Ballet Manila’s ‘Cinderella’ goes to the royal ball anew – this time in Indonesia
Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde holds class at the Etoile Dance Center in Jakarta last September.
Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s dance adaptation of Cinderella steps onto another stage as Ballet Manila brings the beloved fairy tale to Indonesia.
Principal dancers Mark Sumaylo and Abigail Oliveiro dance as the Prince and Cinderella once more, this time in Jakarta.
This weekend, Cinderella debuts in the neighboring Southeast Asian country with performances on November 15, 7:30 p.m., and November 16, 5 p.m., at the Ciputra Artpreneur Theater in Jakarta.
Cinderella is a collaboration between the Jakarta-based Etoile Dance Center, led by Archangela Lina Lukman Hermawan Lo and Ballet Manila led by Macuja-Elizalde.
The two institutions made dance history in Indonesia last year when they presented the pirate ballet Le Corsaire also in Jakarta, said to be the first staging of a full-length classic in the country.
This time around, their joint production will be Cinderella, the first in Macuja Elizalde’s Princess Trilogy, followed by Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
“The success of Cinderella has gone beyond my wildest dreams,” said the artistic director who, only last September, had presented the fairy tale ballet in Malaysia – together with local organizer DanceLink Performing Arts – with four shows at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Center.
Ballet Manila principal dancer Romeo Peralta (left) leads rehearsals with the Indonesian girls performing in Cinderella during a visit to the Etoile Dance Center in August.
Cinderella has proven to be an ideal showcase for Ballet Manila and its partners as their respective roster of talents, professional dancers and dance students, interact to present the beloved story.
Ballet Manila principal dancers Abigail Oliveiro and Mark Sumaylo become Cinderella and her Prince once more, with a full complement of the company’s dancers also joining them in Jakarta.
Wenny Halim, artistic director and rehearsal mistress of the Jakarta-based Ballet Sumber Cipta, will play Fairy Godmother, a role she first danced with Ballet Manila in 2022.
Students from the Etoile Dance Center will also join the cast.
Etoile Dance Center teacher Ade Setiowibowo (standing, sixth from left) and her students give a warm welcome to Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde (standing, fifth from left) in September.
Cinderella brings to life the beloved fairy tale of kindness, magic, and true love. With the help of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed from a humble girl into a radiant beauty who wins the Prince's heart at the royal ball. But when the clock strikes midnight, the enchantment fades, leaving only a glass slipper behind. The Prince's search for its rightful owner leads to a magical reunion with Cinderella, culminating in a magnificent royal wedding celebrated by all.
Cinderella, as choreographed by Macuja Elizalde, premiered in 2016 and has since returned to the stage numerous times with shows in Manila, Baguio and Dumaguete in the Philippines, as well as engagements in Taiwan and Malaysia.
Soloists Rodney Catubay (left) and Noah Esplana will partner Etoile Dance Center students whom they rehearsed with last October.
