More Than Your Ordinary Sapphire (Ballet Philippines’ The Blue Moon Gala: A Review)
Ballet Philippines, now in their 45th year, featured pieces fit for its sapphire season and more. Filled with powerful, passionate performances, their 6PM show on the 27th of September definitely felt a lot less than its running time.
Carissa Adea and Denise Parungao showcase their strength and grace in Je Tu Elle, BP’s opening number
Following the company’s staging of Giselle (September 19-21), The Blue Moon Gala is the second of the three shows in the Blue Moon Series. It features choice masterworks performed by some of the top ballerinas and danseurs in the county to date.
Bungkos Suite by Alice Reyes
It was a bravura act through and through: from the arrogant Je Tu Elle, the emotional Cold Song to the fantastical Nocturne. The Portland Festival Ballet’s performance was soulful. Former BP principal dancer Candice Adea was just adorable in Kitri’s Variation from Don Quixote. The pas de deux R/J, a condensed version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, made one feel fully alive, in love, then barely breathing – all in seven minutes! The Bungkos Suite, choreography by Alice Reyes, presented true Filipino character in the finest form of contemporary ballet. The Songs of the Wayfarer left a bittersweet taste in one’s mouth, making one crave for one more passé, one more arabesque, one more chassé.
A PAIR OF STAR-CROSSED LOVERS TAKE THE STAGE: R/J is a seven-minute pas de deux performed by Denis Parungao and Richardson Yadao.
The showstopper that topped all showstoppers, however, was Agnes Locsin’s Salome. Guest ballerina Kris-belle Paclibar-Mamanguin captured the audience’s attention and, later, their hearts, earning the night’s first Bravo! Her strong, sharp movements that portrayed tragedy went against and with her soft, light balancé that showed nostalgia. Her technique is flawless; her artistic prowess, uniquely beautiful.
Ballet Philippines ends the show bittersweet with Songs of the Wayfarer
The Blue Moon Gala had us dancing in the moonlight on our way back to our houses. A gem of a ballet concert indeed.
Written by: Madeline Castillo, contributor
Photos by: Chris Yuhico
