Back to Back Ballet Classics

The month of August evokes a particular aesthetic. Thoughts of autumn colors, swirling leaves, and the magical glow of golden hour come to mind. In Taylor Swift's song, she sings of August slipping away like a bottle of wine, symbolizing missed romantic opportunities. It's almost as if August bring either solace or sadness, a pivotal moment in time. Ironically, Ballet Philippines (BP) and Ballet Manila will be performing romantic ballets that perfectly capture the essence of August mood. Ballet Philippines will kick off its 55th season with La Sylphide, while Ballet Manila (BM) will present Giselle. Tis the season for willowy ballerinas displaying lyrical softness and weightlessness. Tis the season for epic tragedy ballets.

Giselle (at least for this writer) has always been Ballet Manila's gem. It's the ballet that BM has perfected. Giselle stagings have consistently emphasized Ballet Manila's meticulously precise ensemble work, unity, and grace. Each staging of Giselle reiterates this to the ballet community. Lisa Macuja herself explained what makes Giselle a perfect fit for the company; "It's the style in which we take class every day. The disciplined use of the upper body and uniformed ports de bras is what the Vaganova style demands from the dancers when we take during class. Performing Giselle in the 'old romantic style' is something that is already ingrained in the dancers in Ballet Manila dancers. While a majority may advocate for updated versions the old ballets, I do hope that Ballet Manila can show audiences their good old white ballet magic once again. BM's Giselle always sounds like a good idea, especially because they offer two Russian Principal Dancer Renata Shakirova and Second Soloist Aleksei Timofeyev from the Mariinsky Ballet. Shakirova graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy, specifically from the class of Tatiana Udalenkova, who was also Lisa Macuja Elizalde's Vaganova teacher. She was promoted to Principal just recently. Timofeyev, a multiawarded dancer, also graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy. Their history creates a strong and charming connection. Macuja's vote of confidence for the pair makes this author giddy with excitement. What magic could this pair bring to Ballet Manila's precious gem? Our local stars, Abigail Oliveiro and Mark Sumaylo, are also set to perform in the Matinee. Stephanie Santiago will perform as Myrtha, and the Peasant Pas De Deux will be shared by Shaira Comeros and Joshua Enciso, as well as Pia Dames and Raphael Perez. Pearl Dames and Shaira Comeros will share the lead Wilis role. Ballet is all about tradition, and I have high hopes for this production. I echo Lisa Macuja-Elizalde's sentiments, that it is a privilege and an interesting challenge to pass on the style and knowledge to the next generation of ballerinas. Let's see if Ballet Manila can once again enthrall audiences with Giselle. The show opens with guest stars on August 31, 2024, at 8:00 PM at the Aliw Theater, followed by a 5:00 PM show on September 1, 2024. Tickets are available on Ticketworld.

On the other side of town, the stage will also be adorned in white tulle. For the first time in Ballet Philippines history, they will be staging one of the earliest romantic ballets ever created. Dance Critic Steve Villaruz captured it perfectly, describing "La Sylphide" as a delightful drizzle that inspires the imagination. The storyline is poetic, blending a love story elements of enchantment. When this ballet was last performed, it created quite a stir in Manila with critics showering it with praise. Philippine Ballet Theatre showcased its exceptional cast, including Lisa Macuja Elizalde with Osias Barosso, Anna Villadolid with Raoul Banzon. It was three decades ago, and at that time, it was considered challenging. I am curious to see how BP dancers will find it now, considering their enhanced level of athleticism. This ballet demands a lot from the dancers, with sophisticated refinement in movement and sections that require dynamism, quick and clean footwork, and balon. Truly this will be a great challenge for Ballet Philippines. Artistic Director Misha Martynuk explained that while there was no special training for the dancers, but there was emphasis on the quality of movement and a consistent need to train cardio to sustain stamina. This ballet presents an opportunity for growth and progress for the dancers. With such a talented group of performers, I am excited to see if they can rise to the occasion. Taking on the lead roles of Sylph and James are Jemima Reyes, Regina Magbitang, and Nicole Barosso, supported by Rudolph Capungcol and Ian Ocampo. Incidentally, the production of LA SYLPHIDE also inaugurates the season’s theme of relevé, which in ballet means to rise onto the tips of the toes. La Sylphide actually introduced the concept of going on pointe. I'm beyond excited to see if their show will actually be enpointe in quality and storytelling. The show opens on August 9-11, 2024, at the Solaire Theatre. Tickets are likewise available Ticketworld.

Jemima Reyes as Sylph (Photo Courtesy of Ballet Philippines)

Both of these shows have storylines that hint at tragedy, but I sincerely hope that they will be triumphant, filled with love and joy from both the dancers and the audience members. May they articulate the August mood and fill the stages with mystique and magic. Sending both companies a whole lot of love. shows are a must-see, and I encourage everyone to come and experience them. See you at the theatre.

LATE POST: DANCE MLA Giselle in Photos (Tribute to Mrs. Felicitas Radaic)

GISELLE 

June 25, 2016

CCP Main Theatre 

Lisa Macuja as Bathilde Paul Morales as  Duke of Courland

Regine Magbitang
Peasant Pas De Deux

Jared Tan
Peasant Pas De Deux

Joan Emery Sia
Giselle

Stephanie Cabral as Myrtha 

Giselle is not for the faint of heart

Giselle the ballet is not a fairy tale. Neither is it a simple story of  tragedy. It is a complex story of human frailty in the face of love and pain.   Anybody who has loved can relate to Giselle. As the story unfolds, the realities of how a woman is completely changed by love is delicately revealed. And contrary to how others feel about the story, I feel that it doesn’t show the woman's weaknesses. It shows how a woman with so much love in her  can be strong enough to forgive any sin. It shows how a woman can look past mistakes and dig deep and allow herself to move mountains   just  to be able to love. 

The romanticism, the sensitive music and the ingenious choreography of this white ballet  has made it one of my all time favorites. It's a ballet that has spoken to me in so many levels as person and as a dancer. You can just imagine my anticipation when I heard that Ballet Philippines was  doing Giselle. Excitement doesn't quite paint the picture.

The first time I saw Giselle, it was portrayed by prima ballerina Maniya Barredo. She was then partnered by my all time crush Nonoy Froilan. This was the singular moment that I realized  I wanted to be a performer. She pushed me to tears. She pushed the audience to stand up and give the show  8 curtain calls. The next time I saw it was when I was part of the cast of Ballet Philippines in 1998. I saw three principals take on the lead role, Cecile Sicangco, Toni Lopez Gonzales and Lisa Macuja.  The role of Albrecht was done by American Ballet Theater's debonair Jose Manuel Carreno. The critics raved about the shows as they should because the cast was just amazing. Needless to say my expectations were unbelievably high.  But I prepared myself for having a great night nonetheless, I strongly believed in the capacity of Ballet Philippines.

Act 1 of Giselle is story telling time. But unfortunately it fell  a  little short for me. I have the highest respect for  the dancers but there  were certain areas that did not sit well with me. Two gorgeous pairs performing the peasant pas de quartre  was promising. I love all of these dancers individually because of their strong technical capacity.  Monica  Gana was graceful, light and beautiful. Jemima Reyes executed beautiful extensions and made good use of her well arched feet and  capturing spirit. But as a duet, they were practically never together. Their performance lacked team work as all their finishes were done in canon.  Even when partnered they did not have the same pulse. The boys however shone as Emmanuel  Guillermo and Victor Maguad performed every step like twins. Each jump was landed perfectly clean and stable. It was a delight to see these boys execute the steps with ease  and professionalism. I would have  preferred to see  the traditional peasant pa de deux. It would have showed off the dancers better instead of distracting the audience.  In the confrontation and mad scene crucial mistakes were done by the cast affecting the storyline. For instance, Albrecht played by JM Cordero shushes Bathilde ( a princess) telling her not to tell Giselle about their betrothal. The role of the duke was that of  man who prioritized  his royalty over all else. That was the whole point of the betrayal.  It was a very small gesture but to those who know the story, it was quite odd. When Giselle  played by Kit Trofeo finally realizes what has happened she goes mad a little too prematurely. But what was funny was when she attempts to kill herself Hilarion played by John Earl Arisola was unable to act on cue as she was able to stab herself completely before he got the sword. And yes after having stabbed herself to death she obviously did not die.  When she finally died of heart ache  nobody grieved  with intensity. Nobody panicked. Nobody was shocked. I would like to think if I die a similar death that the small world that surrounds me would crumble to pieces and mourn my death.  I expected a tragedy, a black day for everyone. Even with the heavenly music of Giselle and the flawless performances of Kit Trofeo and JM Cordero in their pas de deux and in their solos, Act 1 still ended up disappointing me. It is after all a story ballet. The beautiful story must come across as it was written.

 The second act was crucial to this ballet as it requires  a great amount of commitment  both in characterization and interpretation of the movements. Thankfully, it was a surprisingly strong redemption. The sets perfectly complemented the choreography of the wilis. The mood was set, eerie and sad. The corp de ballet stepped up and delivered clean and crisp movements of the famous floating chugs of 24 synchronized dancers. It was a beautiful sight. I definitely did not hold back and screamed BRAVO in appreciation for such a delightful performance. Kit Trofeo and JM Cordero  performed their pas de deux and made every lift seem so easy. It is very evident that JM is a very skilled partner and that Kit is a seasoned dancer.  I never saw a single preparation as they transitioned to every lift smoothly. The role of Giselle in the second act is physically taxing as the choreography requires  numerous jumps and lifts while maintaining a very disconnected and ethereal look. Kit did not just perform everything without huffing and puffing she was consistently sensitive in her portrayal. It wasn't just her face that spoke of sadness, she articulated it with every movement.    JM in his solo impressed me with his clean cabrioles and series of entrechats. Act two was a success.

I entered the theatre thinking I would end up comparing the dancers to the principals of a different generation. But in the end I didn't . I apparently cared about the ballet much more than I thought. I wanted to preserve its story, its essence, its morals. While it is true that Act 1 did disappoint me, it cannot erase the fact that I saw beautiful dancing from the Company.  I am appreciative of the fact that Ballet Philippines took on the challenge of doing such  an intricate and beautiful  white ballet such as Giselle. In fact I'm thankful. Bravo Ballet Philippines and thank you for the experience. You brought me back to where I was decades ago. I left  just like I had after watching Maniya Barredo, bewildered at how a single ballet can make a heart flutter in excitement. 

Faithfulness: David Campos' Giselle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=6HEnLaBP3I4&feature=endscreen

The ballet Giselle belongs to my Top 5 favorite ballets. Aileen Gallinera belongs to my Top 5 Filipino ballerinas. I wondered if the combination would make it to my Top 5 favorite shows. Though it was highly unlikely, it piqued my interest. There was no way I would miss this show.

 After having watched David Campos' vibrant and techie-savvy Sleeping Beauty, I was anxious to know how he could top it. Was the concept of  set and choreography going to be the same ? Was the choreography going to be a fusion  of old and new again? I was pleasantly surprised that  he had more than one trick up his sleeve. .

David Campos this time did not use the original story. Instead he dug deep and re-interpreted with a realistic plot in modern times. Re-invention of  a story ballet  is not uncommon. Swan Lake has been reinterpreted by the Trockaderos, Nutcracker by Bejart and even by local choreographer Agnes Locsin. It's always interesting to see how they translate the story.  Pre-show press releases mentioned that it resembled a horror story (true!). Statements like that freaked me out a bit as I was afraid the point of the story would be bastardized. In my head were visions of thriller (Oh Dear Lord!)

It started with a video narration explaining the Legend of the Women of the Waters. The revenge of bruised women empowered by the powers of the dark waters. The powerful cinematography made the audience gasp. Eyes widened as if they were expecting a shrill voice expected of a horror movie. But it didn't come instead it left a taste of what would be a mind-blowing evening.

The Story

Aileen Galinera portrayed Giselle. She was a vibrant, quirky nerdette. She was a geek and was not afraid to hide it. Though she did not seem like a woman who would draw the attention of many, she was playful and confident. Humor came to play as she danced in the first act  . She meets Jesus Pastor who plays  Albrecht, the heart throb. Level 1 introduction. Level 2 HHD, holding hands while dancing. Level 3 Sneak off into the moonlight. Oh how fast nights like these go.  As their date progresses, they  come across goons who try to mob them. During the fight however, Albrecht  had a window of opportunity to escape and he does. He leaves  Giselle to the wolves, a betrayal he will later regret.  He later finds her unconscious, barely breathing. He brings her to the hospital and together they fight death, him with his prayer and her with her body fighting inch by inch. She dies and he is overcome with grief. The legend of the waters unknown to him he goes to the cemetery near the waters to offer his flowers and his heartfelt apology. When he  enters the area of dark mystery, Giselle sees him. She appears in a different form. She has already  transformed into a woman of the water. Pain and anger  overpowered  her body so much so that she was lured to the water to live as one of the women who seek revenge. When she finally saw him. . . . she takes  a moment to look at herself  with regret for what she has become. It seemed even as a ghost, she still cared about him.  She regains her composure and goes to him and whispers to him . She brings her hair  over his face and makes her presence felt expecting him to flee just like the other men who have felt the eeriness of the waters. He grabs  her hand. Silence. . . . he looks at it caresses it, kisses it. He cries. Giselle is shocked. He cared after all. They dance passionately and for that moment they pretended that love could still be. But darkness was filling the night air. She knew he would not survive the night. She tells him that he must flee but he refuses. The women arrive and begin their moment of revenge. She fights for him...... He survives. Albrecht gets to live another day. The man won, and so I thought. It started with a video it ended with one.  It showed an old man. . . . walking towards the waters. With tears in his eyes and flowers in his hand, he reaches down to see the face of his Giselle. But unlike the introduction where it showed  the women swimming  in the water with sadness in their eyes, Giselle was seen in the water smiling at Albrecht. Love conquered all. 

David Campos' ballet was like a Nicholas Sparks film. Undoubtedly moving. I didn't cry in the theatre. I went home emotional, and I told my husband what I had seen. Then I cried. Only then did I realize how much I cared about this production. The story was simple and relatable but what was special about it  was that it allowed the audience to see Albrecht in a new light. In the original ballet, Albrecht  betrays her for a different reason but  he does not get to pay for his sins. In David Campos' creation, he pays with it with a life of regret. He redeems himself by letting the love that could have been flourish even after death. Tears in my eyes. 

The choreography was fresh and engaging. Most importantly it was always emotional. The movement was always in sync with the scene.  In the last scene, Giselle again puts her hair  on his face. This time, she executed it differently, frantically.  Some people giggled, but I understood. This time she wasn't merely making her presence felt. She was holding on. She was battling with the thought they both had to let go. Again tears in my eyes. Perhaps some people would find the "Monster Women" scene where the women come out of the water  funny  because of the jarred movements ( some people again were giggling ) but i felt it was appropriate . The women after all were there because of the weight of their pain. Also there were parts where found his choreography inventive and refreshing. Take into consideration his take on the peasant pas de deux. Instead of a duet he had a waitress ( a peasant ) do a solo. It was a small moment of distraction but it did honor the original concept at the same time it added texture and atmosphere to the story's reality. In Act 2 of the original ballet Giselle is lifted by the danseur in series as if she were floating or flying in the air. He took note of this and re-choreographed it with his own series of surprising lifts that came out of nowhere evoked the same emotion. He took the scenes and made it his own. B. Of course there were the obvious inspirations such as the willis chugging and gliding as they sliced through the fog and Act 1's peasant celebration where the dancers dance to a cross formation which were amusing too.

Aileen Gallinera's performance was outstanding. No words can describe how proud I was sitting in that chair seeing  her have the best performance of her life. I've always admired her for her technique ( and for being the humblest dancer I know ). But seeing her bare all her emotions and hitting every step perfectly  definitely impressed me. Love and years in Spain has done her well. 

Jesus Pastor had amazing technique. I'm a bit hard to please when it comes to male dancers seeing that my husband is just so good but he's that good. His leaps were high. His extensions were beautiful. His pirouettes always ending beautifully with a suspended moment. Most especially, he was an emotional dancer.

At the end of this ballet, I was a fan of David Campos and his company. The choreography was beautiful. The dancers were beautiful. The cinematography,set and new music  were beautiful. His faithfulness to the essence of the original Giselle was admirable. Nothing excessive or ostentatious, just a beautiful story of dance.  I'm glad I made it to the theatre.

 Aileen Gallinera with her PBT Friends  

 David Campos with Mrs. Felicitas Radaic (Artistic Council PBT)and Ms. Cha Cha Camacho (Pres. PBT)

 

SHOW DETAILS :

MARCH 25, 2012

CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES

BALLET DAVID CAMPOS