Principal Dancer Tiler Peck on Self-Growth and Dispelling Ballet Mysticism (Without Losing the Magic)

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There are few ballet success stories like that of Tiler Peck, a multidisciplinary dancer who went from starring in an award-winning Broadway production during her tween years to quickly rising through the ranks of the School of American Ballet, and later, the New York City Ballet, as a young adult. In just five years, Peck went from joining the world-renowned ballet theatre as an apprentice to principal before she was 21 years old. 20 dance seasons later, she has faced off against (and overcame) what she was told could be a career-ending injury, built up her presence on major social media platforms, choreographed for her ballet company, made appearances in hit television shows, and so much more.

After following her journey for years, I had the opportunity to catch up with the NYCB dancer in between a dance class and a rehearsal as she sat in her dressing room. Still fully clad in a leotard, she leaned into the camera with a radiant smile. It occurred to me then that this was the first time I had seen the ballet dancer completely outside of a stage or studio. It was a nice, familiar feeling—one that reminded me that this was one of the few, precious moments in her exceptionally busy workday. Over the 30 minutes we spent together via video call, she would peel back the layers to her extraordinary ballet career, and give me some insight on how it started, what's kept her going, and her ballet-approved beauty favorites.

Meet Tiler Peck: Principal Dancer With New York City Ballet, Content Creator, and Author

Before Peck kicked off her inspiring career with the New York City Ballet as a teenager, she spent her early years of training at her mother's dance studio in Southern California. Hours were spent mastering several dance forms, but she was the least interested in strapping on pointe shoes and dedicating what little time she had left to ballet. Despite Peck's childhood disinterest in the art form, her mother encouraged the young dancer to commit to learning it. "I'm really grateful that she made me stick with [ballet]," Peck admits. "My mom told me no matter what kind of dancer I wanted to be, ballet was where the technique comes from and that even if I didn't want to use it, ballet technique would make [other dance styles] better."

After her mother detected an early glimmer of potential, she arranged for her daughter to begin instruction with teacher who had danced with one of Russia’s famous ballet companies, which required hours of travel from her hometown of Bakersfield. "I remember finding it so boring, because she would make me do everything so correctly," says Peck. "She instilled all the ballet basics in me and introduced me to a former New York City Ballet principal, Patricia Neary, who recommended I audition for School of American Ballet." Years later, Peck would relocate to New York City for the musical scene, before being accepted into SAB (the official school of New York City Ballet) at 12. "It was during that time that I fell in love with ballet. I was like, 'Wow! I didn't know this was what it could be like. We get to do so much repertoire here.' We'd do ballets like Who Cares?, which is set to Gershwin music and felt like doing jazz dance in pointe shoes," she shares.

Peck joined New York City Ballet as an apprentice at 15, and considers herself lucky to have had a career that wasn't tied to one path to succeeding as a dancer. While she credits the early teenage years in New York spent on a Broadway stage as an opportunity to explore her interests, it was the pursuit of ballet that gave her a sense of direction. When she arrived at SAB, Peck described herself as being a "Jazz-erina," which prompted interest and questions from fellow trainees." I was so focused on just becoming the best version of a ballerina that I didn't consider [that] it could happen earlier than I planned. I thought getting into the company would happen when I was 17," Peck continues. "I was so obsessed with the challenge of it, and didn't feel like I was the best." Needless to say, she enjoyed being surrounded by other talented dancers and working toward self-growth.

Sharing a Legacy (Online and In Print)

Dedicating her teenage years to the study of classical ballet in a studio not only boosted her self-confidence but also inspired Peck to focus on the areas she wanted to improve. She recently recounted this experience (and offered advice for aspiring dancers) in her book XO Ballerina Big Sis ($17). "I think competition is a great tool to help you improve, but it can also fall into a really self-deprecating pattern with comparison. I say don't give all your time, energy, and focus to somebody else," she advises. Peck believes there's room for many types of ballerinas, and not one person does everything perfectly. "We all have different gifts, and wish we can have what someone else has! But we have to work on our own personal best," she adds.

Beyond her meteoric rise from a student at SAB to NYCB principal at 20 years old, Peck has also built an impressive following across major social media platforms since a friend showed her Instagram in 2014. "Honestly, I didn't have that big of a social presence beyond people who knew me as a ballerina, but it was during COVID that I feel like people got to see me as a person. That's when my social media began to expand in a really nice way, completely by chance," Peck explains. She was at home following a nine-month departure from the stage after an injury with Swan Lake. Instead of taking another year off, she decided she wanted to keep moving and teach dance classes online.

"When I went live for the first time, it was so unprofessional! My viewers kept asking me to tilt the camera down so they could see my legs. I realized I had 15,000 people dancing with me every single day," Peck says. She began being recognized for her pandemic classes, and not only for her professional career as a dancer with NYCB. "I wanted to show people that as a professional ballerina, I was also dancing in my mom and dad's kitchen just like everybody else," she explains. When the world was at a standstill, the bright lights that shone on the Lincoln Center Theatre stage went dark. As they couldn’t perform for the public, the dancers of the NYCB continued their training from their homes, and Peck entered a new era.

Since building her online presence, Peck has authored three books in which she has shared her biggest pieces of advice for young dancers who would like to learn about the artistry and dedication behind ballet. Her most recent release, XO Ballerina Big Sis, dives into everything from managing stage fright to how nutritional meals can support all the movement you do in a day of dance. "I wrote it with young dancers in mind, but I've found that parents also use it as a way to learn more about ballet, and how to support their children," she shares. "It has been a great opportunity to connect with audiences and give parents and kids some helpful advice."

Taking the Next Steps

Some of the most defining moments of a dancer's career belong to the injuries they incur as they move. While some can be addressed quickly with the help of trained professionals and gentle exercise to promote healing, other injuries, like Peck's herniated disk in her neck, can be debilitating. "I was told I would never dance again and that I needed immediate surgery, but luckily I was able to stay strong and give myself time to heal," Peck explains. Luckily, she didn't have to undergo any invasive procedures: the herniated disk was reabsorbed, and she was able to make a full comeback. Recovery was slow and steady for Peck, with the process being both physically and emotionally demanding.

She highlights the shared nature of ballet dancers as detail-oriented people who are often told where to be and what counts to be on; a sentiment that Peck initially would be applicable to her injury. "I just wanted to be told that I was going to be okay, and be given a time frame! This wasn't that. We didn't know and had to wait and see... That was really hard for me," she continues. It wasn't until she accepted the predicament that her body was able to fully begin its healing process, but that wasn't without challenge. "I had to stop looking at the schedule because as soon as we look at one, it feels like we're missing out on something, and we're tempted to come back too soon. It's the worst thing you can do," says Peck.

Her biggest tip for dealing with an injury and ballet FOMO as you start any healing journey? Making an effort to avoid self-comparison by taking time off, healing, and coming back healthy. "It's something that's hard when you're younger, but as you get older, you have to learn. Now, I have to be very specific about how I use my body," she adds. This season Peck will be performing eight challenging ballets. Going forward, however, she plans to delegate energy where it's needed the most rather than pushing her body beyond its limit and risking injury. "When I'm performing more than once in a day, I decide which two I'd like to focus on that day. I have to do it because I know my body and what will help make sure it gets to the stage," Peck explains.

Ballerina Beauty Essentials

With all the dashing she does during long days with classes, rehearsals, and performances in the 20 seasons she's spent with NYCB, it's no surprise that Peck has a ballet-approved routine down. To create long-lasting makeup looks that she can trust not to budge with hours of pirouettes and jetés, she swears by Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer($48) to make her stage makeup last. At the end of the night, she uses Estée Lauder's Advanced Repair Serum Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex ($85) and Repair Overnight Treatment ($98). To wash her face in the morning, Peck uses CeraVe Foaming Cleanser ($16) before locking in hydration with the N°1 De Chanel Revitalizing Lotion ($70). She also likes using the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Lip Sleeping Mask ($12) every night to prevent her lips from cracking.

To achieve a clean, flawless-looking ballet bun, she reveals that NYCB dancers love to use the Tresemme Extra Hold Hair Spray ($7), and for cleansing and conditioning her hair, Peck uses some favorites from Kérastase at the recommendation of her hairstylist. Combating the breakage from constantly pulling your strands into updos is a challenge that many ballerinas face at some point in their career, but Peck disguises stray strands and bare spots from the bright stage lights with Toppik's FiberHold Spray ($10). "In everyday life, the breakage is not too bad, but once the lights come overhead on stage, the spray is helpful," she says.

Shop Peck's Beauty Edit