Classical ballet company Ballet Manila highlights the most iconic element in a ballet performance—the pointe shoes on which a ballerina stands and dances—in its 24th performance season.
Aside from the dainty footwear, the theme “On Pointé” is a play on the phrase “on point” which defines something as excellent and perfect, which Ballet Manila aims to consistently give to their audience.
Further, Ballet Manila chief executive and artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said the decision to go with the theme is related to the company’s Russian Vaganova style of training and dancing.
“It defines what classical ballet is—being able to dance on pointé,” she said.
This season, Ballet Manila will be staging a thoughtfully curated line-up of four shows.
The first one is the re-staging of Snow White, the first installment in Macuja-Elizalde’s Princess Trilogy, which will run on Sept. 7-8. Giselle, a romantic ballet in two acts, will follow on Oct. 19-20. Sleeping Beauty, the last installment in the Princess Trilogy, will premiere on Dec. 7-8.
Lastly, the season’s finale will be Carmina Burana and La Traviata, a collaboration of opera, ballet, and orchestra, which will be staged next year, Feb. 29 and March 1.
“When I plan a season, I first program the full-length classical ballet that we need to present every year. My teacher and mentor Tatiana Udalenkova told me that I should always have a classical warhorse every season to strengthen the company,” Macuja-Elizalde spoke of their decision to perform Giselle.
The prima ballerina shared she wanted to revisit the earlier installment of her Princess Trilogy and present Snow White before the premiere of The Sleeping Beauty, which will be the company’s Christmas production, to factor in continuity.
“I love the fact that we are opening our 24th season with Snow White because it captures the fun everyone needs to have when watching and dancing ballet,” she said.
After the first two installments of the trilogy, Macuja-Elizalde said the best is yet to come with the final production. “I am saving the best for last. The Princess Trilogy is going to conclude with a bang!” she enthused.
Talking about the last show, Carmina Burana and La Traviata, Macuja-Elizalde said the back-to-back presentation is a fitting finale to their 24th season.
“I have always wanted to choreograph to the music of my favorite opera—La Traviata—and I am excited to collaborate with my long time “partner in crime,” Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso,” she shared.
She continued, “Rudy De Dios, recently retired principal dancer of the company, will be making an auspicious choreographic debut in his first full-length evening work with Carmina Burana.”
All of Ballet Manila’s 24th performance season shows will be staged at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City.
To buy tickets, visit any Ticketworld outlets, call (02) 891-9999, or go to www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, visit balletmanila.com.ph or Ballet Manila Official on Facebook.