Vlad Bunoan

Article (news)

Ballet Philippines

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776435548055Leeroy New Sets.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Leeroy New designed the set. <em>Larry Salgado</em></span></span></span></div><p>I have always carried a deep love for everything dance, which is why I support our various dance companies with such passion. There is a particular thrill in witnessing a production succeed — it affirms the immense talent of our Filipino artists. As a former dancer, each time I enter the theater, I quietly say a prayer for the entire production. It takes tremendous heart to step onto that stage, and my own excitement cannot help but root for the performers in every scene.</p><p>Having seen so much over the years, I have come to recognize both the strengths and the weaknesses of our companies. I prefer Ballet Philippines’ more classical repertoire, which has consistently been its competitive edge, allowing the company to fully showcase its strengths and refined, high-brow aesthetic. In contrast, their past attempts at Filipino works have often felt anchored in a Western or commercial lens. To my surprise, “Paglalakbay: The Journey of the Sea People” emerged as a kind of redemption piece — one that shows Ballet Philippines can vividly bring the Filipino essence to life on its home stage at Solaire.</p><p>“Paglalakbay” is a full-length Filipino ballet that draws on a significant chapter of Philippine history: the Austronesian migration. Through artistic license, librettist Sheree Chua created a story about a band of seafarers in pursuit of a new home and a new life to enjoy.</p><p>The ballet opens with arresting imagery — strobe-lit rays of light cutting through darkness — that instantly silences the crowd. At its center, the Spirit of the Land (Nicole Barroso) grounds the moment with quiet intensity, as if sensing a shift would happen.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776435488797Rudolph Capongcol.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Rudolph Capongcol as Ama. <em>Larry Salgado</em></span></span></span></div><p>Ama (Rudolph Capuncol), a second-generation seafarer, takes his father’s helm and braves the volatile sea, confronting the Spirit of the Sea (Kristyn Janicek). His Ivatan boat withstands the storm, bringing his men safely ashore, where they are healed and welcomed.</p><p>Ama soon finds love in  Kaman, played by  Jemima Reyes-Ocampo. The Spirit of the Land disagrees with this union, fearing that the foreign people might disrupt the harmony of her people. She turns Ama into stone. Kaman, showing her despair, pleads until she is weak. The Spirit touches her to heal her, and she feels a life growing inside of her. The Spirit of the land bestowed upon Kaman her compassion, and the spell was reversed.</p><p>Ama promised the Spirit that he would live on her land and strengthen the community, ensuring harmony and happiness. This transitions to flashes of events: the arrival of their son Biyag, a snippet of his childhood in which he is introduced to seamanship, the death of their matriarch, and, soon, the reveal of full-grown Biyag, played by Mark Balucay. Biyag feels the pull of the unknown. Against his father’s caution, he sets sail — toward his own journey.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Cultural collaboration done well</strong></div><p>What is evident in the production is that research was done to honor the depiction of the Ivatan culture. The company hired Prof. Edwin Valientes, a specialist in Southeast Asian archaeology, specifically in Batanes. Also taking part were local Ivatan historians Byron Peralta and John Asa, who are known as cultural ambassadors in promoting traditional Ivatan culture.</p><p>The result of cultural collaboration and a serious intent to study the material is a glorious showcase of anthropology and tourism. At times, the production might as well be a tourism ad, especially as the curtains reveal a picturesque precolonial Batanes, elevated by Leeroy New&#x27;s luxurious sets.</p><p>Act I sums up the community’s unique traits, including their distinct architecture made of cogon grass, and their traditional attire — the vakul (headpiece) and kanayi (vest made from vuyavuy palm). It highlights the main livelihood of Batanes, a strong combination of fishing, farming, and weaving. This is even embedded in the choreography, with the pasikin, a woven rattan backpack, thoughtfully incorporated. The Ivatan’s unique way of fishing is also suggested through the use of props.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776435433756Nicole Barroso as Spirit of the Land.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Nicole Barroso as Spirit of the Land. <em>Larry Salgado</em></span></span></span></div><p>They glorify the Ivatan fish, dorado — often called “Ivatan Gold” — through a massive, spectacular moving installation with lifelike movement. Adding to this is the use of Ivatan chants. These kalusan, or working songs, are deeply vital to the Ivatan people, functioning as oral archives that strengthen social cohesion through shared labor while expressing emotion in everyday life.</p><p>These additions may not carry strong entertainment value, but they ground the work in authenticity. They allow it to move beyond spectacle, adding a layer of education that is, in itself, laudable. I also want to commend Ballet Philippines for not just promoting this as a creative output, but for putting the community at the forefront of their press materials and interviews. This is what true representation looks like. It is not about profiting from Filipino-inspired material, but about allowing Filipino uniqueness to stand, visible and acknowledged, alongside the work itself.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>What’s new?</strong></div><p>Leeroy New, as set and costume designer, shows clear marks of genius. Each set feels like a visual masterpiece — the taste level is distinctly high art, and the execution is pristine.</p><p>Act I features the Ivatans battling the sea’s waves aboard the Ivatan boat. I particularly loved  the Tataya&#x27;s functionality. The image of waves — dancers — pushing against the boat was especially memorable. In the same scene, a massive fish moved fluidly across the stage, further enriching the visual landscape. The land of the Ivatans, with its beautifully constructed houses strategically used throughout the storytelling, was equally impressive.</p><p>Pete Andrei Fabricante’s lighting elevated the scenography, bathing it in sunrise, sunset, and dreamlike hues. I did wish, however, that some light transitions were more precisely timed with the ballet’s pivotal moments. One highlight was the vignette tracing Biyag’s journey from birth to manhood, rendered in sepia tones that gave the scene a strikingly cinematic quality.</p><p>I admired the individual work of both New and Fabricante, though I must admit, there were occasions when the framing felt more beautiful than the dancing itself.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Music and movement </strong></div><p>Mikhail Martynyuk choreographs to Ronald De Leon&#x27;s music, using ballet as the primary language. I recognize Martynyuk’s strength in ballet, and it shows in the seamlessness of the passages throughout.</p><p>There are clear technical highlights — like Rudolph Capungcol lifting Jemima Reyes-Ocampo in an overlift, shifting her legs from arabesque to passé to fifth and back to arabesque, showcasing strength and control from both dancers. I also appreciated the ensemble work, with its unexpected lifts and grounded, unified steps. The sea battle, in particular, was visually impressive.</p><p>There is also a scene where the male dancers use arnis, loosely mimicking the Ivatan Palo Palo dance. The inclusion is laudable, but the choreography could have pushed further — moving beyond imitation into something more dynamic and fully realized.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776435352678Jemima Reyes Ocampo as Kaman.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Jemima Reyes Ocampo as Kaman. <em>Larry Salgado</em></span></span></span></div><p>Martynyuk’s growing familiarity with Filipino culture seems to be shaping his choreographic voice, adding textures that feel more relatable to our eyes. With a fleet of dancers he has clearly trained well, everything on stage reads as effortless — almost easy, “easy peasy lemon squeezy.” I did, however, wish more of the choreography were done en pointe, like Kaman’s. It likely wouldn’t have compromised agility or mobility, given how strong and athletic the dancers are.</p><p>De Leon’s score allows Filipino instruments to shine. The earthy tones for land scenes and the use of kulintang blended with synthesized sounds for the sea were especially effective. However, there were moments where the music did not fully support the emotional arc. While pleasant, it needed more dynamic highs and lows to clarify the storytelling. A clear example is the pas de deux of Ama and Kaman — the music felt flat, lacking a sense of romance. There was no swell in the melody to suggest intimacy, which affected how the scene read. I initially thought they had just met, only to realize it was already their love pas de deux — intimate enough to have conceived a child.</p><p>The ballet&#x27;s storytelling needed some work, leaving many in the audience baffled about how things came to be. I don’t read programs before a show because it alters how I receive it. To be honest, even after checking the synopsis, I realized I had misunderstood some parts — my version was much more scandalous.</p><p>It wasn’t clear why the Spirit of the Land felt the need to separate the Seafarer from the woman of the land. It also wasn’t clear why the Sea Spirit gave the Seafarer such a hard time, when, as I understand it, Ivatan seafarers treat the waters with deep respect. There were also magical moments that didn’t quite land as magic for me. I loved the stone man costume, but seeing Capungcol roll on and off the floor to remove it did break the illusion a bit. The cloth used to represent water is an age-old theatrical device — effective, but at times it also covered the dancing. I just wish it had been a little more restrained so we could see more clearly what was happening.</p><p>Finally, and more importantly, I thought the gala cast I watched was perfectly cast. Jemima Reyes-Ocampo as Kaman was earthy, sprightly, and warm — exactly as a woman of the land should be. Even after several grand jetés, she still had power in her legs. I’m seeing a new layer in her these days, her emotions more colorful and more deeply felt.</p><p>Rudolph Capungcol was as solid as ever as Ama, with picture-perfect jumps and a ballon many dancers would envy. Nicole Barroso’s artistry really draws you in — she possesses this ability to magnetize the audience with her silky, flowing movement. In this ballet, she also shows her technical arsenal, especially in her fouettés, finishing her series with four clean rotations pulling in. Krystn Janicek, as the Spirit of the Water, is clearly establishing herself as one to watch out for.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776435256715IMG_6488.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Larry Salgado</em></span></span></span></div><p>The ensemble was strong and fully committed to the storytelling. Even the children added a much-needed lightness to the stage. From ensemble to principal, this seemed like a company that was truly invested in the work.</p><p>“Paglalakbay” is not without its imperfections. Yet to focus solely on these would be to miss the show’s significance. It represents a meaningful evolution in Ballet Philippines’ artistic direction — a move toward authenticity, toward cultural grounding, and toward a more responsible engagement with what it means to create Filipino ballet. Admittedly, it no longer resembles the artistic approach of its founding members, but it has now, to a certain degree, sustained the legacy of advancing narratives that do justice to our heritage. The ballet ends with the new generation Ivatan excited to explore the potential of what lies ahead. Similarly, Ballet Philippines is on to a new sail, with a second wind of confidence that it can represent the Filipino on yet another adventure, in its own style and with its own formula.</p><p>I did not expect to be drawn in the way I was, but I left the theatre with a sense that something meaningful had been attempted — and, in many ways, achieved. Bravo, Ballet Philippines!</p>

<p>With ‘Paglalakbay,’ Ballet Philippines embarks on a more culturally rooted path, pairing striking visuals and committed performances with a deeper engagement with Filipino history and identity.</p>

With ‘Paglalakbay,’ Ballet Philippines embarks on a more culturally rooted path, pairing striking visuals and committed performances with a deeper engagement with Filipino history and identity.

Dance review: With ‘Paglalakbay,’ Ballet Philippines sails with second wind

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

People, Culture, and Events

Dance review: With ‘Paglalakbay,’ Ballet Philippines sails with second wind

ABS-CBN Lifestyle,

Erica Marquez-Jacinto

Published April 18, 2026 11:00 AM PHT

|

Updated April 18, 2026 12:19 PM PHT

Read More:

dance review

Ballet Philippines

Paglalakbay

ballet

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.