Ballet Philippines (BP) is a
ballet company A ballet company is a type of dance troupe which performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round ba ...
in the Philippines founded in 1969 by
Alice Reyes
Alice Garcia Reyes (born October 14, 1942) is a Filipina dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer. The founder (together with Eddie Elejar) of Ballet Philippines, she received since June 20, 2014 from the Philippine President Benigno ...
with the support of Eddie Elejar and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Proficient in both ballet and modern dance,
[Jacinto, J. 2007. The Ballet Company: A Philippine Experience Through Repertoire. MA Thesis. University of the Philippines.] the company synthesizes diverse dance
and movement forms into distinctively Filipino contemporary expressions. These include
classical ballet
Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), its ...
,
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
choreography
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design ...
, traditional and modern dance,
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
, and
aerial movements
Aerial may refer to:
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.
As the resident dance company of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines ( fil, Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.Presidential Decree No. ...
,
Ballet Philippines is recognized as the country's flagship company in ballet and contemporary dance. The company has been praised for its strong dance foundation, flexibility of style and exciting sense of
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...
.
Each year, outreach and educational programs introduce audiences to dance,
music, and visual art. BP's official school is the CCP Dance School.
With over 400 works, Ballet Philippines' repertory is unparalleled in Asia,
from full-length classical ballets and internationally recognized masterworks to indigenous works of Filipino folklore and social issues.
History
American colonization paved the way for the introduction of ballet in the Philippines. In 1915, distinguished ballet dancer Paul Nijinsky performed classical ballet at the Manila Hotel Roof Garden (Dimalanta, 2006).
In 1927, Luva Adameit came to the Philippines and started a ballet school. She trained the first few ballet dancers in the country. Her dancers, sur les pointes, were inspired by local dances like the Planting Rice, Carinosa, and the Maria Clara that eventually influenced Leonor Orosa Goquingco.
From then on, ballet has thrived in the country and invited a number of foreign teachers and performers as well. It paved the way to "a receptive outlook towards the artistic values of the art form" (Alejandro, 1983). The institution that eventually became Ballet Philippines was first conceived in 1969, with the opening of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines ( fil, Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.Presidential Decree No. ...
(CCP).
It was initially conceived by dancer-choreographers
Alice Reyes
Alice Garcia Reyes (born October 14, 1942) is a Filipina dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer. The founder (together with Eddie Elejar) of Ballet Philippines, she received since June 20, 2014 from the Philippine President Benigno ...
(now a
National Artist of the Philippines
The Order of National Artists of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an order bestowed by the Philippines on Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippin ...
for dance),
Eddie Elejar
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, and
Tony Fabella
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* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
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* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
as the CCP Summer Dance Workshop.
This later evolved into CCP Dance Company, which eventually became Ballet Philippines.
In February 1970, the Alice Reyes Modern Dance Company premiered its debut performance at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Its original members included dancers from the Bayanihan Dance Company, U.E. Dance Troupe and Dance Theater Philippines. In April that year, recognizing the available time and space at the CCP as well as the need to train more dancers, the company introduced the first CCP Summer Dance Workshop which would eventually be held annually, training two to four hundred students each year in classical and modern dance. That same year, the CCP Dance Workshop and Company was launched with Alice Reyes and Eddie Elejar as artistic directors.
Artistic directors
*
Alice Reyes
Alice Garcia Reyes (born October 14, 1942) is a Filipina dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer. The founder (together with Eddie Elejar) of Ballet Philippines, she received since June 20, 2014 from the Philippine President Benigno ...
, National Artist for Dance
[By the president of the Philippines. ""Proclamation no. 807""] (1969–1989)
*Denisa Reyes (1991–1994/2000-2004)
*Agnes Locsin (1995–1996/1999-2000)
*Cecile Sicangco (1996–1999)
*Noordin Jumalon (1999–2000)
*Alden Lugnasin (2004)
*Agustus "Bam" Damian III (2004–2008)
*Alan Hineline and Max Luna III (2008–2009)
*Paul Alexander Morales (2009–2017)
*Present: Alice Reyes
Notable alumni
*
*Jean Marc Cordero
See also
*
Georgette Sanchez
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Ballet companies in the Philippines
Dance companies in the Philippines