Become a Mountain: Justin Peck x On
Become a Mountain: Exploring the Intersection between Athleticism and Artistry.
When does movement turn into art? We navigate this fine line in Become a Mountain, choreographed and directed by Justin Peck. Throughout the piece, six dancers move with a whimsical fluidity, reminiscent of pedestrian movement in the streets of New York City. It’s this commitment to recontextualize movement that highlights exactly why I wanted to work with Justin: a world-class choreographer famous for blending classical dance with the everyday.
An athlete in his youth, Justin has a unique approach to choreography: From the studio to the big screen, he adds speed, strength and agility. The result is work that resonates and sparks imagination. Become a Mountain, his ode to movement and athleticism, is a testament to this.
Then there is the beating heart of this film – the music. Justin had worked with American composer Dan Deacon previously and was obsessed with his piece, Become a Mountain. It was classical, yet dynamic – exactly the type of score that ignites your soul. “We wanted to make a dance that could evoke an adventurous spirit. The goal was to make it feel like a live performance – a dance that can exist in a unique way through space.”
Justin’s path to ballet wasn’t linear. As a young boy, he couldn’t sit still, so his parents found an outlet for his energy: the local soccer league. However, those years playing soccer are now woven into his work. “I come at dance from an athlete’s point of view,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to explore that fine line between artistry and athletics.” It was watching tap dancer Savion Glover perform in “Bring In ’da Noise, Bring In ’da Funk” that moved Justin, only nine years old at the time, to swap in his soccer cleats for a pair of tap shoes. That eventually led him to New York City Ballet, where he danced as a soloist and moved into the world of choreography.
In 2014, Peck was named resident choreographer of New York City Ballet – only the second person to hold this role – following in the footsteps of the company’s founding choreographer, Jerome Robbins. Then, came more success: his first Tony Award for his impressive work in the third Broadway revival of Rodger and Hammerstein's “Carousel.” His work on Broadway caught the eyes of Steven Spielberg, who invited him to choreograph the new “West Side Story” in 2021. The result? Glowing reviews and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture.
Peck’s love of movement and New York – he’s a longstanding NYC resident – unite in Become a Mountain. Each of the film’s dancers represent the city, its versatility, its diversity and its athletic aesthetic. The film features a former Miami City Ballet principal, two up-and-coming talents and a soloist from New York City Ballet, and a contemporary dancer who just graduated from Juilliard.
At the end of Become a Mountain, the performers gather, each move complementing the other, creating organized chaos – an oxymoron that reflects life in New York City perfectly. The steps are unrestrained, but precise – encapsulating Justin’s choreographic style. Each one tells a story, or as he explains, “When words fail, there’s something that can be felt and expressed through movement. That’s dance as an art form.”
