Three of a Kind: Bamboo blitz

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.

Bending with the wind but not breaking, the bamboo has been an enduring symbol of strength and resilience. Even in ballet, this mightiest of vegetation has proven to be a popular motif. Here are three examples that show the bamboo’s versatility, from decorative element to functional implement.

The bamboo figures prominently in National Artist for Dance Agnes Locsin’s Sayao sa Pamlang, performed as part of Ballet Manila’s Greatest Hits in Malaysia (2024). Echoing the flexibility of the natural resource, the wooden element is used in a variety of ways in the choreography that blends traditional cultural elements from the Philippine South with the language and technique of classical and contemporary ballet. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Summoned by Haring Fernando and Reyna Valeriana (Osias Barroso Jr. and Lisa Macuja Elizalde), second son Don Diego (Romeo Peralta Jr.) makes a grand entrance in this scene from Ibong Adarna (2019). Each holding aloft a bamboo pole, the prince and his troop launch into a bold and aggressive sequence that reinforces their might as warriors. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag

Past meets present in Max Luna’s Alon ng Buwan, a modern choreography that draws inspiration from the centuries-old Filipino dance form known as the pangalay which signifies an offering. As a fitting backdrop, it makes use of a bamboo theme as a nod to ancient times but it is arranged in a stylized manner to convey the notion that this dance is of the moment. Photo by Ocs Alvarez