Tiler Peck is arguably one of the nation’s best-known and most beloved ballerinas. Little girls all over the country look up to her, while seasoned dancers can’t help but admire her artistry. Every time she performs, Peck takes audiences on a musical journey so profound it’s evident she feels the music deep within her soul, leaving them breathless – suspended in time. In the new PBS documentary Tiler Peck: Suspending Time, viewers follow Peck as she overcomes a potentially career-ending injury to reclaim the stage and debut her own choreography with New York City Ballet (NYCB), revealing the resilience and artistry of a modern-day prima ballerina.
From small-town beginnings to becoming a NYCB principal dancer at just 19, the film offers a behind-the-scenes look at Peck’s life. Interspersed throughout were clips of Peck at home in California with her parents, as well as childhood tapes of her onstage as a tiny dancer. It was clear that Peck’s family keeps her grounded and remains a soft place to land as she navigates life’s twists and turns. Watching her interactions with her dad and her puppy Cali was especially sweet, knowing she now has footage of them both to treasure after their passing.
The film’s central tension lay in Peck’s potentially career-ending injury. Peck’s raw emotions, both the devastation of realizing how serious the injury was and the resilience of a world-class athlete, came through powerfully. Watching clips of Peck tentatively attempt a pas de chat while holding on to the barre tugged at any dancer’s heartstrings; it was a gut-wrenching reminder of the back-to-basics work necessary for full recovery. But out of tragedy, Peck rose stronger than ever, not just technically but artistically.
Just as she was reclaiming the stage, however, the world shut down. Determined not to let COVID derail her once more, Peck organized a special performance at The Kennedy Center that united her with Roman Mejia, now her husband. Seeing Peck become giddy and open her heart to love again offered another moving glimpse of the human behind the artist.
The film culminated with behind-the-scenes footage of Peck’s NYCB choreographic debut, Concerto for Two Pianos. Peck thrived in the choreographer’s role; her commitment to honoring the dancers’ classical training while pushing boundaries was admirable. Her choreography felt fresh yet deeply rooted in tradition, unveiling new layers of artistry and technical precision in the dancers.
Ultimately, Tiler Peck: Suspending Time captured the tension of a ballerina who recognizes the limited lifespan of a performing career, navigating the ups and downs of life while always looking toward the future. As Peck herself concludes, “When I was injured, I thought dance could be completely taken away from me. I don’t know how many years I have left as a dancer, but as a choreographer I’m just getting started.”
Tiler Peck: Suspending Time is part of PBS’ Great Performances series. Check your local PBS listings or stream on PBS.org.
By Melody McTier Thomason of Dance Informa.
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