Why Shaira Comeros is the perfect Snow White
Ballet Manila is bringing back one of its beloved holiday classics: Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s Snow White. The story of an orphan princess living at the mercy of her wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen, and how she finds happiness in friendships and true love is a favorite among ballet fans especially the children.
BM, however, has a secret weapon that makes this production extra special. Her name is Shaira Comeros and this principal dancer is the company’s real-life Snow White! She first performed the lead role as a company artist in 2019 opposite principal dancer Romeo Peralta Jr. This time around, she will be returning to the stage with her partner on and off the stage, principal dancer Joshua Enciso, as her Prince.
While Shaira is actually surrounded and supported by a loving family, she shares the following traits with the fairy-tale character, making her the perfect Snow White:
1. Shaira is the fairest of them all!
The young dancer started her career as a scholar at the age of seven and has since bloomed into a beautiful ballerina of note. Not only does she possess a pretty face, but she has matched it with an elegant technique that has earned her honors in international ballet competitions, making her one of the most versatile and formidable artists of her generation. Indeed, she is the fairest in more ways than one!
2. She knows how to mend and sew.
Like Snow White who had to patch up the clothes of the seven dwarves, Shaira is also very handy with the needle. She learned the craft from her parents who are costume-makers for performing companies. With Joshua Enciso, she co-owns Plié Clothing which sells legwarmers that she designs and sews herself.
3. She loves animals.
While she isn’t constantly surrounded by animals like Snow White, Shaira has an appreciation for wildlife and a soft spot for dogs. The birds fluttering around Ballet Manila’s open studio often appear extra chirpy when she’s rehearsing.
Top photo by Erickson dela Cruz