Under construction: The journey of Don Juan

In Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna, both the journey and the destination matter. But representing a long and treacherous voyage to the lair of the mythical Adarna bird through dance is fraught with challenges. How does one compress a lengthy trip through seas and forests into a few seconds, and do so artfully as well? For Geri, the answer lay in a dozen bamboo poles and lots of imagination.

In this clip from the rehearsals of Ibong Adarna, we see principal dancer Joshua Enciso as Don Juan traveling to Mt. Tabor in search of Adarna. With him is the male corps of Ballet Manila, performing multiple roles to represent the various elements of the journey.

Ballet Manila is staging two performances of Ibong Adarna on August 19 and 20 at Aliw Theater. Log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph for tickets.