Ballet Philippines takes on the journey of the sea people

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BRONTË H. LACSAMANA

DANCERS Regina Magbitang and Rudolph Capongcol. — BALLET PHILIPPINES

THIS APRIL, Ballet Philippines (BP) is focusing on the landscape, wind, and memory of Batanes through its brand-new ballet, Paglalakbay: The Journey of the Sea People. Helmed by artistic director Mikhail Martynyuk, the ballet company will finally bring this story to stage after fruitful research expeditions to the northernmost point of the Philippines.

Centered on a deep connection between two people, the full-length ballet will reflect BP’s take on the landscape, materials, and environmental forces that shape life in Batanes, according to Mr. Martynyuk.

“Hopefully, something in it will speak to your heart. It’s really a story about connection and about journey,” he said at a press launch on March 10. The event included a preview, where dancers performed sweeping, graceful, yet grounded movements amid a detailed Ivatan-style set designed by Leeroy New.

BP’s 2024 expedition to Batanes, made possible through their Ballet Brigade outreach program, was not intended to result in “a literal reconstruction of place, but an immersive study of atmosphere.”

There, they gathered with over 200 locals to exchange cultures, perform dances, and share each other’s heritages.

Mr. Martynyuk explained some of the differences. “There’s different movement in Batanes because it is mountainous, so they don’t move like we do on flat land,” he said. “There are also cultural differences, like how crossed arms don’t mean disrespect.”

For librettist Sheree Chua, the interaction of land, weather, and human habitation informed the story just as much as it did the visual design of the piece.

“Migration is often framed as displacement, but movement can also be expansion, a widening of self without losing origin,” she said, noting that “resilience, adaptability, and a sense of identity” are qualities that underpin the Austronesian migration story.

She added that the ballet is historical and intimate, as “a large-scale narrative of seafaring peoples” and a personal tribute to her mother, the woman who first taught her how to move through the world.

“Ballet is definitely relevant up to now,” said Kathleen Liechtenstein, BP president, at the press launch. “With cheaper ticket prices, we can increase accessibility to the younger generation, because they are the future of the country.”

Aside from performances in The Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque this April, Paglalakbay will be brought on a national tour across different provinces, the details of which are still to be announced, as well as a world tour to countries like Hungary and Cyprus.

Ms. Liechtenstein explained that the music — composed by a Gen Z fresh graduate, Ronald Vincenzo Khaw De Leon, who is known for electronic video game music — combines both modern and classical sensibilities.

Despite this, BP took great care to treat the Ivatan culture with respect, even submitting requirements to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, to approve their piece about indigenous culture.

“We were very careful about getting the Ivatans’ trust and confidence. It takes a lot of effort,” she said. “Also, we’ll have a chanter to start the program. Ivatan chanters from Batanes will go onstage and start off the ballet.”

She also explained how part of the research journey led Mr. New’s design team to Itbayat, where they searched for traces of early Ivatan structures that predate colonial architecture. During one such exploration, the group ventured deep into the island’s forested terrain and unexpectedly lost their way, spending nearly four hours navigating dense vegetation.

“We wanted the stage design to emulate the key visuals and movement of the Batanes landscape — waves crashing on the shore, jagged rock beaches, wild winds hitting the grass, eroding soil from cliffs,” Mr. New said of the experience.

Both the set and costumes will emphasize elemental textures and materials associated with the islands, including cogon, reed, sawdust, and raffia, all of which “easily respond to the dancers’ motions.”

On a personal note, Mr. Martynyuk also spoke about his resonance with the Ballet Brigade program, which they continue to roll out in various regions of the Philippines.

“We found a promising ballet student in Batanes. I was also from a remote province, in Siberia, many hours from Moscow,” he said. “In Russia, we really market our dancers. I used to dance in Italy and then Turkey and then fly back to Russia, all in the same day. Here, there are many talented dancers. They just need to find a way to be better.”

Ms. Chua concluded by saying that “movement is very universal.”

“Paglalakbay is actually every man’s journey,” she said. “This is about our future, our past, and our present.”

Paglalakbay: The Journey of the Sea People runs from April 10 to 12 at The Theatre at Solaire, Parañaque City. Tickets, ranging in price from about P800 to P4,000, are available via www.ticketworld.com.ph, www.ballet.ph, and the Solaire Box Office. — Brontë H. Lacsamana