Ballet Manila Archives

Jan 13

Jan 13 Benedict Sabularse finds his way back to ballet

Among the newest faces in Ballet Manila is Benedict Sabularse, a Filipino dancer whose resumé includes a five-year stay with Pole National Supérieur de Danse of Marseille and a stint with the Hong Kong Ballet.

Dec 23

Dec 23 Blessed to dance more: Newly minted soloists Stephanie Santiago and Noah Esplana reflect on their most challenging year yet

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Ticking off items from their personal lists of dance goals must be the theme of Stephanie Santiago and Noah Esplana's 2024.

Aug 20

Aug 20 Mariinsky Ballet’s real-life couple to dance together in ‘Giselle’ for the first time with Ballet Manila

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

For Giselle, one of the most cherished works in classical ballet, world-renowned principal dancer Renata Shakirova and soloist Alexei Timofeyev of the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, have been flown in to the Philippines to perform with Ballet Manila.

Jul 4

Jul 4 Ballet scholar Germaine Dawal on how setbacks turned him into a better dancer

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Turning 17 just last June 30, this dancer has come quite a long way since he first unexpectedly entered the world of ballet several years ago.

Jun 23

Jun 23 Teenage ballerina Ainslea Esplana moves to the Philippines to pursue her childhood dream

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Ballet Manila apprentice Ainslea Esplana says that at age nine, she already knew she wanted ballet to be her career.

May 15

May 15 Mitch Valdes rocks a new Lola Basyang in Ballet Manila trilogy

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Veteran singer-actress-comedienne Mitch Valdes was in a quandary before receiving Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s offer to essay the iconic role of Lola Basyang in the company’s restaging of its beloved Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang trilogy.

May 11

May 11 Soloist Jessa Balote wants son Prince to know life is beautiful despite challenges

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

She identifies motherhood as the main reason she refused to give up on her ballet dream.

May 8

May 8 Author Christine Bellen-Ang on finding Lola Basyang's voice and why adaptations of the grandmother's stories matter

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Six of those stories have since been transformed into dance pieces through Ballet Manila's Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (2008) and Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (2013), with the first trilogy returning to the stage this month as the company's second offering for its 26th performance season dubbed "Ballet Masterpieces".

May 4

May 4 After many detours, Portuguese ballerina Margarida Colaco finds a place in Ballet Manila

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Knowing that Ballet Manila is also interested in her progress, Margarida is determined more than ever to strengthen her technique in the Vaganova way and at the same time learn the contemporary pieces of the company.

Apr 7

Apr 7 For company artist Judith Po, ballet is all about serving a higher purpose

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

The beginning of Judith Po’s ballet journey is similar to those of many female dancers. It was an activity to do for fun and through the years, it turned out to be the one activity they couldn’t live without.

Mar 31

Mar 31 After not dancing for years, Rafael Perez follows his heart and returns to ballet

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

To make his return possible, Paeng addressed the things that were holding him back.

Mar 25

Mar 25 For Marinette Franco, life is a mix of dancing and adulting

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Ballet Manila company member Marinette Franco has always been a deep thinker, and this trait of hers has become even more pronounced when ballet returned after the worldwide pandemic.

Feb 22

Feb 22 From lowly guard to the hero Conrad: Romeo Peralta’s amazing journey in Le Corsaire

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Of all the classics in Ballet Manila’s repertoire, it’s Le Corsaire that Romeo Peralta Jr. knows quite well – from the most minor of characters to the lead roles.

Feb 18

Feb 18 Medora-in-the-making: Pia Dames on what it takes to be the lead female in the beloved pirate ballet

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

In Jasmine Pia Dames’ case, from being the supporting female character, Gulnara, in 2018, she will be portraying Medora, the lady love of Conrad in Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s choreography of the pirate ballet.

Feb 4

Feb 4 Inspired by a cartoon ballerina, apprentice Shamira Drapete is now making her own ballet dreams come true

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

A mouseling who loves ballet has introduced millions of little girls all over the world to classical dance. Ballet Manila apprentice Shamira Drapete is no exception.

Jan 30

Jan 30 Asian Grand Prix silver medalist John Stanley Alamer sees everything as an opportunity to improve

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Eventually bagging the silver in AGP’s Junior B category in Hong Kong, this serious competitor was very pleased with the results, as it reflected how much work he put into improving his art, as well as combating the pressure he felt

Jan 22

Jan 22 After winning AGP’s Youth Grand Prix Award, Gelo De Leon says he’s in ballet to stay

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

While talented and determined to put in the hours, this ballet-loving teenager never expected to take home the prestigious award in December 2023.

Jan 6

Jan 6 Always ready: Soloist John Balagot takes his dancing and choreography to Indonesia

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

John Balagot is no stranger to dancing on stages outside the Philippines. Before

Dec 30

Dec 30 Sean Pelegrin’s slow-but-sure journey to becoming a soloist

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Just when Sean Pelegrin thought that his 2023 would return to the usual chill off-season days after doing guestings with dance schools, he gets a career-changing phone call from Ballet Manila’s co-artistic associate Gerardo Francisco Jr. one Thursday morning.

Dec 26

Dec 26 Shaira Comeros ends a roller-coaster year with a fairy tale

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Dancing the lead part in a full-length performance is what Shaira Comeros had been looking forward to since she was promoted to principal artist in late 2022.

Categories

Jan 13 Benedict Sabularse finds his way back to ballet

Dec 23 Blessed to dance more: Newly minted soloists Stephanie Santiago and Noah Esplana reflect on their most challenging year yet

Aug 20 Mariinsky Ballet’s real-life couple to dance together in ‘Giselle’ for the first time with Ballet Manila

Jul 4 Ballet scholar Germaine Dawal on how setbacks turned him into a better dancer

Jun 23 Teenage ballerina Ainslea Esplana moves to the Philippines to pursue her childhood dream

May 15 Mitch Valdes rocks a new Lola Basyang in Ballet Manila trilogy

May 11 Soloist Jessa Balote wants son Prince to know life is beautiful despite challenges

May 8 Author Christine Bellen-Ang on finding Lola Basyang's voice and why adaptations of the grandmother's stories matter

May 4 After many detours, Portuguese ballerina Margarida Colaco finds a place in Ballet Manila

Apr 7 For company artist Judith Po, ballet is all about serving a higher purpose

Mar 31 After not dancing for years, Rafael Perez follows his heart and returns to ballet

Mar 25 For Marinette Franco, life is a mix of dancing and adulting

Feb 22 From lowly guard to the hero Conrad: Romeo Peralta’s amazing journey in Le Corsaire

Feb 18 Medora-in-the-making: Pia Dames on what it takes to be the lead female in the beloved pirate ballet

Feb 4 Inspired by a cartoon ballerina, apprentice Shamira Drapete is now making her own ballet dreams come true

Jan 30 Asian Grand Prix silver medalist John Stanley Alamer sees everything as an opportunity to improve

Jan 22 After winning AGP’s Youth Grand Prix Award, Gelo De Leon says he’s in ballet to stay

Jan 6 Always ready: Soloist John Balagot takes his dancing and choreography to Indonesia

Dec 30 Sean Pelegrin’s slow-but-sure journey to becoming a soloist

Dec 26 Shaira Comeros ends a roller-coaster year with a fairy tale

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