Ballet Manila’s Luzviminda: A choreographic jewel!

 The opening remarks of artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde raised audience expectation which was later exceeded. Although Lisa was not dancing as she always did previously, she assured listeners Ballet Manila will be around for a “long, long, long time.”

 Indubitably, the jewel in “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, an OPM Festival,”was Luzviminda representing Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. With Banawe’s rice terraces as backdrop, ballerinas on toes and danseurs performed highly stylized Igorot folk steps, moving in distinctive precision. Echoing nose flutes and percussions were to propulsive, brisk, infectious Igorot rythms. Innovative choreography by Jojo Lucila maintained the ethnic quality.

 For Visayas, choreographer Rudy de Dios had a man fishing in front of the stage, against the seashore and a banca as scenery. Fishermen cleverly played with their voluminous nets, “swam” on the beach or cast their nets, with one catching a maiden, the love of his life , an exquisite pas de deux ensuing. Though brief, the number conveyed the ambience of the sea and its fresh bounty.

 A huge, colorful vinta suggested Mindanao while a regal, resplendent royal Muslim court made its entrance, the prince astride an elephant, the princess astride a carriage. Glitter and pomp of the wedding were enhanced by towering bamboo poles in symmetrical patterns, and brightly sequined umbrellas. Again, the dances, with the handmaidens on pointes, were admirably stylized. Yet, the native, ethnic character was retained by choreographer Gerard Francisco. The over-all impression created by the brilliant dancers, the dazzling costumes and stunning props, was riveting, fantastic. Indeed fabulous! Throughout the concert, technical feats abounded: multiple pirouettes, soaring leaps, ballerinas held aloft executing extensive arabesques and intricate turns of the torso.

 The second portion had radio personality Papa Jack (John Gemperle) advising the love lorn and receiving tales of woe, joy or despair as basis for the succeeding dances. (The novel idea of combining radio with ballet appealed to Lisa and co-artistic director Osias Barroso, Jr.)

 Music and Love choreographed by Jonathan Janolo, Dream by Francis Jaena, Offering by Michael Divinagracia, and Barkada by Gerard Francisco made a merry mix. Some numbers were outstanding; e.g. ballerinas in red tutus as adversaries of ballerinas in vari-colored tutus, both groups ending as friends. An image of youthfulness had students intriguingly manipulating chairs. The long miming scene, though amusing, was theater rather than ballet.

 Barkada’s awesome unprecedented massive ensemblage moved with singular, unbridled vitality. In the end, Lisa joined the vast throng which exultantly expressed BM’s raison d’ etre of bringing ballet to the masses.

 Principal dancers for Luzon were Jessa Balote, Jamil Montibon, Sofia Mae Costales; for Visayas, Dawn Mangahas, Junmark Sumaylo, Rudy de Dios; for Mindanao, Mylene Aggabao-Salgado, Arnulfo Andrade.

 Filipino composers, among them Ryan Cayabyab and Ernani Cuenco, proved their tremendous worth.