“My heart is so happy!”

Ballet Manila principal dancer Jasmine Pia Dames might as well have been speaking for all of her colleagues who performed in the company’s Dance Day Live! last February 20.

She posted her sentiment on Facebook shortly after the second show of Ballet Manila’s monthly series which aired live on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. The 30-minute program featured classical and contemporary pieces.

“Ini-enjoy ko lang din every moment of it, kasi super na-miss ko talaga mag-perform,” Pia would enthuse later on. 

The ballerina and fellow principal dancer Romeo Peralta performed the Grand Pas de Deux from Marius Petipa’s Sleeping Beauty, the lead roles they last two years before. “To be honest, hindi po ako masyado nahirapan (even if) we only had two weeks of rehearsals. Nandu’n pa rin ‘yung muscle memory and nakatulong din kasi na very reliable and strong partner si Kuya Romeo.”

Romeo also enjoyed having the chance to dance live again in almost two years, even as he admitted to a few mistakes. He is looking forward to the next Dance Day Live! in March when he and Pia will be dancing as Diane and Acteon.

There was jubilation in Ballet Manila’s Studio 1 after the show, as the dancers who have missed performing onstage during the pandemic got to practice their craft once more. 

Company artist Sean Pelegrin shared on Facebook how nervous he felt about performing live again after more than two years. “Sobrang nanibago ako. ‘Yung feeling na one time salang lang. Walang retake-retake. Grabe, sarap sumayaw!”

Together with soloist Jessica Pearl Dames, Sean danced Blind Love, an intimate piece they premiered in 2019 and which they filmed in recent months with its choreographer PJ Rebullida. 

The second edition of Dance Day Live! showcased many firsts. Soloist John Balagot, for instance, danced the Lankadem Variation as the slave trader in Le Corsaire. “Yes, another villain,” he laughed. “So much gratitude for the opportunity… My first solo dance in 2022. I’m overwhelmed!”

It was also a first for company artist Marinette Franco to step into the shoes of Odette in the White Swan Variation from Swan Lake. After dancing several times in the classic as part of the corps de ballet, it was a chance to flex her wings, as it were, as the enchanted swan maiden. 

“It was very surreal po to be honest to be dancing that variation. It was really one of my dream roles ever since I watched the full length when I was a kid. So when they told me I'll do the variation, I was really looking forward to it. It was my first time, that's why it's a little nerve-wracking too.”

Marinette noted that to be able to get the feel of the role, she researched the role and watched different ballerinas dancing it, taking note of the different emotions she got from each one. 

“Dancing one of my dream variations in the middle of a pandemic was definitely not on my list. But when the chance was offered, I accepted it wholeheartedly and with immense gratitude,” Marinette wrote on Facebook as she thanked artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, and artistic associates Gerardo “Geri” Francisco and Eileen Lopez in guiding her.

It was similarly a first for soloist Shaira Comeros to dance Ballet Manila’s contemporary staple, Arachnida, a piece by Agnes Locsin that is on the risqué side as it depicts mating spiders. 

“Nahirapan po ako nu’ng una with the steps especially the lifts, pero I’m lucky enough na ‘yung partner ko nasayaw na niya po ‘to before. Then akala ko okay na, may mas mahirap pa pala – ‘yung character po!” said Shaira laughingly.

“I owe it to Sir Geri and Joshua po talaga. Si Joshua po magaling na partner, safe na safe at binibigyan niya ako ng corrections after every rehearsal. Si Sir Geri po, napakagaling na mentor. In-explain niya po lahat, down to the smallest details — kung pa’no tumingin, kung ano dapat ano ‘yung character ko sa sayaw.”

Despite her confidence in her partner, Joshua Encisco, for his part, it was still a challenge as he last danced the role in 2016 yet. “Na-excite po ako na kinabahan kasi matagal ko na po hindi nasayaw ‘yung piece plus new partner pa, so expected ko na maraming adjustment sa partnering. First time din ni Shaira kaya pressure po talaga.”

Even if they only had a limited time to rehearse Arachnida, Joshua said he is satisfied with the result. “Overall, it was a blast. Hindi namin in-expect na kakayanin namin lalo na ni-rehearse lang namin for one week and two days. Nag-adjust din po kasi ang show; instead of February 28 naging February 20 na pala. Ayun, kinaya naman po.”

Shaira pointed out in a Facebook post that it was by far the most challenging piece she has ever done. “I know I’m still far from giving the justice it deserves but I’m just truly grateful that I got the opportunity to dance this beautiful piece.”

Principal dancers Abigail Oliveiro and Mark Sumaylo meanwhile tackled another contemporary favorite from Ballet Manila’s repertoire, Augustus Damian III’s MAZN. They have danced the piece before but with other partners, so it was a welcome opportunity for them to revisit it and adjust to each other in executing the fast-paced number well. 

For both performers, Dance Day Live! offers great opportunities not just to explore new facets to a familiar piece like with MAZN but also to try roles that may not have been instantly attached to them. Last January, they were able to dance as Kitri and Basilio in the Don Quixote Grand Pas de Deux for the first time.

The second show of Dance Day Live! also featured the performances of Noah Esplana in the Albrecht Variation from Giselle, and Anselmo Dictado, Alvin Dictado, Rodney Catubay and John Carl Concepcion in Marius Petipa’s Raymonda.