From Portugal to the Philippines: Eva Chatal follows in her parents’ footsteps for the love of ballet
In Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s Sleeping Beauty, she plays the mother of Prince Philip who is paired with Princess Aurora. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
By Jv Ramos
Even if Eva Chatal’s parents were professional ballet artists, the highly disciplined dance was not something that she automatically gravitated towards. She, in fact, only got into ballet when she was 10.
“Before all this, I was into rhythmic gymnastics,” narrates the Ballet Manila 2 artist who hails from Portugal. “I began my training at 6 and that went on until I turned 12. I was 11 when I considered switching to ballet, because that’s when I realized that I love performing so much more than competing.”
Ballet Manila has become like a second home for Eva Chatal, a member of its junior company, who traveled halfway across the world to pursue a dancing career. Photo by Jimmy Villanueva
An active kid growing up, Eva always wanted to do something sporty. “But it had to have an artistic element to it. I'm really glad that I found ballet. What pulled me into it is that it combines athleticism and artistry.”
Eva explains that the flexibility and strength she developed in rhythmic gymnastics helped her transition to ballet. But catching up with the girls who had been in ballet ever since they were toddlers was a challenge. “I had poor coordination back then,” she comments. “Rhythmic gymnastics also prepared me for ballet’s physical challenges. But the mental pressure – like the competition among girls and finding the will to still dance when you’re very tired – was something I had to learn how to deal with.”
Such pressure was something that her parents Yuri and Angela warned her about. When Eva revealed to them that she also wanted to pursue ballet, they immediately laid out that it wouldn’t be an easy life. Indeed, they wanted to dissuade her, but upon sensing that ballet was what she really wanted, they showered her with support.
Her mother, whose career began in Portugal and continued on in Germany, and her father, who performed mostly in the United States then got into teaching dance, gave Eva private lessons to help her catch up.
They, too, supported her moving to Spain at the age of 14 to continue her training, as well as funded her various classes and intensives. More importantly, they showed her tough love. Knowing the high standards in the world of professional ballet, her parents never sugarcoated their opinions about their daughter’s dancing.
Eva (right) dances as part of the corps in the full-length Giselle at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Athleticism and artistry are the twin traits that she loves about ballet. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
"When I was younger, while all the other kids were getting comments like 'you're so beautiful on stage', I was getting a lot of corrections from my parents,” the ballerina shares. “They would tell me to improve this and that, which I didn't like at first. But now, I really appreciate their honesty. They truly gave me all the support that they could. They knew what a ballet dancer’s life would be like and they prepared me for it."
So, how did this young talent end up in Ballet Manila? Eva confesses that she had only heard of the company’s name when she was auditioning to be part of a professional company – a rigorous process which took her to different countries. “In Portugal, there are many private ballet schools all over the country and a national school that does the Russian method. Unfortunately, there’s only one professional company in the country, so opportunities are limited.”
She continues, “While auditioning in Russia, some dancers mentioned that Ballet Manila would suit me, so I looked it up. And when I did, I found out that I actually have a friend here. She’s Sayaka [Ishibashi, Ballet Manila company artist], whom I met in Orlando Ballet. When I asked her about the company, she told me that I should come for the Summer Intensive.”
Eva took Sayaka's advice and showed up for the Summer Intensive last April, completely ignoring what people from Portugal said about the Philippines. "People kept saying that the Philippines is unsafe, but I came here anyway. The Summer Intensive was, in fact, my first time here in Asia ever... Nope, coming here wasn't so much of a shock. Ballet is universal, so I immediately felt comfortable when I entered the studio."
Perhaps the only adjustment Eva had to deal with was the drastic change in weather. "It was cold when I left Portugal and here, it's really hot. I remember sweating so much during my first day. Other than this, I didn't have to do much adjusting." The ballerina adds that the friendliness of Filipinos and their ability to communicate in English have made it easy for a foreigner like her to feel at home.
Taking on a second role in Sleeping Beauty, Eva (front, rightmost) celebrates with the royal court. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
“At the end of the summer workshop, Ma’am Lise [Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde] offered me a BM2 contract, and I took the opportunity,” she recalls.
Eva has had a taste of Ballet Manila’s varied repertoire and enjoys the chance to dance both classical and contemporary fare. She has also experienced dancing in a range of venues – from BM’s home, Aliw Theater (for Snow White), to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (for Giselle, after the Aliw was damaged in a fire last October) and the Newport Performing Arts Theater at the Resorts World Manila (for the two-show world premiere of Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s Sleeping Beauty on January 18 and 19).
Participating in the company’s outreach Ballet & Ballads series in schools has been memorable for Eva too, as afterwards, many students approach her to have photos taken with her – most likely drawn by her doll-like features.
But no matter how enthusiastic the response, she knows that the punishing daily classes in the studio always await. Eva is unfazed by how exacting her Ballet Manila mentors – including co-artistic director Osias Barroso – can be, recognizing that the constant corrections are just meant to hone dancers like her into becoming better performers.
In her spare time, Eva likes settling into a quiet nook and writing her thoughts down in her journal. She likes exploring facets of local culture, and shares the story of riding a pedicab on her very first day in the Philippines when her friend and fellow dancer Sayaka took her to a nearby mall. A vegan for several years, Eva hasn’t had that much of a difficulty finding places to eat in Manila where restaurants of all cuisines abound.
Despite being very far from her loved ones, the ballerina is glad there’s a place that allows her to dance to her heart’s content. Ballet Manila has become her second home and the dancers like her own family. Sounding very satisfied, Eva simply says, “I really am happy to be here.”
After nearly a year in the Philippines, Eva has adjusted quite well to life in the Philippines and to Ballet Manila’s daily routine. Photo by Jimmy Villanueva
