Taking a cue from a local pop song, Ballet Manila whipped up a production that celebrated the remarkable quality of Filipino music to open its 19th performance season in 2014. Just like the well-known tune, the company just had to proclaim it in its title – Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika (translation: our music is so beautiful).

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde writes in her artistic director’s notes that despite her roots being in classical ballet, she actually relished dancing to Original Pilipino Music or OPM for the fun and energy it brings onstage. She describes her first time to dance to OPM – in a concert called Tuliro, Ngayon at Kailanman, featuring legendary singers Celeste Legaspi and Basil Valdez, and veteran choreographer Douglas Nierras. – as a novel and exhilarating experience.

That same combination of classical ballet and pop songs thus powered Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, sub-titled “An OPM Festival.” Fittingly, the show opened with Ryan Cayabyab’s award-winning song to which co-artistic director Osias Barroso had choreographed a number for Ballet Manila’s scholars.

The first half of the program was dubbed the Luzviminda Suite, featuring dances showing indigenous influences from each region. For Luzon, it was Jojo Lucila’s Sari’t Bahag; for Visayas, Rudy De Dios’ Kinabuhing Mananagat (Buhay Mandaragat); and for Mindanao, Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Alamat: Si Sibol at si Gunaw Wedding Suite.

The second half introduced a pioneering tie-up of radio and ballet as it brought the top-rating talk show TLC – True Love Conversations to the world of dance. The suite of dances, called TLC with Papa Jack, showcased Jonathan Janolo’s Musika’t Pag-ibig, Francis Janena’s Pangarap, Michael Divinagracia’s Handog and Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Barkada. Each choreography was a take-off from a letter read by the radio host who even dispensed advice onstage.