This Month in BM History: June 2013
Stars of Philippine Ballet showcased Filipino artists making names for themselves in companies abroad and also in the local scene. Leaflet from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
On June 1, 2013, Ballet Manila presented a special production – a gathering of Filipino ballet stars working with various companies around the world, some of whom had come from BM’s own ranks.
Christine Rocas and Mauro Villanueva of the Joffrey Ballet interpret one of their company’s pieces, Bells (Pas de Deux) by Yuri Possokhov.
Inspired by shows in the 1980s and 1990s that she herself had been part of, Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde wanted Stars of Philippine Ballet to showcase a new generation of Filipino performers making names for themselves abroad in the realm of dance.
Christine Rocas, formerly a principal artist with BM, brought along fellow Joffrey Ballet dancer Mauro Villanueva to interpret two pieces from their company’s repertoire – Reflections by Gerald Arpino and Bells (Pas de Deux) by Yuri Possokhov. Critic Rosalinda Orosa would later describe the pair as seemingly “born for the purpose of dancing together,” commenting how the first number was lyrical and the second intensely dramatic.
Marcelino Libao of Hamburg Ballet in John Neumeir’s Spring and Fall. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
BM pioneers Eduardo Espejo and Aileen Gallinera, who had become dancers with the Spain-based Ballet David Campos, partnered for two numbers as well: the pas de deux from the opera Faust and another from Mascara de la Muerte Roja, both choreographed by their artistic director David Campos.
Lisa Macuja Elizalde and Rudy De Dios perform Pas d’Action from Marius Petipa’s La Bayadere. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Filipino artists also featured in the program were Candice Adea of Hong Kong Ballet, Jean Marc Cordero of Ballet Philippines, Lisa Macuja Elizalde and Rudy De Dios of Ballet Manila, Marcelino Libao of Hamburg Ballet and Jared Tan of Atlanta Ballet. International guest artists included Mayo Arii of Hamburg Ballet and Jennifer Drake and Brian Williamson of Dance Theater of Tennessee.
Candice Adea of Hong Kong Ballet in Diane et Acteon. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Ballet Manila performed several pieces (including Grand Pas Classique, MAZN and Aramica), while a spot number featured representatives of Philippine Ballet Theater (Bianca Trocino, Joanna Galeste and Lobreza Pimentel in Ron Jaynario’s La Femme).
Orosa commended Stars of Philippine Ballet for its offering of widely diverse dances, marveling how the show “abounded with technical feats – multiple pirouettes, double fouettés, rapid entrechats, ethereal lifts, lofty jumps and soft landings, fish dives… The dancing in general demonstrated remarkable skill and eloquent artistry acquired through long years of training and performances here and, specially, abroad.”
Ballet Manila pioneer Aileen Gallinera and Eduardo Espejo dance the pas de deux from David Campos’ Mascara de la Muerte Roja. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
