PETER PUCCI
Choreographer and Movement Director
PETER PUCCI
Peter Pucci was born and raised in Baltimore. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a BFA. For nine years he was a member of Pilobolus Dance Theatre, where he served as principal dancer, co-choreographer, and rehearsal director. While with Pilobolus, Peter toured and taught worldwide, made several film and television appearances, performed on Broadway, collaborated on many Pilobolus pieces, and presented his own works on Pilobolus programs. Peter is also the director of Discovery Through Movement (DTM) a natural movement workshop program for organizations and colleges looking to strengthen creativity, collaboration, and connectivity within a group.
Peter is currently working on a new commission for the New Mexico Ballet Company in Albuquerque. Recent theatrical productions include: of Curse of the Starving Class, Directed by Terry Kinney at the Signature Theatre, NYC and Kurt Elling’s The Big Blind at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Age of Innocence directed by Doug Hughes at Hartford Stage, Master Harold and the Boys directed by Athol Fugard at the Signature Theatre; Incognito directed by Doug Hughes Off Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club; Desire, directed by Michael Wilson Off Broadway at 59E59; One Man, Two Guvnors, directed by Gregory Boyd at the Alley Theater, Houston. Additional credits include: Antony and Cleopatra directed by Emily Mann at the McCarter Theater; Money Shot directed by Terry Kinney at MCC Theater NYC; and two dance films: Swag n’ Bach: A Path to Choreography and In the Garden for the Dance of Film series at the Jacob Burns Film Center.
Pucci recently completed work on a NEA funded production of Migration, a group work for 50 dancers to the music of Dawn of Midi. The world premiere of Migration was performed in the 34,000 square-foot Wellness Athletic Center at the Community College of Baltimore County. Recent dance company commissions include the world premiere of Dream On By with music by Paul Simon for the State Street Ballet in California, PUCCI:SPORT for the New Mexico Ballet, and new ballets for Dance Theater of Harlem and the Joffrey Ballet Ensemble in New York City.
Pucci has taught extensively for all levels of dancers and actors; high school to college to professionals, including teaching at Manhattanville College for nine years as a Artist-In Residence, at The Juilliard School of Drama as a guest artist for seven years, at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. Pucci has also been a Guest Moderator and Programmer for the Dance On Film Series at Jacob Burns Film Center since 2010.
Pucci has also directed and choreographed for his own company, Peter Pucci Plus Dancers, which has performed in New York City, including six appearances at The Joyce Theater, and has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. The company has twice been presented on public television by KRMA-TV Denver, One Night Only and Peter Pucci: Curtain Time. Peter Pucci Plus had its Broadway premiere at The New Victory Theater. In addition to creating numerous ballets in the USA Pucci has choreographed over 50 repertory works for Peter Pucci Plus including the world premier of PUCCI: SPORT a sports based evening of dance.
One of Pucci’s greatest strengths as a choreographer is his ability to spark an interest in dance among diverse audiences. His work is imbued with a sense of athleticism and humor that, combined with a keen and thoughtful vision and a true integration of music and dance, makes his work appeal to a wide range of ages and backgrounds – both for dance novices and dance aficionados.
Pucci was honored as the first recipient of the Samuel H. Scripps Humphrey/Weidman/Limon Fellowship, a choreographic commission awarded by the American Dance Festival. Pucci is also the winner of an Absolute Joffrey Award for Choreography and two Choo-San Goh Awards for Choreography. Pucci was a Drama Desk Award Nominee for Outstanding Choreography and a Lucille Lortel Awardee for Outstanding Choreographer for his work on Queens Boulevard. Pucci has received the Westchester Artist of the Year Award from ArtsWestchester. Pucci also received a Drama Desk Award for his work on The Orphans’ Home Cycle.
Recently Peter became the new Executive Director for the Carole Drake Cascio Fund For Mind Movement Dance Connections based in Stevensville Maryland. https://www.carolecasciofund.org/