This Month in BM History : July 2018 — Ballet Manila Archives

**American Stars Gala was a one-night-only event that showcased the best of American and Filipino talents in dance. Souvenir program from the Ballet Manila Archives collection**

*Boston Ballet principal dancer Lia Cirio dances as Odette opposite Ballet Manila soloist Mark Sumaylo in an excerpt of* Swan Lake, backed up by the latter company’s swan corps. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Ballet Manila has always aspired to bridge artists and audiences from different cultures through the universal language of dance. It stemmed from the experiences of its principal dancers, Lisa Macuja Elizalde and Osias Barroso Jr., who, in performing on stages abroad even before forming their own company, realized the value of artistic collaborations in raising ballet appreciation in the country.

In its early years, Ballet Manila not only had the chance to go on tours in Russia and United States, it also brought in such groups as the Krasnoyarsk Ballet to present classics such as Swan Lake and Le Corsaire that the touring group of 12 could not mount on their own. In succeeding years, as the company grew, it organized international ballet galas such as Today’s Stars of the Russian Ballet in 2010, The World Stars of Ballet in 2012 and Stars of Philippine Ballet in 2013.

***Hazel Sabas-Gower’s* Deconstructing Gershwin *cast included (from left) Heewon Cho, John Balagot, Sean Pelegrin, Jamil Montibon and Nanami Hasegawa. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag***

In 2018, a series of coincidences resulted in another such showcase, as artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde would narrate in her director’s notes for the one-night-only event. In town to watch the college co-production of her daughter Missy in Boston, she met Boston Ballet principal dancer Lia Cirio, a US-born ballerina with Filipino roots. The chance encounter was a followed by a visit from Boston Ballet faculty and choreographer, George Birkadze, who had just created news works for Ballet Manila.

*Abigail Oliveiro and Godwin Merano make a tandem leap in George Birkadze’s* Imperial which premiered in American Stars Gala. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Before anyone of them knew it, American Stars Gala was born. Along with Cirio came Boston Ballet principal dancer Junxiong Xhao and second soloist Hannah Bettes, Houston Ballet principal dancers Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews, and Ballet Manila resident guest artists Katherine Barkman and Joseph Philips. It is interesting to note that Barkman had just won the silver medal in the Women’s Senior Division of the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.

In the same competition, Ballet Manila’s Nicole Barroso and non-competing partner Joshua Enciso made history by becoming the first Filipino dancers to qualify and compete in its Junior Division. Barroso went on to win the Jury Award of Encouragement. Needless to say, Barroso and Enciso were also part of American Stars Gala – performing Birkadze’s Bru, one of their competition pieces at USA IBC.

***Houston Ballet principal dancers Jared Matthews and Yuriko Kajiya perform the* Madame Butterfly *pas de deux. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag***

In what would be her first visit to the Philippines, Lia Cirio danced as Odette in the Swan Lake Act 2 Adagio opposite Ballet Manila soloist Mark Sumaylo as her Prince Siegfried. The show was also filled with many other captivating numbers, including: Hazel Sabas-Gower’s Deconstructing Gershwin, a neo-classical choreography based on the music of Ira and George Gershwin, as performed by Ballet Manila; Madame Butterfly pas de deux by Matthews and Kajiya; the Le Corsaire pas de deux by Barkman and Phillips; and the premiere of Birkadze’s Imperial powered by Rimsky Korsakov’s Procession of Nobles.

Another special part about American Stars Gala was its being a fundraiser to send Ballet Manila’s scholars to the Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition to be held in Hong Kong that August.