Tiler Peck on Dancing ‘The Nutcracker’ and Over

A few weeks ago, Tiler Peck had a rare look at herself outside a rehearsal-studio mirror. Suspending Time , a PBS documentary on the longtime New York City Ballet principal , had its premiere after a six-year shoot, and while it was nerve-racking to watch herself from the audience, the experience revealed some precious moments. Peck had no way of knowing, for example, that the film would capture what would become a final encounter with her father, or scenes with fellow dancer Roman Mejia — long before she thought she’d date, let alone marry, him.

“I also didn’t necessarily think it was the right fit to have a director who didn’t come from a dance background,” Peck tells The Cut. “Now, I’m so happy because you really get to know me as a person, and dance is almost the secondary story.”