Ballet Manila in Full Color: Flag colors unfurled

Ballet Manila has showcased a rich palette of hues in its productions over the years. Now, the company’s true colors are revealed! Gathering photographs from the Ballet Manila Archives, we present the vibrant and the somber, the heavenly to the earthy, in a series of virtual exhibitions – one shade at a time.

The lead castmembers of Martin Lawrance's Rebel (1986) channel their roles through colors their characters are most associated with. The colors, coincidentally, mirror those of the Philippine flag. In the pictorial for the Spartacus-EDSA People Power Revolution mash-up, they're wearing creations by late urban wear designer Jeffrey Rogador (from left): Katherine Barkman as Cory in yellow, Rudy De Dios as Ninoy in white, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde as Inang Bayan in red, white and blue, Tiffany Chiang-Janolo as Imelda in blue, and Gerardo Francisco Jr. as Ferdinand in red. Photo by Ocs Alvarez

“Ballet Manila, dance!” is the collective shoutout as the dancers perform to Andra Day's inspirational Rise Up. It was an appropriate message and number as the company made its comeback to the live stage in Rise! (2022) at Aliw Theater, following a nearly three-year drought caused by a fire that hit the Star City Complex in 2019 and the pandemic lockdowns which closed down theaters. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Reinforcing the lyrics of the Smokey Mountain song, Sabihin mo Ikaw ay Pilipino, Ballet Manila dancers carry versions of the Philippine flag with the final one held by principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro (center). Standing with her are colleagues in Filipino attire to represent the country's various regions. This piece is part of Tony Fabella's Original Pilipino Music Suite, a staple in the company repertoire, which is being featured now in Sayaw Pinoy, Ballet Manila's free show in Star City from Thursday to Sunday. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Jerome Espejo and Jennifer Olayvar are swathed in a fusion of yellow, red and blue as the lead couple in Pinoy Ako, choreographed to the song of Orange and Lemons that speaks of Filipino pride. The number – danced by a full cast in costumes also drawing color inspiration from the Philippine flag – is the final part of Gerardo Francisco Jr.'s Maynila ni Juan, which premiered in Ballet Manila's 15th anniversary show, Halo-Halo ni Juan, in 2010. Photo by Ocs Alvarez

The Philippines is personified as Inang Bayan in Martin Lawrance's Rebel. Premiering in time for the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution in 2016, the production cast two artists in the same role wearing similar outfits of different lengths in colors symbolizing the motherland. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde (right) danced as Inang Bayan while Joanna Ampil sang the anthems of the peaceful revolution of 1986. Photo by Ocs Alvarez