Two Christmas gifts from Ballet Manila
When Ballet Manila presented early last December its classic production of The Nutcracker and its balletic version of Pinocchio, they were just too much for many seasoned ballet enthusiasts. Crammed into two weekends were performances that proved that this dance company is one to reckon with. Its multiple casts for both shows only revealed the superior training its members receive. How else would you explain the ability of BM’s dancers to move from one ballet to the next, to assume multiple roles at such short notice without difficulty? Surely that’s a sign of sound teaching.
BM’s production of Pinocchio at the Aliw Theater has served as its alternate holiday show to The Nutcracker. The story follows closely the Pinocchio story, and the inventive choreography by BM artistic associate Osias Barroso is pleasing to the eye. There were no dead spots here; even the action that filled out the necessary scene change did much to fill out the plot. Of course, a ballet that is designed for children needs no more than engaging action and colorful sets (kudos to the underwater and belly-of-the-whale scenes), and those we did get from this show. But for a show to keep you in your seat, keeping the audience intent on knowing how the story ends, made this a truly accomplished show.
The role of Pinocchio needs not just an able danseur who looks the part of this puppet-who-wants-to-be-a-boy, but also an athletic one who can literally fly in the air. And BM has cast the role well with Roduardo Ma, who alternates in some shows. He literally zoomed in the air as he jumped and leaped when Pinocchio is filled with glee. No wrong moves here, and no false steps either. You could wish that he moved a little more woodenly at times, especially since Pinocchio is a marionette. But that is of no consequence. This Pinocchio is truly an amazing dancer, and character, too.
Pinocchio is cast with a number of characters, and they, too, added greatly to one’s appreciation of the ballet. Yanti Marduli as Jiminy Cricket provided an able foil to Pinocchio, not just a sidekick, but a main character in the puppet’s life. As Gepetto, Jonathan Janolo was an old man indeed, just too glad to finally have a young boy add color to his humdrum life, never mind that Pinocchio is indeed a mischievous one. As
Complementing this year’s run of Pinocchio were three shows of The Nutcracker at the Star Theater. The smaller dance floor made for a more intimate show, with the battle of the Nutcracker Prince and the King Rat seeing an even more compact staging that really filled the stage.
The production I saw had a really swift staging of the different dances. The scene with the snowflakes moved so fast that you could hear the busy pitter-patter of the dancers’ feet. Even Lisa Macuja-Elizalde assuming the lead for the nth time and her partner Nazer Salgado were literally running around the stage in time with the music. Not that the fast choreography seemed wrong. It was actually a refreshing change, challenging the BM dancers to really athletic dancing.
Macuja-Elizalde was impeccable as the Sugar Plum Fairy, relishing the opportunity to revisit this old chestnut and giving it her own interpretation. Her young partner Salgado, assuming his first Nutcracker Prince, was a pleasant figure on stage needing just more time to comfortably fit into the character. With years of hard work and more practice, he would surely be a prince in this role.
The character dances were assumed by BM’s roster of dancers, all executing their parts confidently and with much panache: Sheila Lendio and Francis Cascaño (Spanish), Bea Castañeda and Gerardo Francisco (Chinese), Yanti Marduli, Sofia Sangco, and Niño Guevara (Russian), Sarah Abigail Cruz and Jonathan Janolo (Arabian), Patti Pineda, Dawna Mangahas, and Alvin Santos (pas de trios), Mylene Aggabao (Columbine), Rudy de Dios (Moor), Alvin Santos (Harlequin), Marcus Tolentino (Drosselmeyer).
Indeed, it was like getting two early Christmas gifts from Ballet Manila last December. They were presents well received.
