THE Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT) is the premier classical ballet company in the Philippines. Here’s a look at some of the stories the dancers tell on stage:
Serye at Sayaw
“Serye at Sayaw” provides interesting vignettes behind the scenes into the world of dance and the life of Marguerite, a dancer. It chronicles the intimate and triumphant story of a girl who gave up her childhood in pursuit of the prestigious title of prima ballerina, and who only much later discovered all that she had in life was herself and her art.
The entire show is presented in several tableaux which chronicles the life of Marguerite, from her days as a promising young dancers, through her rise to prima ballerina status, up to her middle age, when she reminisces about the love found and lost, and the life she has had.
“Serye at Sayaw” portrays the sacrifices, internal conflicts and contrasting traits of a dancer. This is a story of courage and tenacity, of unbelievable devotion – to her art and to those whom she loved.
Andres Bonifacio
“Andres Bonifacio” depicts a vivid slice of Philippine history that revolves around the iconic figurehead of the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonization. The show is performed in two acts, each showing pivotal scenes which depict key moments in history that portray the Filipino struggle for independence and freedom.
Act 1 chronicles the vow of Andres and his comrades to obtain freedom. Seven heart-wrenching scenes portray the commitments Andres makes, as a comrade in arms to his revolutionary brothers, as a man to his life’s love, and then through various travails and sufferings at the hands of the friars and the Spanish government.
Act 2 shows the battles waged by the valiant Katipuneros, the internal conflicts and eventual split within the Katipunan, the abuse and torture of Andres’ wife Oryang at the hands of what should have been brothers in arms, and the subsequent betrayal of Bonifacio which ultimately led to his demise.
It is a painful revisiting of a dark period in Philippine history, one that must not be forgotten and one whose pain must be remembered if only to serve as a reminder to everyone today of the sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom by those who have gone before us.
Vinta
In “Vinta,” dancers pay homage to the distinctive movement of the traditional seafaring vessels of Mindanao, boats that sail across the water, seemingly effortlessly, but with much power. Each dancer makes skillful use of a colorful malong with striking patterns to represent the vinta’s iconic sail, as they too, float across the dance floor with the ease and grace borne of countless hours spent mastering choreography and perfecting technique.
Indeed, “Vinta” embodies both style and substance, a fitting tribute to the eponymous vessels of the Mindanao seas.
Dancing in One Voice
“Dancing in One Voice” is a mixture of different song genres such as light classical, jazz, pop and rock featuring popular vocal artists (or vocal artists provided by the organizer) who collaborate with PBT’s company dancers for a lively performance of original and beautiful choreography to songs we know and love.
Audiences of all ages will love this production because of the many facets of music it brings and the different interpretations that a marriage between music and dance can offer.
Artists performing as one — singers painting a picture with their song, and dancers coloring the words with their movement. That is the essence of “Dancing in One Voice.”
