Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Tiler Peck serves as a lead performer with the New York City Ballet.
Tiler Peck, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, recently took on the dual role of choreographer and performer for Olivia Rodrigo’s “stupid song” music video from the singer’s latest album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. Reflecting on the experience, Peck said the project exceeded her expectations.
Peck shared that she was thrilled from the moment she learned about the opportunity. As a fan of Rodrigo’s music, she was especially excited after speaking with director Mitch Ryan, believing the video could offer an authentic and realistic portrayal of ballet on screen.
The 37-year-old dancer praised Rodrigo’s team for choosing a professional ballerina to create the choreography for what she described as a beautiful and emotional song. According to Peck, collaborating with the Grammy-winning artist turned out to be a memorable experience both professionally and personally.
One of the things that stood out most to Peck was Rodrigo’s generosity. After a lengthy overnight shoot that lasted from the evening until the following morning, Rodrigo surprised every dancer involved with individual flower bouquets, knowing they all had ballet performances later that day.
Initially, Peck assumed the flowers she received were a personal gift, only to discover that Rodrigo had thoughtfully arranged bouquets for every dancer featured in the video. The gesture left a lasting impression on her.
Peck also praised Rodrigo’s demeanor throughout filming, describing her as warm, approachable, and considerate toward everyone on set. She recalled that the singer was fully committed to making each scene feel genuine. During one sequence that required the dancers to physically push Rodrigo, the singer encouraged them not to hold back so the moment would appear as realistic as possible on camera.
Spending the entire day working alongside Rodrigo only reinforced Peck’s admiration for her. She described the pop star as grounded and kind, saying she could not speak more highly of the experience.
The project also held special significance for Peck because it allowed her to combine two lifelong passions. While she built her career in ballet, she explained that her early love of dance was heavily influenced by pop music through jazz and lyrical performances during her childhood.
For Peck, choreographing ballet to a contemporary pop song felt like bringing together different parts of her artistic journey. She enjoys dancing to music with lyrics because it allows for deeper emotional expression compared to traditional classical compositions. The collaboration, she said, felt like a full-circle moment that united her favorite elements of dance and music into one project.