The pandemic may have upended live performances immeasurably, but amid the continuing turmoil and uncertainty, Ballet Manila chooses to create, innovate, and inspire through Dance. 

The company has launched its latest project, Ballet Minis: Passages On Pointe, a series of short dance films taking off from some of its most loved performance pieces – all reimagined for digital media. 

All the films may be viewed on Ballet Manila’s official YouTube channel www.youtube.com/balletmanilaofficial, starting with the premiere today of the film titled Dream. 

The Ballet Minis (or miniatures) series is made possible with the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Innovation Grants Project, the institution’s calibrated response to the pandemic situation affecting the creative industry and art communities. 

Grants have been given to seven arts and cultural organizations, including Ballet Manila, to create and produce new works in various art disciplines and distribute new content using online technology, or blended or hybrid technologies.

“We wanted a different kind of posting – not just the regular ‘live performances’ shot different ways from different angles. And we got the grant from CCP. So we needed to be innovative. And I am proud to say that we succeeded!” notes Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Ballet Manila artistic director.

The ten short films under Ballet Minis revolve on themes that reflect a dancer’s journey and Ballet Manila’s 25-year history as a professional dance company. 

With each theme, Lisa chose a ballet – a short dance piece or a full-length choreography – that would bring out the best of that theme. 

“I really need to emphasize here that the films are all inspired by the ballets, not the actual ballet itself,” she says.

The ten themes, with their corresponding ballet inspirations and the choreographer for film of each are: Dream – Osias Barroso’s Ecole, Gerardo Francisco Jr.; Passion – Eric V. Cruz’s Carmen, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde; Vision – Marius Petipa’s La Bayadere, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde; Stamina – Ric Culalic’s Arnis, Gerardo Francisco Jr.; Practice – George Birkadze’s Imperial, Mark Sumaylo; Grace – Augustus Damian III’s Sotto Voce, Joan Emery Sia; Originality – Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna, Gerardo Francisco Jr.; Artistry – Martin Lawrance’s Aria, Gerardo Francisco Jr.; Commitment – Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde; and Tradition – Vassily Vainonen’s Nutcracker, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.

All ten films were directed by Jojit Lorenzo. 

The filming of Ballet Minis: Passages On Pointe was made particularly challenging by the prevailing pandemic restrictions. The cast had to be limited; partners that already live together were ideal for casting for pas de deux. Everyone was tested and cleared, wearing masks just before the actual filming. 

The imposition of another enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in early August posed a further obstacle, putting a halt to filming which was being done in several locations in and out of Metro Manila. Although this has put the production behind schedule, Lisa takes it all in stride to ensure that proper protocol would be followed.

“Everything had to comply with the highest safety standards,” she points out.

Lisa adds it was quite a novel experience putting Ballet Minis together as it involved not just distilling the essence of existing choreographies but also translating it into films that run only for a few minutes. Unlike live performances where dancers move in real time and in a continuous flow, the new approach calls for adjustments to camera angles and retakes to highlight specific movements or gestures and relevant visual images.

“Carmen was done in a two-hour rehearsal with the cast. It was a breeze. That’s because the cast already danced their respective roles in the actual stage performance. And I had danced La Bayadere and Carmen before myself. So it was quite easy to put into film,” Lisa relates.

She believes the greater challenge will be with her fairy-tale ballets which will be fused into one in the film dubbed Commitment. “I confer with the video director a lot! Jojit (Lorenzo) has a vision as well and I want both our visions to work together.”

Through Ballet Minis, Lisa is glad primarily to be able to give Ballet Manila artists a project to work on. On a larger scale, she wants to create awareness on what the company has been up to while it been away from the stage for over a year. What was supposed to be its 25th performance season last year has been shelved as a result of the pandemic.

“We want to inspire our community and build our community,” Lisa stresses. “We hope to be able to reach so many other audiences that one day soon will be able to watch us perform live in the newly rebuilt Aliw Theater.”

Looking ahead at the post-pandemic scenario, whenever that may be, she is dreaming big for Ballet Manila. Her goal? “To celebrate our 25th Silver Anniversary with all the plans that we had before that did not happen! And then to move on from there!”