Ballet Manila Moments: Winning pair

Since 1995, Ballet Manila has been creating unforgettable performances on stage. As the acclaimed storytellers on toes, they have breathed life to an amazing range of classical and contemporary fare. The Ballet Manila Archives celebrates some of those moments from the company’s first 25 years through this series.

Success comes not from a single winning moment but a series of victories, both big and small. Thus, it was no surprise that then Ballet Manila principal dancer Katherine Barkman and then soloist Elpidio Magat Jr. were featured in the Winners' Circle Gala of Dance MNL in 2016. 

Both dancers started their ballet training at a very young age. They had competed and consistently won medals in local and international competitions. Their journeys of success were also riddled with challenges that left them frustrated, disappointed, and at some point, even injured. But they forged ahead and fought for their dreams. 

Since then, Katherine has returned to the United States and is a dancer with The Washington Ballet. She continues to have strong ties with Ballet Manila and has guested with the company. Elpidio stayed with BM and has been promoted to principal dancer. The pair reunited in 2019 for the fund-raising concert, Tuloy ang Saya-wan, where they danced the Grand Pas Classique.

In this clip, Katherine and Elpidio performed the Sleeping Beauty Pas De Deux for the Winners' Circle Gala of Dance MNL in 2016.