By Giselle P. Kasilag

Like the character they are set to portray in special shows of Giselle this weekend, Ballet Manila principal dancers Romeo Peralta and Mark Sumaylo describe their journey to performing Albrecht with one word: emotional. 

The fire that razed the Star City Complex last month also threw the company’s 24th season in a quandary as it affected Ballet Manila’s performing venues. Star Theater burned down while Aliw Theater was damaged.  From the scheduled three shows with three sets of leads, Giselle was reduced to one with a mix of dancers from the different casts performing at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last October 17. Romeo and Mark had to step aside in favor of principal dancer Elpidio Magat Jr. who performed Albrecht opposite fellow principal Joan Emery Sia’s Giselle.

The events hit Romeo harder than he expected. A senior member of the company, he has been with Ballet Manila since 2000 and considered the theaters his home. 

“Doon ka lumaki tapos nalaman mong nasunog siya, nawala, and up to now hindi mo alam kung magagawa o maitatayo ba siya ulit. So parang ‘yung childhood dancing ko nawala, especially ‘yung Star Theater kasi doon kami dati (I grew up there, then I learned that it burned down, it was gone, and up to now I don’t know if it would still be repaired or rebuilt. It’s like my childhood dancing also disappeared along with it, especially with Star Theater because that’s where we used to perform),” he explains. 

With what happened, Romeo realized particularly with this Giselle that the only thing constant is change. When the casting for the CCP show was announced (he was initially paired with Joan), he accepted the decision immediately. “Hindi pa tapos magsalita si Ma’am Lise [Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde] na ’I’m giving it to Magat,’ I already told her that I understand. In my years here in the company, I’ve never questioned any artistic decision. I never asked for anything. I’ve always respected their decisions as my directors. I always try to work with what is given to me to the best of my abilities,” Romeo continues. 

The show was meant to be his second full-length Giselle. A true professional, he joined the corps de ballet as one of the peasants — a world away from the lead role he was originally slated to perform. 

Change, as he stated, is constant. News of more changes came later and the company ended up securing two more shows of Giselle. This placed Romeo front and center once again as Albrecht, this time opposite company artist Sayaka Ishibashi who was originally partnered with Mark. 

“I’m happy I’m doing it with Sayaka. She’s a new partner... lagi akong nakaka-partner ng bago! And I’m okay with it kasi iba-iba ‘yung style and technique ng nakaka-partner ko. (I always get new partners! And I’m okay with it because the style and technique vary with each partner.) So the way that I rehearse, I try to adjust. Sayaka would always ask me, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And I would always tell her, ‘What do you want? I always follow the ballerina,’” shares Romeo.

Mark, on the other hand, was dealing with uncertainty even before the original cast list was posted. Albrecht was one of his dream roles and finding out that Giselle was part of the 24th season gave him hope. But things did not turn out the way he expected.

“The first time they announced the casting for Giselle, and my name was not there as Albrecht, I already accepted that I’d be Hilarion. So parang easier siya for me,” admits Mark. “And then out of nowhere biglang may understudy. I rehearsed with Sayaka (Ishibashi). So for me, it was a win-win situation. Kasi even if I don’t dance it, the process of rehearsing, of learning the ballet especially with Sir Shaz [Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso], panalo na rin ako (I would still end up winning). It’s the experience that counts.”

After the fire and even before the changes were announced, Mark already felt that he would not be dancing Albrecht in that one show. Instead of dwelling over the disappointment, he embraced his original role of Hilarion.

“Natanggap ko kasi para sa company siya. Hindi na siya for individual na gusto. Besides, maghi-Hilarion ako. Everybody likes Albrecht pero hindi nila alam na ‘yung genuine feeling of love is... talagang si Hilarion, hindi si Albrecht. Kasi naglalaro lang si Albrecht, pero siya ‘yung superstar. Kawawa naman si Hilarion, siya pa ’yung nabigo! Lahat ng sacrifice, di ba?  Hello! Ako ‘yung nagpakamatay! Ako ‘yung natigok dito (I already accepted that this decision was for the company. It wasn’t for your individual want anymore. Besides, I was dancing as Hilarion. Everybody likes Albrecht but what they don’t know is that the genuine feeling of love is really from Hilarion, not Albrecht. Even if Albrecht is just playing around, he’s the superstar. Poor Hilarion, he’s the one who ends up heartbroken! After all the sacrifice, right? Hello! I’m the one who’s willing to die! I’m the one who dies here),” laughs Mark.

It was not difficult for Mark to stay positive. Coming back from an injury that could have ended his dancing career permanently, he has learned to be grateful for any opportunity to dance regardless of the role. As long as he was healthy and was allowed to dance every day, he was happy.

When the announcement of the additional shows came, it was an unexpected gift that took him by surprise. Not only was he getting the opportunity to dance but he will be performing Albrecht opposite his real-life partner, principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro, as Giselle.

“Doon ako nawindang (That’s what really caught me off-guard)!” Mark exclaims. “Kasi nga, wala, nag let go na ako. In-announce na, tapos, uy! Now what? Aaralin uli! Which is, for me, hindi ganoon kahirap in terms of partnering kasi I’ve danced with Abi naman. (Because I really let go already. It was announced and then suddenly, this! Now what? Start learning the role again! Which is, for me, not really that difficult in terms of partnering because I’ve danced with Abi before.) And with the guidance of the directors, and we still had time.” 

Having performed the role before, Romeo understood how important it was that Mark, Abigail and Sayaka will get to dance the full-length ballet for the first time. 

“It will be his first time to dance the full-length pero nasayaw na niya ’yung Albrecht (he has danced as Albrecht),” says Romeo of Mark. “He knows the character. He knows the story. The only advice I can give him is to give it his all. When he’s on stage and it’s show time, you just give it your all. It doesn’t matter if you stumble. Just give your 100 percent.”

As with every role, rehearsal is the key to fulfilling the demands of the character. And the rehearsal is the domain of the director. Mark remembers his first rehearsal after being told to understudy as Albrecht with a tinge of embarrassment. 

He was still unsure of the steps and kept asking Romeo and Elpidio (both of whom have performed the ballet before) about what was to come next. The signaling turned more frantic as the steps became more complex that co-artistic director Osias Barroso called for the music to stop then turned to Mark to ask why he was asking his colleagues when he was there precisely so that the young dancer could learn from him. 

“Kasalanan ko naman talaga kasi nga he was there in front of me pero tinitingnan ko si Romeo. Si Sir Shaz nakatingin sa akin, ‘Why are you asking Romeo? I know the ballet.’ Nagalit talaga si Sir! Tama naman (It was really my fault because he was there in front of me but I was looking at Romeo. Sir Shaz was staring at me, ‘Why are you asking Romeo? I know the ballet.’ He really got mad. And he was right),” laughs Mark. 

They count themselves fortunate to have been coached personally by Shaz who performed the role so many times during his dancing career. He would always explain the motivation behind the movements, giving the younger dancers material that would allow them to infuse more depth into the character. 

For Romeo, returning to this dramatic role posed a different set of challenges, foremost of which was how to make the ballet fresh. 

“Definitely there’s a hundred ways to do any role,” agrees Romeo. “You just have to find that way to show it to the audience — how you want to play the role. I watch a lot of videos of other dancers to see how they attack the dancing and the acting. Ang dami! But it’s really up to you kung paano mo siya ipapakita. Ako, it’s more of kung ano ang nararamdaman ko, ‘yun ‘yung ita-try kong gawin. Of course, I follow kung ano yung ise-set talaga na choreography pero I try to put something na I think na ako — ‘yung pwedeng gawin ni Romeo as a dancer, as an artist. (There’s a lot! But it’s really up to you how to convey it. With me, it’s more of what I’m feeling, then that’s what I try to do. Of course, I follow the set choreography but I try to put in something that I think is me — what Romeo can do as a dancer, as an artist.)”

Both men feel that the storytelling aspect of Giselle is the major challenge of the ballet. For Mark, however, he also needed to shake off Hilarion — a character that he had to assume for the previous staging. 

“Slowly,” he answers when asked if he has already internalized Albrecht. “Kasi when I rehearsed Albrecht after Hilarion, the first comment of Sir Jay [Ballet Manila rehearsal master Jonathan Janolo] was, ‘I’m reminding you that you’re not Hilarion anymore.’ Kasi I attacked the character the same as Hilarion. May mga nuances or movement na sudden which was hindi dapat kasi royalty.

“But when it comes to preparing, kung manonood ako ng video, isang tao lang ang panonoorin ko. Sa BM videos, inaalam ko lang kung anong gagawin or magtatanong ako. After that, I put myself in the situation — how will you react kung mangyayari sa iyo ‘yun. So for example noong nag-Hilarion ako, inalam ko talaga ‘yung legend ng wilis na pag nagpakita sila, mamamatay ka talaga. So how will you react? Alam mong mamamatay ka na eh. Even if you beg Myrtha, talagang hopeless. Ilalagay mo lang ‘yung sarili mo sa sitwasyon and then slowly mag-a-adapt ka na parang hindi na ikaw ‘yung nandoon. Hindi na ikaw ‘yung normal na Mark. Ikaw na si Hilarion on stage. But as of now, inaaral ko pa si Albrecht. Isa ito sa pinakamahirap na full-length. Aside from partnering and dancing, may storytelling pa,” explains Mark. 

(But when it comes to preparing, if I watch a video, I would only watch one person. In BM videos, I find out what should be done or I would ask questions. After that, I put myself in the situation — how will you react if this happens to you. So for example when I was Hilarion, I really learned the legend of the wilis, that when they appear before you, you will really die. So how will you react? You already know you’re going to die. Even if you beg Myrtha, it’s really hopeless. You put yourself in that situation and then slowly adapt like you’re not the one there anymore. You’re not the normal Mark. You are already Hilarion on stage. But as of now, I’m still studying Albrecht. This is one of the hardest full-length roles. Aside from partnering and dancing, there’s also storytelling.)

Physically, the second act of Giselle is one of the most demanding for a dancer performing as Albrecht. Romeo notes that making Giselle appear as light as a feather requires lifting her without the audience seeing the effort in the lift. Thus, the pressure falls literally on the shoulders and arms of Albrecht. The series of jumps for the variation quickly leading to the solo has Mark praying to all the saints to give him strength. 

“It’s okay,” Romeo jokes. “Parang mamamatay ka naman sa end part. You’ll look like you’re dying. Wala nang acting! Wala na akong hangin! Di na ko makatalon!” (It’s like you’re going to die in the end part anyway. You’ll look like you’re dying. No more acting! I can’t breathe anymore! I can’t jump anymore!”

The effect, as seen in Ballet Manila’s recent Giselle performance, is mesmerizing, making all the effort worthwhile. 

It has been a roller coaster of emotions to reach the stage, but both Romeo and Mark are ready to become Albrecht. Wrestling with their own challenges, they are excited to portray the role that has captured the imagination of so many ballet fans — to face the wrath of the wilis and bask in the unconditional love of Giselle.