Shaira Comeros takes maiden flight as Odette and Odile in full-length ‘Swan Lake’

*Channeling the Black Swan, Odile, Shaira dances with fellow principal dancer Joshua Enciso as her Prince Siegfried during Ballet Manila’s* Swan Lake media conference in May. Photo by MarBi Photography

By Jv Ramos

Principal ballerina Shaira Comeros never pictured herself as a Swan Queen. So when it was announced that she would be Odette and Odile in some of Ballet Manila's Swan Lake shows in Dumaguete, Shaira was in complete shock.

*Ballet Manila principal dancer Shaira Comeros is performing in her first full-length classic,* Swan Lake, portraying the dual characters Odette and Odile who are polar opposites. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

“Dahil forte ko po ang bravura, sanay ako na ang binibigay sa akin na role ay katulad ng kay Kitri sa Don Q,” she expresses. “Bukod sa nagulat ako, natakot din ako dahil never kong inakala na ang first full-length classic ko ay sobrang white ballet – na nakikita ang lahat ng gagawin at mali mo, especially bilang Odette. Honestly, mas nahihirapan ako sa mga adagio na role." (Because my forte is bravura, I’m used to being given roles like Kitri in Don Quixote. Other than being surprised, I also got scared because I never expected my first full-length classic to be a very white ballet – where every step you do and mistake you commit is seen, especially as Odette. Honestly, I find it harder to dance adagio roles.)

Never one to complain, however, our ballerina-in-focus immediately jumped into studying her role. “Ang nangyari, habang inaaral ko ang pas de trois para sa shows noong May [for Swan Lake performances at Aliw Theater], inaaral ko na rin ang pagiging Odette at Odile. Medyo challenge siya sa utak, pero kailangan dahil mga one to two months ang typical na kailangan sa mga big roles.” (What happened was, as I was learning the pas de trois for the shows in May, I was also learning how to be Odette and Odile. It’s a challenging thing to do for the brain but you have to start immediately because it takes one to two months to learn big roles.)

*Shaira (right, front) dances as part of the* Swan Lake corps in 2017. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Shaira then underlines that being the Swan Queen may just be the most challenging female lead classical role out there. “Bukod sa adagio na gagawin, dalawang character ang kailangan mong sayawin at itong mga characters na ito ay polar opposites pa!” (Other than having to dance adagio, you’re learning two characters and these characters are polar opposites!)

So, what was Shaira’s process like? She shares that what has been very helpful is observing principal dancer Abigail “Abi” Oliveiro in rehearsals. As someone who had done full-lengths of Swan Lake in Ballet Manila, Abi knew well how to move and act as Odette and Odile. “Nakatulong din ang coaching nina Sir Geri [Gerardo Francisco Jr.],Teacher Lops [Eileen Lopez] at Ma’am Lisa [artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde]. Pero ngayon, nasa point ako ng career ko na gusto kong i-explore ang role based on sa na-research ko.”

*As cygnets in one of the highlights of* Swan Lake (2025), Shaira (second from right), along with (from left) Nanami Hasegawa, Jessica Pearl Dames and Jessa Balote, must be in sync in dancing together. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Shaira explains that part of being an artist is to go beyond copying. She prefers to study performances of others and decide for herself what would work for her body type and style. And when it comes to characterization, she identifies personal experiences that she could connect to the character, so she can feel that character inside and out.

“Kay Odile, wala, sobrang malayo [kami]. Masyadong mataray at wala sa akin ang maging scheming,” answers Shaira when asked if she's anything like the two swans. “Mas nakaka-relate ako kay Odette dahil sa mga feelings niya na gusto niyang makawala at gusto niyang gawin ang lahat para sa minamahal niya.” (I have nothing in common with Odile. She’s too sassy and I’m really not a scheming type of person… I can relate more to Odette, who has feelings of wanting to be free and wanting to give everything for what she loves.)

But despite the connection she has with the White Swan, this Ballet Manila principal notes that it's actually easier for her to get into the role of the evil one. “Si Odile, ang basics lang ay magtaray at puro kanto na movement. Pero kung ikaw si Odette, kailangan mong gawin ang iba’t-ibang distorted lines at poses na parang ikaw ay boneless para mag-mukha kang swan.” Shaira adds that the movements of Odile are beyond what she has experienced before, so as an artist, she finds it a really fun task to do. (For Odile, the basics are to look evil and to be sharp with your movements. But when you’re Odette, you have to display distorted lines and poses that make you look boneless so you appear swan-like.)

*Shaira (right), with Joshua Enciso and Jessica Pearl Dames, perform the pas de trois in* Swan Lake (2025). Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

The 25-year-old ballerina notes that she’s lucky to be exploring this challenging role with her own boyfriend, fellow principal dancer Joshua Enciso. “Actually, noong sinabi sa akin na magiging lead ako, tinanong ko agad kung sino ang prince ko. Gusto ko kasing maging mentally ready kapag hindi ko pa na-partner ang isang dancer. Thankfully, si Joshua nga!” (When I first found out that I’ll be cast as lead, I immediately asked who my prince would be. I want to be mentally ready if I were to be with a dancer that I’d never partnered before.)

Shaira shares that since Joshua had been rehearsing with Abi while her Siegfried – Nathaniel Remez of the San Francisco Ballet – had yet to fly to Manila, she absorbed many pas de deux tips from observing the pair dancing together. “Nakakatulong din na nag-ki-click talaga kami ni Joshua sa partnering at mature dancers na rin kami. Kung bata-bata pa kami nag-Swan Lake, baka hindi kayanin,” she jokes. (It’s very helpful that Joshua and I click when it comes to partnering and that we’re more mature dancers now. Had we done Swan Lake when we were younger, it probably wouldn’t have worked out.)

*After participating in the recent Indonesian Ballet Gala (with Ballet Manila company artist Benidict Sabularse), Shaira will next be seen in* Swan Lake at Silliman University in Dumaguete. Photo courtesy of Shaira Comeros

“Challenging ang assignment na ito, pero mas challenging ang maging corps ng Swan Lake. Saludo ako sa mga girls na buong araw ay nag-pa-practice para lang sabay-sabay ang movement,” expresses Shaira, recognizing the hard work of her colleagues. “Actually mas mahirap nga ang gawain nila na kailangan nila i-observe ang galaw ng mga nakakatabi nila.” (My assignment is challenging but there’s no bigger challenge than to be a part of the corps of Swan Lake. I salute all the girls who practice movement repetitively for an entire day just so they can all look alike… Actually, corps work is harder since you must be conscious of everyone around you.)

Once a member of the Swan Lake corps herself, this Ballet Manila principal closes, “So kung kinakaya nila, kailangan kayanin ko rin ang Odette at Odile!” (Since they’re able to rise up to the challenge of being the corps in Swan Lake, I should be able to do well at being Odette and Odile!)