Death scenes in ballet can be complicated, and the moments leading up to a heartbreaking end perhaps the most difficult to accomplish. This is true particularly in the classics where the most tragic of circumstance has to be conveyed in a series of refined movements. Even as the characters they portray may be in the throes of demise, the challenge for the dancers is to perform with an energy that contrasts with what they have to emote. In all its complexities, here’s how Ballet Manila has achieved those dramatic exits.