposite-sex and same-sex pairings...In almost every piece he tackles, he adds to his already impressive accomplishments".[22] For his work Peck earned theTony Award for Best Choreography.[23]
Peck made his first foray into film choreographing dance sequences inSteven Spielberg's musical dramaWest Side Story (2021). Of the experience he said that "they approached this with a sense of reverence and admiration for the original...But for this updated version, he makes the dances more menacing."[24] Peck stated of collaborating with Spielberg, "There was a process of working toward understanding it that Steven went through, and that we were in constant dialogue about. It was helping him understand the full range of what dance could express in a moment — that it was its own tool of language that could run throughout this film in the same way that words could or visuals could".[25]
A few years later Peck worked onBradley Cooper's biographical dramaMaestro (2023) about the complicated marriage between the composerLeonard Bernstein and his wifeFelicia Montealegre. Peck choreographed the imaginary dance sequence involving Bernstein and Montealegre played by Cooper andCarey Mulligan. Peck oversaw theFancy Free section of the scene and then devise original choreography for theOn the Town music. Together, Cooper explains, they worked on “the best choreography to tell the story of, they are going to be pulled apart in this life, everybody’s going to be around them, there are going to be hands and eyes on them, and then they are going to try to find each other."[26]
In 2023 Peck adapted a musical production ofSufjan Stevens'2005 concept albumIllinois titledIllinoise, alongside playwrightJackie Sibblies Drury.[27] The production had its debut at theFisher Center at Bard before playing at theChicago Shakespeare Theatre. The production then ran at thePark Avenue Armory in New York City. The production "weave[s] together delicate folk narratives about blossomingqueerness, orchestral anthems destined forcinematic montages, andjazz tunes about the state’s ghost towns".[28] Peck said he drew inspiration from the 1975 musicalA Chorus Line saying, "It’s about this group of humans, and one by one we’re getting their stories...Some of them are short, single songs. Some of them are a little more extensive. Some of them build and build and build, and relationships form...I think there’s a parallel to that structure with the show we’re doing here".[29] ForIllinoise, Peck won his secondTony Award for Best Choreography.[30]
Peck teamed with his wifePatricia Delgado to choreograph the musicalBuena Vista Social Club,[31] for which they won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Choreography[citation needed] and were nominated for anOuter Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography.[citation needed]
His most recent work for New York City Ballet wasMystic Familiar, which premiered in January 2025. The piece was both criticized and lauded for its similarity to Peck's 2017 balletThe Times Are Racing, which also used sneakers andDan Deacon's music as the score.[32]
Peck is married to former Miami City Ballet principal dancerPatricia Delgado. They welcomed their daughter in March 2021.[33]
| Year | Award | Category | Project | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Benois De La Danse | Year of the Rabbit | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Bessie Awards | Outstanding Production | Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes | Won | [45] |
| 2018 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Carousel | Won | [46] |
| Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Won | |||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Won | |||
| 2024 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Illinoise | Won | [47] |
| Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Won | |||
| Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Nominated | |||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Won | [48] | ||
| Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Choreographer (Off-Broadway) | Buena Vista Social Club | Won | [49] | |
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Nominated | |||
| 2025 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Won | [50] | |
Peck has been honored with the:
National Medal of Arts recipient Edward Villella presents the Golden Plate Award to Justin Peck, a recipient of the Tony Award for Choreography, at the Banquet of the Golden Plate gala held at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.
| New York City Ballet | ||
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| Preceded by | Resident Choreographer 2014–present | Succeeded by Current holder |
| International | |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
