Ballet Manila Moments: Building bridges on pointe
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.
Dance, just like all the other art forms, has the power to break barriers and build bridges. In an extraordinary collaboration with five dancers from two prestigious American ballet companies, Ballet Manila strengthened the ties between two cultures through a fund-raising show back in 2018.
American Stars Gala brought to the Philippines for the first time Boston Ballet principals Lia Cirio and Junxiong Zhao, with soloist Hannah Bettes and Houston Ballet principals Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews. Also joining them were then BM resident guest principals Katherine Barkman and Joseph Phillips.
On a personal note, the show reconnected Lia Cirio with her roots. It was the first time that the Filipino-American dancer was able to perform in the Philippines where her father was born and raised. In this video are highlights of the show including George Birkadze’s Imperial, excerpts of Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire, Diane et Acteon and Swan Lake with Lia being partnered with then BM soloist Mark Sumaylo with the female corps of the company.
