MANILA, Philippines - Nine of the most acclaimed principal dancers from some of the most respected international dance companies converge for the first time on Philippine stage in a one-of-a-kind show aptly titled “World Stars of Ballet.”
Presented by Ballet Manila and Manila Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with D & D Art Productions, the show is scheduled on June 8 and 9, 7:30 p.m., at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City.
“World Stars of Ballet” brings together celebrated dancers such as American Ballet Theatre’s Paloma Herrera and Maxim Beloserkovsky, The Royal Ballet’s David Makhateli, Mariinsky Theatre’s Daria Pavlenko and Yevgeny Ivanchenko, English National Ballet’s Dmitri Gruzdev, Kremlin Ballet’s Aleksandra Timofeeva, Norwegian National Ballet’s Yoel Carreno and Yolanda Correa Frias, and the Philippines’ own Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.
“It is going to be an exciting evening of great artistry, and very athletic and graceful dancing,” enthuses Macuja-Elizalde, who points out that the repertoire will combine classical, neoclassical and modern dance pieces.
The prima ballerina is particularly proud that two couples of Ballet Manila, who have been accepted to the Beijing International Ballet competition, will be performing side-by-side the ballet superstars.
The repertoire also showcases two firsts: the Apollo Pas de Deux and Diamonds Pas de Deux, both Balanchine ballet highlights that have never been performed in Manila.
Also featured are the “Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas,” “Giselle Pas de Deux,” “Le Corsaire Pas de Deux,” “Don Quote Grande Pas De Deux,” as well as original choreographies done especially for Ballet Manila like “Green,” “Widmung,” “Sotto Voce,” “Reconfigured,” “Arachnida,” “Diane and Acteon” and “Dancing to Verdi.”
Macuja-Elizalde and Makhateli, who partnered with her in last year’s “Swan Lake,” thought of organizing an international ballet gala performance in Manila specifically to raise funds for Project Ballet Futures. A personal initiative of Macuja-Elizalde, the program aims to give talented underprivileged children a shot at making classical ballet a professional career for themselves.