A return to the “Lake”

“I feel like I never really left the role behind,” said Ballet Manila principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro, summing up her experience dancing Swan Lake. Indeed, with fellow principal dancer Mark Sumaylo as her Prince Siegfried, the couple has been dancing excerpts from the classic piece practically every year since the couple debuted the full-length lead roles together in 2017.

Never resting on their laurels, the pair has been using these opportunities to perform variations in tours and festivals to explore new ways of performing one of ballet’s most beloved couples, and polishing what they are already doing well.

“There is always room for improvement,” emphasized Mark. “We can always do better.” He has been looking forward to returning to the “Lake” with Abi and is grateful for the opportunity to dance the full-length piece once again.

Mark and Abi will be closing Ballet Manila’s special run of Swan Lake at Silliman University in Dumaguete this weekend. The series of performances has included the debut of principal dancers Shaira Comeros, Jessica Pearl Dames and Jasmine Pia Dames as Odette and Odile, principal dancer Joshua Enciso and soloist Noah Esplana as Prince Siegfried, and soloist John Balagot and company artist Rodney Catubay as Rothbart.

In this clip, we return to 2017 when Abi and Mark debuted as Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried in their first full-length performance of Swan Lake.