Ballet Manila scholar sweeps awards at International Ballet Grand Prix
LMSB faculty members Sofia Sangco-Peralta (leftmost) and Eileen Lopez (rightmost) with the students prior to their final competition (from left): Anne Bernice Allenda, Jacinda Myrtle Gonzaga, Alene Tan, Julianne Keiko Bañez, Nina Arabela Nuñez and Germaine Dawal.
Ballet Manila scholar Germaine Dawal scored the first prize in both Ballet and Contemporary in the Senior 15-17 years old category of the International Ballet Grand Prix (IBGP) Philippines 2024, scooping medals and scholarships in the process.
By the end of the awarding ceremonies last Sunday evening, Dawal had received audition invitations and scholarships from seven partner-schools of the Singapore Dance Alliance which organizes the IBGP regional competitions in key Asian cities and the international grand finals in Singapore.
The winners and finalists of the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet at the International Ballet Grand Prix after the awarding ceremonies (from left): Jacinda Myrtle Gonzaga, Anne Bernice Allenda, Julianne Keiko Bañez, Germaine Dawal, Nina Arabela Nuñez and Alene Tan.
Dawal, 16, has been a scholar of Ballet Manila’s Project Ballet Futures since 2016 and represented the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet (LMSB) in IBGP. He danced the Paquita Lucien Variation in Ballet and Martin Lawrance’s Helicopter in Contemporary.
Alene Tan, also of LMSB, meanwhile won First Prize in Ballet – Senior 18-21 years old.
She danced the Gamzatti Variation.
Dancing the Lise Variation, Julianne Keiko Bañez garnered the 3rd Prize in Ballet – Senior 15-17 years old. She also received a Top 10 Award in Contemporary – Senior 15-17 years old.
Three other LMSB students reached the finals of the competition and also got these respective honors: Nina Arabela Nuñez (Talisman Variation), Top 10 Award in both Ballet and Contemporary – Youth 14 years old; Anne Bernice Allenda (Odalisques Pas De Trio 3rd Variation), Top 10 Award in Ballet – Senior 15-17 years old; Jacinda Myrtle Gonzaga (Gamzatti Variation), Top 10 Award in Ballet – Senior 18-21 years old.
LMSB school directress and BM artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde congratulated the students, encouraging them to keep honing their skills in their classes and performances.
Faculty members Eileen Lopez and Sofia Sangco-Peralta helped the students prepare for the competition which was held June 8 and 9 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater at the Bonifacio Global City.
Dawal received various offerings from different schools as follows:
Central School of Ballet (UK) – direct entry to the final round of the school’s auditions, invitation to an interview with artistic director Kate Coyne, two-week scholarship to the summer school program in 2024-2025; Indonesian Dance Company (Indonesia) – apprenticeship; La Salle College of the Arts (Singapore) – invitation to direct Zoom audition, 100 percent scholarship for two weeks of study attachment in 2025; Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore) – 100 percent scholarship for 18-week (one semester) Diploma in Dance Course Study attachment in 2024-2025 valued at SGD 10,650; Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance (UK) – direct admission to final audition, full scholarship for two weeks of classes; Tanya Pearson Academy (Australia) – full scholarship to 12-month Tuition Elite full-time training program in 2024-2025 valued at AUD 17,180; and The Place, London Contemporary Dance School (UK) – 100 percent tuition scholarship to Senior International Summer School in 2025.
“Nagulat po ako kasi hindi ko rin po in-expect na ganu’ng awards at saka scholarships po ’yung makukuha ko. Masaya po ’yung feeling kasi sunod-sunod po na tinawag ’yung name ko at saka du’n pa po sa malalaking awards and scholarships,” the young danseur said. (I was surprised because I wasn’t expecting that I would be getting those awards and scholarships. It’s a happy feeling when my name was called one after the other and especially since it was for the big awards and scholarships.)
The judges of the IBGP Philippines 2024 final competition (from left): Kate Coyne of Central School of Ballet in London, Baptiste Bourgougnon of London Contemporary Dance School and Claresta Alim of Indonesia Dance Company. Photo from the IBGP Facebook page
He has competed before in IBGP and at the Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition.
Dawal said he gave his competition pieces his best though with a lighter approach. “Naging playful lang po sa variation ko. Kasi kapag iniisip ko po masyado, kinakabahan po ako.” (I was just playful in my variation. Because if I thought about it too much, I would get nervous.)
Ballet Manila co-artistic associate and principal dancer Gerardo Francisco Jr., one of Dawal’s mentors, pointed out the danseur’s strong assets that likely gave him an edge in IBGP: “His stage presence. His artistry is his gift. He is a performer. His passion shows every time he is on stage. Aside from that, advantage niya, ang taas tumalon at nakakaikot,” said Francisco, taking note of Dawal’s twin abilities of being able to jump high and to spin.
As a Ballet Manila scholar, Dawal has had numerous opportunities to dance in the company’s season performances and was most recently part of the cast of Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang staged at Aliw Theater.
The judges at the IBGP Philippines 2024 final competition were: Kate Coyne, Central School of Ballet in London artistic director and professional training lead; Baptiste Bourgougnon, London Contemporary Dance School director of undergraduate programmes); and Claresta Alim, Indonesia Dance Company founder and artistic director).
