Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck Talk city.ballet.

Can’t get enough of
city.ballet.? Every Monday, we’ll be posting a new interview with a different cast member from the AOL On docu-series about New York City Ballet. This week, we talk to principals Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck.

No matter how many beautiful performances they’ve given to huge crowds, there’s one thing dancers can never quite get used to: talking on-camera. “You kind of cringe and hold your breath until you go off-screen,” says New York City Ballet principal Robert Fairchild, of watching his own interviews for city.ballet. “We’re from a physically-based art form. We’re used to being in front of 3,000 people a night, but not to using our voices. So to see yourself talking, you’re just like, ughhhhh!”

Ultimately, though, both Fairchild and fiancée and fellow principal Tiler Peck were excited about the finished series. “I just felt well-represented,” Fairchild said. “They really captured all of this life, from getting into the company, to injuries, to relationships.”

“Honestly, when I first heard about the show,” Peck said, “I thought, This is not a good idea. I didn’t want it to be just another reality show, or for us to look stupid, or to feel like we had no control over what ended up out there. But [producer and NYCB board member] Sarah Jessica Parker made a point to say, ‘I’m behind you guys. I don’t want to come in here after you’ve seen the series and feel like you hate me!’ And she was true to her word.”

So, what footage didn’t make it the final cut? “They actually filmed a lot of us scouting for wedding venues that didn’t end up in there,” Peck says. Never fear, though: Peck and Fairchild’s sweet story gets plenty of airtime in the “Relationships” episode.

Watch the full city.ballet. series at dancemagazine.com.