{{short description|American ballet dancer and choreographer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox dancer | name = Peter Walker | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|29|2022|02|26}} | birth_place = | citizenship = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | education = School of American Ballet | occupation = {{flatlist| *ballet dancer *choreographer}} | years_active = 2012–present | height = | spouse = | partner = | children = | website = <!-- {{URL|website}} --> | current_group = New York City Ballet | former_groups = | dances = | module = }} '''Peter Walker''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|29|2022|02|26|noage=1}})<ref name=Jacobs/> is an American ballet dancer and choreographer. He joined the New York City Ballet (NYCB) in 2012 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2022. He choreographed ''Ten in Seven'' (2016) and ''Dance Odyssey'' (2018) for NYCB, as well as the 2020 film ''I'm Thinking of Ending Things''.

==Early life and training== Walker was raised in Fort Myers, Florida.<ref name=Jacobs/> He began learning tap dancing at age eight, before focusing on ballet after being convinced by his ballet teacher and former New York City Ballet principal dancer Melinda Roy.<ref name=Jacobs/><ref name=Green>{{cite news|url=https://pointemagazine.com/peter-walker-choreographer/|title=New York City Ballet Corps Member Peter Walker Is Also a Rising Choreographer|work=Pointe|last=Green|first=Harris|date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> He took part in School of American Ballet's summer program in 2006 and 2007, before entering the scholl full-time in 2007.<ref name=Tomeo>{{cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/New-York-City-Ballet-Promotes-Three-Soloists-to-Principal-Dancers-20220227|title=New York City Ballet Promotes Three Soloists to Principal Dancers|work=BriadwayWorld|last=Tomeo|first=Marissa|date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> Whilst a student, he appeared in a ballet choreographed by Lauren Lovette.<ref name=Kourlas>{{cite news|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/dance/peter-walker-talks-about-new-dance-at-the-school-of-american-ballet|title=Peter Walker talks about new dance at the School of American Ballet|work=Time Out|last=Kourlas|first=Gia|date=March 9, 2015}}</ref> In his last year at the school, he choreographed a pas de deux for the student workshop. One of the dancers slated to perform got injured, so Walker danced his part.<ref name=Kourlas/>

==Career== Walker became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet in spring 2011,<ref name=Tomeo/> and was invited to make a ballet for the New York Choreographic Institute in the summer.<ref name=Green/><ref name=Kourlas/> The next year, while he was injured, he was invited to choreograph for the institute again.<ref name=Kourlas/> He joined the company in fall 2012.<ref name=Tomeo/> He was cast in several featured roles when he was still in the corps de ballet, including in Balanchine's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' and ''Agon'', Bigonzetti's ''Oltremare'', for which he was cast at the last minute, and as Romeo in Martins' ''Romeo + Juliet''.<ref name=Green/>

In 2015, Walker choreographed for the School of American Ballet's Winter Ball. He used a commission score by Thomas Kikta, a classical guitarist.<ref name=Kourlas/> In 2016, he choreographed his first ballet for the NYCB Fashion Gala, entitled ''Ten in Seven'', with Kikta again writing the score, and costumes designed by Jason Wu.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/22/arts/dance/review-new-york-city-ballet-fall-fashion-and-ballet-gala.html|title=Review: City Ballet's Gala Evening of Misses ... and a Lot of Skin|work=New York Times|last=Macaulay|first=Alastair|date=September 21, 2016}}</ref> In 2018, Walker choreographed his second ballet for the NYCB, ''Dance Odyssey'', to music from Oliver Davis's albums ''Fight'' and ''Dance''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://playbill.com/article/how-choreographer-peter-walker-crafted-a-score-for-his-new-york-city-ballet-world-premiere|title=How Choreographer Peter Walker Crafted a Score for His New York City Ballet World Premiere|work=Playbill|date=February 2, 2018}}</ref> In summer of that year, he choreographed in Munich for Bavarian State Opera's Young Choreographer program.<ref name=Green/>

In October 2018, Walker was promoted to soloist at the NYCB, as one of the first dancers promoted by the company's interim leadership, after Peter Martins' abrupt retirement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/arts/new-york-city-ballet-dancers-promotions.html|title=City Ballet Replenishes Its Ranks, Depleted by Scandal|work=New York Times|last=Cooper|first=Michael|date=October 13, 2018}}</ref> As a soloist, he performed in Balanchine's ''Slaughter on Tenth Avenue'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/arts/dance/new-york-city-ballet-winter-season.html|title=Winter Season at City Ballet: 'Now Is the Time for a New Generation'|work=New York Times|last=Kourlas|first=Gia|date=March 2, 2022}}</ref> ''Orpheus''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/arts/dance/apollo-taylor-stanley-review-new-york-city-ballet.html|title=Review: At City Ballet, Taylor Stanley Is a God for Our Time|work=New York Times|last=Seibert|first=Brian|date=January 23, 2019}}</ref> and ''Kammermusik No. 2'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bachtrack.com/review-balanchine-union-jack-new-york-city-ballet-september-2019|title=Union Jack makes a welcome return to NYCB's repertoire|work=Bachtrack|last=Lin|first=Ivy|date=September 26, 2019}}</ref> in Robbins' ''Dances at a Gathering'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bachtrack.com/review-classic-nycb-judah-dances-gathering-stars-stripes-new-york-may-2019|title=NYCB's eclectic program worth the three hours|work=Bachtrack|last=Lin|first=Ivt|date=May 12, 2019}}</ref> in ''N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dancetabs.com/2019/02/new-york-city-ballet-interplay-in-the-night-n-y-export-opus-jazz-new-york/|title=New York City Ballet – Robbins bill: Interplay, In the Night, N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz – New York|work=DanceTabs|last=Gallagher|first=Lauren|date=February 17, 2019}}</ref> Peck's ''Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dancetabs.com/2020/02/new-york-city-ballet-classic-nycb-i-including-haieff-divertimento-episodes-new-york/|title=New York City Ballet – Classic NYCB I including Haieff Divertimento & Episodes – New York|work=Dancetabs|last=Harss|first=Marina|date=February 9, 2020}}</ref> and Martins' ''Swan Lake'', in which he portrayed Prince Siegfried.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/arts/dance/city-ballet-swan-lake.html|title=At New York City Ballet, Swans Use Grit to Find Glory|work=New York Times|last=Kourlas|first=Gia|date=February 25, 2020}}</ref> He originated roles in Abraham's ''The Runaway'' (2018),<ref>{{cite news|url=http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2018/oct/25/kyle-abrahams-runaway-new-york-city-ballet/|title=Kyle Abraham's 'The Runaway' for New York City Ballet|newspaper=New York Amsterdam News|last=Warren|first=Charmaine Patricia|date=October 25, 2018}}</ref> Liang's ''Lineage'' (2019)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bachtrack.com/review-classic-nycb-lovette-liang-robbins-balanchine-new-york-city-ballet-october-2019|title=Fall season's new works fall short at NYCB|work=Bachtrack|last=Lin|first=Ivy|date=October 3, 2019}}</ref> and Roberts' ''Emanon — in Two Movements'' (2022).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/arts/dance/review-city-ballet-jamar-roberts.html|title=Review: City Ballet Gets a Modern Dance Fix|work=New York Times|last=Kourlas|first=Gia|date=February 4, 2022}}</ref>

Walker choreographed a dream ballet sequence for Charlie Kaufman's 2020 film ''I'm Thinking of Ending Things''.<ref name=":0" /> The number was inspired by the musical ''Oklahoma!'' and performed by Unity Phelan and Ryan Steele.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/im-thinking-of-ending-things-peter-walker-2647424428.html|title=Inside Peter Walker's Dance Scene in I'm Thinking of Ending Things|magazine=Dance Magazine|last=Schrock|first=Madeline|date=September 5, 2020|accessdate=March 21, 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, Walker was promoted to principal dancer, following several veteran dancers' retirements.<ref name=Jacobs>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/arts/dance/new-york-city-ballet-promotes-three-men-to-principal-dancers.html|title=New York City Ballet Promotes Three Men to Principal Dancers|work=New York Times|last=Jacobs|first=Julia|date=February 26, 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|nm11871675}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Peter}} Category:1990s births Category:Living people Category:People from Fort Myers, Florida Category:American male ballet dancers Category:American choreographers Category:New York City Ballet principal dancers Category:Choreographers of New York City Ballet Category:21st-century American ballet dancers Category:Dancers from Florida Category:Year of birth missing (living people)