By Giselle P. Kasilag

Gratitude was foremost in the minds of Ballet Manila principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro and company artist Sayaka Ishibashi upon learning that one show of Giselle would still push through after a fire devastated the Star City complex which included the company’s theaters – Aliw and Star. The ladies were slated to debut as Giselle in the company’s second offering for the 24th season which originally consisted of three shows. Principal dancer Joan Emery Sia, a Giselle veteran, completed the line-up. 

Now, there could only be one.

From the scheduled three shows, one would still be mounted at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. From three lead casts, however, only one set would get to perform.  Even before the final cast for the lone performance was announced, both Abigail and Sayaka were certain it would not be either of them. But they were grateful. They had been given a chance to learn the role and rehearse the piece. At that moment when everything literally went up in flames, that chance to rehearse was more than enough.

 “When the fire happened, of course we were devastated about Aliw and Star. But Ma’am Lise [Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde], she was so broken so I think we all felt more for how broken she was than the actual situation,” shares Abigail. “I was sad (about letting go of the role). I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to dance it but it was hard to be that sad given the situation and given the reality – the somberness of everything. So I cried but I don’t think I felt as sad as I normally would have. And knowing there was going to be one show, honestly, I didn’t think I was gonna dance it. I didn’t think it would be me because in my mind, I told Mark (Sumaylo, principal dancer and originally slated to partner Sayaka in the third cast), ‘You know I really feel like Joan and (Elpidio) Magat (principal dancer who was originally partnered with Abigail) would probably dance…’ And I predicted the cast!”

Joan indeed went on to dance the coveted part with Elpidio as Albrecht. The three sets of leads found themselves taking on various roles in the production. Abigail was Bathilde, Mark was Hilarion, principal dancer Romeo Peralta who was originally meant to partner Joan joined the corps of peasants, and Sayaka danced with the wilis. 

“I was so sad about the fire but what we have here is amazing when we are all together. It will make us much stronger from that. But I am just so happy to be able to get involved,” says Sayaka who has been with the company for less than a year but has been well-received by the local ballet audience for her strong performances.

“I was so happy to have been able to rehearse for this role, Giselle,” she continues. “It was like my dream come true. I never thought I would be able to rehearse. For me, just rehearsing is like really special for me. Even though I couldn’t perform, it doesn’t matter. It was okay.”

Abigail agreed completely. Knowing that Ballet Manila had many strong dancers in its roster, she never assumed that she would be considered for the plum role despite her stature in the company. 

“Actually I was rehearsing Myrtha all by myself because I thought I would be Myrtha! So when I was casted as Giselle (in the original schedule), it was really exciting for me because the ballet is so enticing. I like character roles and it’s one of THE story ballets so I was really excited to just be rehearsing,” Abigail reveals. 

But like a good novel, the road to Giselle had many twists and turns. At some point, the company was hoping that the lone performance could be turned into a two-night affair. Updates were coming in on an hourly basis. Apparently, the only thing that was certain at that point was that everything was uncertain. 

“Of course I had my fingers crossed for that second show until the moment Ma’am Lise said it wasn’t going to happen. Mark wasn’t as positive but I was like, ‘Maybe…maybe!’ And I would keep practicing until the day she announced it. So when we were given the chance to perform in the CCP Little Theater in November, I was like, ‘I don’t care where it is even if it’s in Leveriza. I will do it, Ma’am Lise!’” Abigail enthuses.

The Little Theater shows were school performances that had been booked at Aliw Theater before the fire hit. When the theater was damaged by the blaze, the company was unsure whether they could find another venue and push through. But arrangements were made and two more shows at the Cultural Center of the Philippines would now allow Abigail and Sayaka a debut as Giselle this weekend.

But the cast had to be adjusted as well. Instead of dancing with Elpidio, Abigail will now be dancing with Mark while Sayaka, originally partnered with Mark, will now be dancing with Romeo. The switch presented new challenges for the dancers, as well as learning experiences.

“It was so fun,” shares Sayaka on her experience rehearsing with Mark. “He’s so funny and he always makes me laugh! I never thought that I would be able to dance with him because of the height (difference). He is very tall and I am short. I never thought of him as my partner but I got to dance with him and oh my God! People say he is really good and I was like, ‘Oh! I get to dance with him!’ Yeah, he IS very good! And he taught me a lot of things, not only technique but acting, how you should react at that point. It was really fun to rehearse with him. He is so funny and positive. I really enjoyed dancing with him.”

Partnering with Romeo who has assumed the role of Albrecht in a previous Ballet Manila performance of Giselle, however, was a completely different experience for the young Japanese ballerina.

“He is very experienced,” Sayaka described Romeo. “He knows so many things. He gives me so much advice that I can apply in the dance. Just dancing with him gives me so many clues to get into the role. He says more about the acting or the timing to dance with him to make the movement look ‘floaty’. Like for example in Act 2, I would take a breath and he would breathe and it’s like the wind comes to us and it doesn’t happen at the same time. So he makes me think more about those things like the breath and not just technique but dancing with the music in the air. It’s getting deep. I feel it!”

For Abigail, rehearsing with Elpidio was a refreshing change. Being taller than most of the female dancers, she was limited to dancing with only one or two danseurs – one of whom is her real-life partner, Mark.

“I’ve been dancing with Mark for so long for so many different roles so it was nice to be with someone else. To be with Magat is very different. I got to learn how to trust. He’s very chill! He’s also very positive. Everything is like, ‘Don’t worry!’ And I am not a chill person! And he has done the role of Albrecht many, many times so to be taken under his wing was also comforting for me because he knew what to do. He’s had multiple partners as well. There were quite a few moments when he was like, ‘Maybe you should do this or you should try this so you can extend this moment.’ And I would do it with him so I learned a lot from him as well.”

But now she is back to dancing with Mark who will be debuting as Albrecht. “When they announced the cast changes and they rehearsed us for the first time, Mark and I did Act 2 that day. It was like that phrase, ‘Fits like a glove.’ It wasn’t like I had to fix myself or anything. I just danced. It’s like what Sayaka said. She enjoys it. I enjoyed dancing with Mark as well. And it’s not because we’re together. I don’t think I’m biased too much that way. But I genuinely enjoy working with Mark. I feel like it’s a partnership I always look forward to because I can just let go,” Abigail says.

Giselle for both ladies, however, represent a chance of a lifetime – an opportunity to make real something that has eluded them in the past. For Sayaka, in particular, it is a milestone in a career that has kept her away from her family and at some point had caused injuries.

“This is my first full-length ballet as a lead. First time in my life! It is so exciting!” she enthuses. “In my previous company, they also did Giselle but I was not casted. I was in the corps. I was in the court – just walking and then acting. But I was practicing in the side, like the wilis, in case somebody gets injured. So I was practicing and listening to the music. It’s so beautiful. I want to be in there! But I just, you know, walked… It was okay. Right now, I already have this role, Giselle, but I never thought I’d get to do this role! It’s just so overwhelming!

“I feel like she is quite different from what I am. Sir Shaz [Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso] would always tell me that I am too energized and too hyper. Giselle is fragile and she cannot do anything that makes her heart beat fast. So she’s quite calm. She likes dancing and she wants to fall in love with somebody. It’s so hard because also I want to put myself into it but I don’t want to be exactly her. I want to put my character in it. But I am too energized so I’m trying to come back to the character and mine together. I’m working on that.”

For Abigail, there is an element of redemption in this ballet. The night before Ballet Manila performed the full-length Giselle in Dance MNL three years ago, she was part of the Winners Circle Gala that featured competition winners from different companies. She knew the moment she stepped on the stage that she would not be able to perform her Swan Lake variation to a standard worthy of an audience. She powered through but left the stage fighting back the tears. Refusing to wallow, she promised to be the best lead wili she could possibly be the next day. And as Ballet Manila conquered the stage with a mesmerizing performance of Giselle, Abigail erased the previous night’s heartbreak with a strong performance.

She now returns to the ballet that helped her forgive herself, this time in the title role, and she feels ready to take her place on center stage.

“Good things come from bad things,” says Abigail. “That performance really taught me to work differently and to work harder because I don’t want to ever feel that way. So that was my first experience with Giselle and I was so happy with what I did. I enjoyed the storytelling, and dancing with everyone else. I felt like Giselle even when I wasn’t. So coming in to Giselle now, I’m so excited. I get to dance. I guess that’s the joy of doing the lead role. You can just let go and be in your own element. You can be yourself in someone else. I feel like with Giselle, it’s more like who I am. She loves to dance. She’s feminine. I would say I’m a bit excitable but there’s a part of me that’s also vulnerable. I feel Giselle is me.”

Sayaka has now drawn from Abigail’s experience to help her navigate this uncharted territory. “She taught me so many things. So I was stressed thinking what I should do to prepare for the role. And then Abi, this beautiful lady, just came to me and she taught me full-length isn’t only just doing technique. She made me realize the responsibility of the lead to have to tell the audience the story through the acting and technique. So it’s not only practicing steps.”

The chance to tell the story of a young girl’s heartbreak and the triumph of love over vengeance is a shared experience that these two ballerinas already treasure way before they even step on the stage. The journey has been long and difficult but the destination is finally in sight. Giselle is within reach and the chance of a lifetime will soon be a reality filled with grace and gratitude.