Abigail Oliveiro: Growing and evolving as Odette and Odile in ‘Swan Lake’
Principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro says tackling the dual roles of Odette and Odile is so embedded in her as Swan Lake is a ballet she always practices in her own time. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
By Jv Ramos
For Ballet Manila principal Abigail Oliveiro, every role that a dancer steps into again is an opportunity to show a technically strong version of oneself and to re-explore and discover more nuances of the character. In her reprising of Odette and Odile in Ballet Manila’s upcoming production of Swan Lake, Abi expresses that the two-fold opportunity is extra special – because it’s as if she never stopped dancing the ballet.
As Odette, the White Swan, Abi’s goal is to come across as more and more ethereal, see how far she can go and shape things from there. Photo by MarBi Photography
“While the company hasn’t done Swan Lake since 2017, I would practice this ballet in my own time. I love doing the steps, the extensions, so I would practice it every time. In addition, I have always done variations from Swan Lake in every gala that I had been in – be it in Manila, Baguio or Indonesia – so now, the movement, especially that of Odette, has become something embedded within me.”
And because the steps flow out naturally, Abi finds that in rehearsals, her head is not filled with what she’s going to do next; she’s more focused on understanding her character’s backstory. “Back then, I seem to have played Odette as naïve; she was like a princess who was falling in love for the first time. Now, I portray her as the queen that she is. I think that she’s had her heart broken before, which is why she distrusts the prince and is so protective of her space and the other swans. Or maybe, her pain has gone on for too long that she no longer wants to be open to love.”
She confirms, “Yes, I guess when you’ve mastered the steps, that leaves you more room to figure out or create the character’s backstory and put your own experiences in it. And I really enjoy that process.”
Getting to meet her Siegfried, San Francisco Ballet soloist Nathaniel Remez, only a week before show time adds to the challenge and thrill of this Swan Lake, notes Abi. Photo by MarBi Photography
This whole re-exploration of her character, however, doesn’t mean Abi is perfectly contented with her technique. “While it’s easier because I’ve done it several times before, it’s still as painful as the first time,” states the ballerina. “Because even if you have matured physically as well as artistically as a dancer, you see that there’s still a level that you haven’t reached. In my case, what I want for myself is to look more ethereally and more unearthly as Odette. I just want to be so broken on stage that it doesn't look like ballet in a way.”
To achieve the character’s otherworldly feel, Abi has been studying vintage black and white videos of Swan Lake, where the movements are very pronounced, and tries to emulate those Odettes. “It’s been about pushing myself to look more and more ethereal, seeing how far I can go, and just shaping things from there… It’s also about remembering and applying all the feedback and coaching since my first Swan Lake, especially those that came from Sir Shaz [the late Osias Barroso Jr., Ballet Manila’s former co-artistic director]. He was so helpful in getting every detail of the two swan characters right.”
And what about her re-portrayal of Odile? Though the principal dancer clearly enjoys dancing the white swan more, she sees Odile as equally important. “If Odette is in the ethereal realm of ballet, Odile takes you back to the classical with her very classical turns and poses, and with a very straightforward purpose. She’s there to seduce the prince and make him fall in love with her, which ultimately results in heartbreak and tragedy for Odette. It’s also a fun role to play, and I’m also looking forward to it this time, because my Rothbart is Mark [Sumaylo, principal dancer and Abi’s husband].”
For Abi, the challenge in portraying the Black Swan is to show Odile’s strength without overpowering Rothbart who is the stronger character. Photo by MarBi Photography
Already adept in communicating with each other through just their eyes as a ballet couple, Abi and Mark as Rothbart and Odile have turned the manipulation of Prince Siegfried’s heart into something that feels like playtime. “Perhaps the challenge for me here is to show the strength of Odile without overpowering Rothbart as he’s the stronger character.”
What Abi finds very special about Swan Lake is getting to play the two contrasting aspects of the dual roles. “It’s a ballet where, as Odette and Odile, I get to relish in my adagio and lyrical qualities and at the same time, get to push for my technical and pyrotechnical stuff which I really enjoy. And most importantly, it’s a ballet where you’re always, always a student. Even if I’ve done it many times, I could not say that I’ve perfected it. There’s always something I want to work on or add, and that is what makes the ballet very interesting.”
As of writing, Abi has just had her first two days of rehearsing with guest artist Nathaniel Remez, soloist of the San Francisco Ballet, who is her partner in Swan Lake. And while others may see this as a disadvantage, to Abi, it may just add a more realistic element to the story of Odette and Siegfried. “They didn’t know anything about each other when they connected in the story and when they fell in love,” she points out. “And really, there’s no room for me to be nervous, because ever since I found out about taking on this role, with just a week to rehearse with Nathaniel, Mark has been preparing me to dance Odette without me being too dependent on him as my Siegfried. Joshua [Enciso, another principal at Ballet Manila] has also been very kind to partner with me throughout my preparations.”
In 2017, Abi made her debut in the full-length Swan Lake opposite real-life partner Mark Sumaylo who, this time around, will be dancing as the villain Rothbart. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Knowing she’s done the work to be ready, Abi feels nothing but excitement facing the stage as Odette and Odile anew. “The process of revisiting this dual role has just been joyful,” she concludes. “It has shown me how much I’ve matured and how much stronger I’ve become as a dancer. At the same time, it challenges me to work even harder. I have an idea of where I want to take the characters, and while I’m getting there after each rehearsal, I know well that this isn’t my pinnacle yet. I will keep getting better as I continue to dance Swan Lake.”
Though she has danced as Odette/ Odile many times, Abi still says of Swan Lake: “It’s a ballet where you’re always, always a student.” Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
