Tiler Peck, a longtime City Ballet principal who’s been making work independently for years, including for Boston Ballet, BalletX and Cincinnati Ballet, made her company choreographic debut in 2024 with “Concerto for Two Pianos.” Closing the concert on a high, Peck set the joyful but at times frenetic work to Francis Poulenc’s brash piece of the same name, dedicating it to her father, who passed away in 2023. 

With pianists Hannah Kim and Stephen Gosling, this is a ballet that echoes the music, its fluctuating moods veering from cheerful and intense to graceful and jazzy, the dancers more than able to work their terpsichorean magic. With seven couples and five lead dancers (Roman Mejia, Kloe Walker, Owen Flacke, Emma Von Enck and India Bradley) decked out in designer Zac Posen’s chiffon dresses (shades of blue, save for Walker’s ruby red dress), and unitards for the men, there was plenty to take in. 

As for star turns, Mejia (Peck’s husband), was all brawn, his superb technique—mind-blowing spins, huge air turns and twisting jetés—appeared nothing less than superhuman, his partnering equally stellar with Bradley and Von Enck, whose own high-octane footwork and effervescent leaps dazzled, as well.

Shades of Robbins were evident, as the corps couples were the epitome of elegance, their energy contagious as they made the most of the vast stage, their unison torso dips, variations on ballroom-like moves and a bit of finger-snapping accentuating the percussive brilliance, i.e., the castanets of Poulenc’s sparkling score. 

And did someone say backwards bourrées? Moving around their partners the gals executed them in spades, while the larghetto portion of the score was another opportunity for full-bodied moves. With Brandon Stirling Baker’s lighting—at times creating Kara Walker-like silhouettes—lending a lovely sheen to the tableau, as well as suggesting darting fireflies, the action became, well, almost too much. 

That said, the cacophonous ending with its exuberant playfulness, reflected the concerto’s own eclecticism. In other words, “Hello frenzy!” But who’s to say that that energy cannot be harnessed for the good, which brought to mind a Twyla Tharp quote: “If politicians would take a few dance lessons, it would be a better world.” Amen to that!