22 Established 1961 Sunday, October 20, 2019 Lifestyle Features In these photos, Ballet Philippines dancers perform during a dress rehearsal at the Cultural Center in Manila. — AFP photos rom fierce typhoons and tight budgets to losing its understands why others left. “It’s really hard because the five pairs a year out of her own pocket to make sure her company’s annual budget. Fdancers to cruise ships and theme parks, Ballet salary before was really low and most of the dancers are footwear does not disintegrate during a live performance. Founded in 1969 by pioneering Filipina contemporary Philippines has weathered almost every type of not well off,” the 25-year-old explains. “Filipinas really have more heart in doing this... we give dancer and choreographer Alice Reyes with help from storm, but as it celebrates its 50th anniversary the our whole selves to it,” Parungao adds. Unlike in Russia Imelda Marcos-whose husband Ferdinand ruled the coun- renowned arts organization is determined the show will go ‘Filipinas have more heart’ and the West, there is no national programme for spotting try as a dictator until his ouster in 1986 — the company on. Funding is difficult to secure and there is little money Part of the success of Ballet Philippines has been the dancing talent in the Philippines and few get an early was one of Asia’s first. With Reyes still with the company for necessities such as dancer’s salaries or even shoes-but determination of its performers. In 2014, a fierce typhoon start-those that succeed must battle to make their mark. as artistic director, it remains on a short list of developing more than 30,000 people watched the troupe’s produc- knocked out power and floods left the orchestra stranded nations that have their own ballet troupes including tions last year, no mean feat in a nation where millions live miles from the venue, but with two hours before the show Love to entertain Vietnam, China, Cuba and Brazil. on less than $2 a day. started-the organization decided to carry on so as not to Carlo Pacis, a former senior soloist at the Hong Kong To open its 50th season in August, principal dancer One of the biggest challenges is keeping the dancers it disappoint audiences who had travelled for the show. Ballet who briefly returned to Manila to choreograph “A Evgeny Ivanchenko and first soloist Elena Evseeva of has trained-some go on to join world-class organizations “The lights came back on as the people started to fill Midsummer Night’s Dream” for Ballet Philippines, believes Russia’s famed Mariinsky Ballet, previously the Kirov such as Stella Abrera who is now a principal dancer at the Cultural Center of the Philippines lobby. It was a har- its dancers’ strengths are not just physical. “We do not Ballet, starred alongside local dancers in the Filipino American Ballet Theatre and West Australian Ballet soloist rowing experience,” recalls Liechtenstein, who says they only dance: we embody the roles that we are tasked to troupe’s “Swan Lake” gala night. The production evoked Candice Adea. But many leave after being poached to per- had to use recorded music in place of live musicians. “The portray. We love to act, we love to entertain,” he says. the glitter of Ballet Philippines’ first decade, when the likes form on cruise ships or as characters at Disneyland, who dancing was exquisitely unforgettable,” she says, adding Ballet Philippines declined to give its annual funding, but of legends Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia can offer 50-100 times what they make at Ballet that the audience agreed-giving a roading standing ova- sources in the arts world said its four to six productions Makarova and Patrick Bissell danced for the company in Philippines. tion. The same grit is evident down even when it comes to per year cost at least $100,000 each. Manila. The troupe’s reputation continues to pack a punch. “The only thing I’m not happy about is when Disney the use of dancing shoes. Though it has always had free use of the national cul- Chris Millado, Cultural Center of the Philippine’s artistic gets them as Mickey Mouse.... That’s happened a lot and In big name companies a performer might go through tural centre’s facilities, the company only gets about director, says: “It is one of the best in Asia.”—AFP it’s still happening,” Ballet Philippines President Kathleen four pairs of ballet slippers in the course of a single per- $40,000 a year in government backing. For the rest it Liechtenstein tells AFP. Principal dancer Denise Parungao, formance. “In Ballet Philippines, a dancer wears (a pair) for must rely on seat sales and sponsorships, as well as dona- who started out as an $40-a month-apprentice at the a whole month. They put glue, they varnish, do everything tions: The board of directors, a who’s who of the country’s troupe, says she relied on family to help pay her rent and just to make them last,” Parungao says. She buys an extra wealthiest families, collectively put up 30 percent of the week-nights, previously unheard of in Uruguay. The com- pany started to adopt a workload and creative rhythm equivalent to that of US or European companies. “There was not this mentality in South America, this way of work- ing,” said the choreographer. Prior to Bocca’s revolution, the ballet’s performances were only publicized at the last minute, sometimes only a day before the show, and the tickets could not be bought in advance. irouettes and arabesques perfectly executed, dozens Bocca changed all that. The face of prima ballerina of dancers in a colorful assemblage of sweat pants Maria Noel Riccetto adorned public transport all over the P city ahead of her recent performance in El Sodre’s pro- and leotards perform an exhaustive routine at rehearsals in downtown Montevideo. Rehearsals at duction of “Onegin”, John Cranko’s adaptation of Uruguay’s National Ballet Company have taken on a new Alexander Pushkin’s novel. Performances at the modern elan since Argentine artistic director Julio Bocca took over theater in downtown Montevideo are a sell-out, with ticket and bravely declared he wanted to make the small compa- prices an affordable $25. “It costs more to go and see a ny “the best in the world.” Popularly known as El Sodre, it film at the cinema or to a football match at the weekend,” celebrated its one millionth spectator in 2018, a crowning said Yebra. glory for the dance troupe that has made a spectacular transformation in a decade to become one of the most prestigious in Latin America. Bocca, former principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater in New York, was brought in to revive the company in 2010 by Uruguay’s then-president Jose “Pepe” Mujica. A decade ago, performances often had fewer audience members than dancers on the stage. Now, thanks to astute artistic choices and better management, it attracts more than 100,000 spectators a year-no small achievement in country of 3.3 million. Political will Igor Yebra, a Spaniard who took over from Bocca two years ago, credits his predecessor for raising standards, and Mujica for “the political will to attract the right person to the job.” Bocca, who returns to the Montevideo compa- However, South American companies like El Sodre can’t ny next year in a teaching role, said he came in at the right possibly match the salaries on offer for artists or choreog- time. “The most important thing is to have the support to raphers in Europe or the United States. “When a dancer Items owned by late US-British actress Elizabeth Taylor are displayed during a Julien’s Auctions press preview aboard the starts to reach her best, they come here and take her off,” Cunard ocean liner ‘Queen Mary 2’ in Brooklyn, New York. — AFP photos be able to change things, that is to say: ‘OK I want this company to be the best in the world,’” Bocca told AFP. said Yebra. “For us it’s complicated because we have to be “I had seen some shows that were very bad, there were constantly on the lookout for new young talent.” All too few performances and no one in the audience,” the 52- conscious of the reality, the Uruguayan ballet authorities year old choreographer recalls. He accepted the offer of don’t hold back young dancers who decide to leave. They the leftist president, but with some conditions. First, to prefer to focus on those who they can get back, like lock in an annual budget for productions, which was over- Riccetto, former soloist at the American Ballet Theater and reliant on ticket sales and sponsorship. Then, to slash long- stand-in for actress Mila Kunis in Darren Aronofsky’s term contracts for dancers to one-year terms, which led to movie “Black Swan.” nternationally known for her lavish lifestyle and glam enormous ocean liner his grandmother frequented, on friction and strikes, but Bocca prevailed. Her compatriot Nadia Mara, soloist at the Atlanta Ballet taste, silver screen siren Elizabeth Taylor also boasted a which he will make the week-long journey with the preview He used the money generated by productions of in the United States, also danced in this month’s “Onegin” I production, her first time dancing in front of family and playful side, and now some of her personal effects that of her items. “To me she was just grandma.” crowd-pleasing classics like “The Nutcracker” to fund bared it are hitting the auction block.