Ballet Manila Archives

Aug 17

Aug 17 From monkey to prince: Joshua Enciso’s epic ‘Adarna’ adventure

Like his character in Ibong Adarna – Don Juan, the youngest brother among three princes – danseur Joshua Enciso feels he still has to prove himself to his elders in Ballet Manila.

Aug 15

Aug 15 Romeo Peralta Jr. leaps into villain territory once more in ‘Ibong Adarna’

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Once the armor is on and the death stare is in place, expect Romeo the amiable danseur to fade and Diego the fierce prince to appear, ready to stir trouble on stage.

Aug 13

Aug 13 Mark Sumaylo embraces each role as if it was his last

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

While the return to being the prince is a welcome one, Mark appreciates that he has been able to take on a variety of parts in the full-length ballet.

Aug 11

Aug 11 Ibong Adarna: A legendary tale borne on the wings of good old family values

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

For Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, there are many lessons to be learned in Ibong Adarna.

Aug 10

Aug 10 Perfecting Adarna: Gerardo Francisco Jr. takes his masterpiece to the next level

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

As much as he tries to downplay it, principal dancer Gerardo Francisco Jr. is the resident perfectionist of Ballet Manila. He sees everything and has no qualms about making corrections when necessary.

Aug 7

Aug 7 Under construction: The journey of Don Juan

Ballet Manila Archives

Videos

In this clip from the rehearsals of Ibong Adarna, we see principal dancer Joshua Enciso as Don Juan traveling to Mt. Tabor in search of Adarna.

Aug 4

Aug 4 Talk about dance: Lewis Freedman

Ballet Manila Archives

Talk About Dance

You can’t be afraid of stepping on toes if you want to go dancing.

Aug 2

Aug 2 Amid lockdowns and injuries, JC Concepcion finds purpose in and out of ballet

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

John Carl “JC” Concepcion may just be the nicest danseur in town.

Jul 31

Jul 31 Under Construction: The feathers of Adarna

Ballet Manila Archives

Videos

In this clip, the company can be seen rehearsing that pivotal scene where the audience gets to see the Adarna bird for the first time in all her glory. Reprising the lead role is principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro. Ibong Adarna returns to the stage on Aug. 19 and 20 at the Aliw Theater.

Jul 28

Jul 28 Ballet Manila in Full Color: Brave and bold in brown

Ballet Manila Archives

Features

In this special edition, as Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna makes its return to the stage on August 19 and 20 at Aliw Theater, we share photos from its various productions and pictorials as it put the spotlight on the color brown.

Jul 26

Jul 26 Raymond Salcedo dances to fulfill a promise

Ballet Manila Archives

Interviews

Having been the recipient of love and support since he entered ballet, this artist wants nothing more than to repay his second family with kindness and hard work.

Jul 24

Jul 24 Talk about dance: Mordecai Richler

Ballet Manila Archives

Talk About Dance

Beauty, like male ballet dancers, makes some men afraid.

Jul 21

Jul 21 This Month in BM History: July 1996

Ballet Manila Archives

This Month In BM History

In 1996, Ballet Manila embarked on its first tour to the United States, with its first stop being the Big Apple in June.

Jul 18

Jul 18 Ballet Manila Moments: Dancing to the stories of our childhood

Ballet Manila Archives

Ballet Manila Moments

In this video, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde is partnered by principal dancer Rudy De Dios. Narrating the story is the late actress Luz Fernandez whose portrayal of Lola Basyang was an important part of many Filipinos’ childhood.

Jul 17

Jul 17 ‘Ibong Adarna’ flies again as Ballet Manila closes 25th performance season

Ballet Manila Archives

News

After being sidelined by the pandemic, Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna finally returns to the stage on August 19 and 20 at Aliw Theater.

Jul 14

Jul 14 Talk about dance: Natalia Makarova

Ballet Manila Archives

Talk About Dance

A real ballerina must fill her space with her own personality.

Jul 12

Jul 12 Ballet Manila scholars, LMSB students triumph at International Ballet Grand Prix

Ballet Manila Archives

News

Displaying their Vaganova training, two Ballet Manila scholars and eight other students of the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet garnered awards and scholarships at the recently concluded International Ballet Grand Prix.