Three of a Kind: United in dance

They say that good things come in threes and the Ballet Manila Archives wholeheartedly agrees! In this series, we feature three photos or videos with the same theme that celebrate the history of ballet, the company, and its dancers.

Ballet draws on many inspirations, reflecting a variety of stories and cultures from all over the world. The range of elements may be diverse but these often find a commonality through the language of dance. This set of photos shows a sampling of those international influences that have converged on the Ballet Manila stage, fittingly brought to life by a multi-national cast.

Based on a German story adapted by a French author, The Nutcracker premiered in Russian in 1892. Ballet Manila’s staging of the full-length Christmas classic in 1998 featured Sofia Sangco, Osias Barroso Jr. and Melanie Motus in the Act 2 pas de trois. The Russian-influenced choreography is a high-energy dance that includes arabesques, turns, jumps and assisted lifts, performed in unison or in an alternating sequence. Photo by Ocs Alvarez

Mariinsky Ballet principal artists – the Russian prima ballerina Renata Shakirova and the Korean danseur Kimin Kim – portray the temple dancer Nikiya and the warrior Solor in La Bayadere, a ballet set in India choreographed by Marius Petipa and first performed in Russia. In a scene from Ballet Manila’s staging in August 2026, the characters vow eternal love for each other before the sacred flame as the Fakir (Juan Angelo De Leon), who facilitates their tryst, hovers nearby. Photo by Erica Marquez-Jacinto

Celebrating the spirit of the French Revolution, the Flames of Paris pas de deux is a staple in ballet competitions and high-profile gala performances for its energetic leaps and rapid-fire footwork. In 2019 for the fundraiser Tuloy ang Sayaw-an, Japanese ballerina Sayaka Ishibashi and Rafael Perez performed the piece which comes from the full-length Russian ballet of the same title. Photo by Ian Santos