Joan Emery Sia finds new meaning in Ballet Manila’s 'Giselle'
Joan says there’s a natural give-and-take between Elpidio Magat, her real-life partner, and her when they dance together. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
By Giselle P. Kasilag
To say that October has been a challenging month for Ballet Manila is an understatement. The fire at the Star City and Manila Broadcasting Company complex not only damaged the company’s home theaters but threatened BM’s 24th season as well.
It is only through the kindness and generosity of the country’s artistic community that the staging of Ballet Manila’s second offering of the season, Giselle, is made possible. As Ballet Manila’s artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said, “The show must go on.”
Joan as Giselle is reluctant to follow the command of Myrtha (Se Hee Hong), the vengeful queen of the Wilis. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
The hauntingly romantic ballet, however, has given principal dancer Joan Emery Sia exactly the right kind of outlet to release all her emotions. She is set to take on the lead role of Giselle, a carefree peasant girl who dies of a broken heart. This will be her third time to perform the full-length version. And among the company’s current roster, she is the only remaining active female dancer of Ballet Manila to have performed the full-length version of the lead role.
While she is grateful for the opportunity, it also came with sadness for her colleagues who would not be able to dance the coveted role. Because of the fire and the company’s subsequent displacement, Ballet Manila will be able to mount only one show instead of the originally scheduled three. Joan’s Giselle will be partnered by fellow principal dancer Elpidio Magat Jr.’s Albrecht. Company artist Akari Ida will be performing Myrtha. Principal dancer Mark Sumaylo will be performing Hilarion. Soloists Nicole Barroso and Joshua Enciso are dancing the Peasant Pas de Deux.
“I think I value it more now,” reflected Joan one afternoon after Giselle rehearsals. “Of course I never take it for granted but I’m just more aware that there’s a whole lot of purpose in there with the tragedy and all.”
Principal dancer Joan Emery Sia is the only remaining active female artist of Ballet Manila to have performed the lead role in the full-length Giselle. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Indeed, she was genuinely surprised to have been chosen, thinking that the artistic management would opt to give the chance to someone who had not performed it before. Her only wish was for her real life partner Elpidio to be chosen as Albrecht. As fate would have it, they now find themselves preparing to dance together.
“I think it helps (having Elpidio as a partner) although I never had a problem with Romeo (principal dancer Romeo Peralta, her original dance partner) either. It’s always like a natural give-and-take between me and him. With Elpidio, no problems either. It’s genuine also,” Joan shared.
This staging, however, is not the first time that Joan and Elpidio will partner in this ballet. They danced their first Giselle in 2012, alternating with prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Russian danseur Mikhail Martynyuk for the former’s Swan Song Series.
Giselle was also the couple’s competition piece in the 2012 Asian Grand Prix and the 4th Beijing International Ballet Competition. They won the bronze in the AGP.
Unlike before when she tended to focus just on her role, Joan Emery Sia says she now gets easily affected watching her colleagues dance in Giselle – even just in rehearsals. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
“Giselle is one of those ballets wherein whenever you get to do it, it’s never the same,” explained Joan. “I know it’s like this for every ballet but since Giselle is a very emotional ballet, I mean, come on, like what other ballet is more emotional than Giselle? Even Swan Lake isn’t as emotional as Giselle so there’s always something there that you find that sparks something.”
Despite having performed the role twice before, Joan is never one to rest on her laurels. With the amount of time she has spent physically preparing for the role in the studio as well as internalizing the character, one would think she was dancing it for the first time. And in her mind, that’s exactly the case.
“When I rehearse, I don’t think of it that way – that I did it before. To me, it’s always new. So every time we do a run-through, kinakabahan pa rin ako (I still get nervous). It’s always the first time for me. I think that’s really my thing,” she explained.
Giselle is such an emotional ballet, says Joan, that it will spark something in her even if she has danced it before. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Between her last Giselle in 2016 for Dance MNL and now, much has happened to Joan that has found its way into her dancing. For one, she has been promoted to principal dancer. The company has done two major international tours. The experiences have certainly contributed to her maturity as a dancer.
“Dati kasi, parang I cared too much about what other people were doing. My alternate is doing this. My alternate is doing that. Nape-pressure ako!
“Maybe now I’m more sensitive to my feelings,” she went on. “Now, every time we rehearse it, naiiyak ako (I get teary-eyed)! I didn’t feel that way before! Like watching Act II, the girls dancing in unison... before it was like, okay, focus on me. But now, I get distracted because the music is so strong and I feel the unity. It’s so corny! I feel like it’s scary. I think of this as me growing up as an artist... maturing. I don’t feed off myself but I feed off what other people are giving – their energy. Whatever I put out, it’s because of whatever it is they are putting out also.”
Indeed, as she continues to find new meaning in Giselle, Joan is excited to tackle the role once again and discover a new way to perform her.
“There’s a hundred million ways to do Giselle and I have to find the one that hits the spot.”
