--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that story ballets, as great as…" description: "\"I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell, they're a really dated and awkward medium to tell stories through. I think there needs to be a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg" --- # I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell… ![“I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell, they're a really dated and awkward medium to tell stories through. I think there needs to be an updated or different approach to storytelling in dance. There needs to be less of a separation between the storytelling and the dancing.” quote by Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg) > “I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell, they're a really dated and awkward medium to tell stories through. I think there needs to be an updated or different approach to storytelling in dance. There needs to be less of a separation between the storytelling and the dancing.” [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author critiques ballet as an outdated storytelling medium, urging integration of narrative and movement. **In simple terms:** Ballet feels old‑fashioned for telling stories. Key Takeaway Blend story and dance more tightly. Themes art innovation storytelling dance tradition Mood critical visionary Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - dance performances - choreography workshops - theatre productions Key Concepts narrative integration modernization creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How can dance evolve without losing its essence? - What new forms could merge narrative and movement? A Different Perspective Risk losing ballet’s technical purity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [In the world of classical ballet there are only a handful of story ballets, so getting a new one is cause for excitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kain/in-the-world-of-classical-ballet-there-are-only-a-handful-of-story/) [Karen Kain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kain/) > ['A Midsummer Night's Dream' is one of George Balanchine's greatest creations - and one of the greatest of all story ballets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/a-midsummer-night-s-dream-is-one-of-george-balanchine-s-greatest/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [I'm trying to create ballets that I would enjoy seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-m-trying-to-create-ballets-that-i-would-enjoy-seeing/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [I've always thought of the process of creating ballets as being this kind of team effort. It's not like being a painter, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-ve-always-thought-of-the-process-of-creating-ballets-as-being-this/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [George Balanchine is my role model because his work is so varied. You can see two ballets of his and not even realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/george-balanchine-is-my-role-model-because-his-work-is-so-varied-you/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [I have been very lucky to work in so many new ballets, but that is what a dancer's work is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/i-have-been-very-lucky-to-work-in-so-many-new-ballets-but-that-is/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [Sometimes I feel as if sections of my ballets were done for me - that I didnt do them myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-tudor/sometimes-i-feel-as-if-sections-of-my-ballets-were-done-for-me-that-i/) [Antony Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-tudor/) > [I was not influenced by concerts as a child, but I was very strongly influenced by the ballets I saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-neuwirth/i-was-not-influenced-by-concerts-as-a-child-but-i-was-very-strongly/) [Bebe Neuwirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-neuwirth/) > [Dancing and ballets would undoubtedly take on a new lease on life, if the customs established by a spirit of fear and jealousy did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-georges-noverre/dancing-and-ballets-would-undoubtedly-take-on-a-new-lease-on-life-if/) [Jean-Georges Noverre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-georges-noverre/) > [As long as my ballets are danced, I will live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-nureyev/as-long-as-my-ballets-are-danced-i-will-live/) [Rudolf Nureyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-nureyev/) > [I love all of the ballets that have a really strong story in them where I get to play a character. I don't enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-hayward/i-love-all-of-the-ballets-that-have-a-really-strong-story-in-them/) [Francesca Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-hayward/) > [I keep starting supergroups, writing ballets and things like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-keep-starting-supergroups-writing-ballets-and-things-like-that/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [There are some ballets you can do for a long time. With others, you have to know when to stop. Some are very destructive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/there-are-some-ballets-you-can-do-for-a-long-time-with-others-you/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [All Ballets' fundamental steps are derived from the folk dances of Western Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninette-de-valois/all-ballets-fundamental-steps-are-derived-from-the-folk-dances-of/) [Ninette de Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninette-de-valois/) > [I'm trying to do things I have never done. Like I recently went to 3 different ballets. And I loved trying to learn how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-regan/i-m-trying-to-do-things-i-have-never-done-like-i-recently-went-to-3/) [Brian Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-regan/) ## More by Justin Peck > [There is a clearing for new creative thought in choreography. I don't feel intimidated; there is a lot I can do that is new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/there-is-a-clearing-for-new-creative-thought-in-choreography-i-don-t/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [When I put on my consumer hat, and I'm buying tickets to be entertained, I'm not interested in seeing, like, 'Don Quixote.' Unless someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/when-i-put-on-my-consumer-hat-and-i-m-buying-tickets-to-be/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [There needs to be more encouragement and support for women - at an impressionable age - to explore that choreographic side of their brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/there-needs-to-be-more-encouragement-and-support-for-women-at-an/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [My movement is usually about finding the balance between artistry, athleticism, and musicality. It always originates with a classical basis and expands outwards from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/my-movement-is-usually-about-finding-the-balance-between-artistry/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [When I'm in sneakers, it changes my body carriage. I feel more in my own skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/when-i-m-in-sneakers-it-changes-my-body-carriage-i-feel-more-in-my/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [If I get a commission, it's like a flood of creative thought and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/if-i-get-a-commission-it-s-like-a-flood-of-creative-thought-and-energy/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [I'm always interested in linking dance to mundane behavior that everyone can relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-m-always-interested-in-linking-dance-to-mundane-behavior-that/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [I really enjoyed watching a ballerina named Denise Dabrowski who used to dance at California Ballet. She was a beautiful ballerina and role model…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-really-enjoyed-watching-a-ballerina-named-denise-dabrowski-who-used/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [I've always thought of the process of creating ballets as being this kind of team effort. It's not like being a painter, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-ve-always-thought-of-the-process-of-creating-ballets-as-being-this/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [The idea of having a narrative guiding the viewer through and grasping their attention is a really compelling thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/the-idea-of-having-a-narrative-guiding-the-viewer-through-and/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [When I saw 'Hamilton,' there was so much information so fast, I had to keep up with it. I find that quality in art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/when-i-saw-hamilton-there-was-so-much-information-so-fast-i-had-to/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [My choreography is very classically based.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/my-choreography-is-very-classically-based/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [Pressure feels sort of normal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/pressure-feels-sort-of-normal-to-me/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [When I'm making a new ballet, I usually read through the score a little bit, and then I have to go back and translate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/when-i-m-making-a-new-ballet-i-usually-read-through-the-score-a/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [It's nice to have the support and infrastructure to do what I want creatively. That's kind of a rare thing to find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/it-s-nice-to-have-the-support-and-infrastructure-to-do-what-i-want/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) [Explore all 57 Justin Peck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) ## More Dance quotes > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [My body was so instrumental to how I took pictures: it was practically a dance. I used to use my legs a lot; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/my-body-was-so-instrumental-to-how-i-took-pictures-it-was-practically/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/if-you-dance-you-dance-because-you-have-to-every-dancer-hurts-you-know/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/being-fit-is-the-easiest-part-of-being-a-dance-professional-i-used-to/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [I'm a horrible dancer, but I wanted to record songs that made me want to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/i-m-a-horrible-dancer-but-i-wanted-to-record-songs-that-made-me-want/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) [Browse all 9,682 Dance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell, they're a really dated and awkward medium to tell stories through. I think there needs to be an updated or different approach to storytelling in dance. There needs to be less of a separation between the storytelling and the dancing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Justin Peck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-they-might-sell-they-re-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-they-might-sell-they-re-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/justin-peck-11843_dance_i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-t_3041515.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that story ballets, as great as they might sell, they're a really dated and awkward medium to tell…” — Justin Peck", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Justin Peck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that story ballets, as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-they-might-sell-they-re-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/i-think-that-story-ballets-as-great-as-they-might-sell-they-re-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```