Philippine Ballet Theatre brings new Filipino ballet epic to LA

Philippine Ballet Theatre, recently designated as the national performing arts company for dance by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, brings “Ibalon,” a brand new, full-length Filipino ballet epic to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES – Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT), recently designated as the national performing arts company for dance by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), brings “Ibalon,” a brand new, full-length Filipino ballet epic to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m.

The prestigious designation of PBT, ratified by the joint boards of the CCP and the NCCA, comes at an opportune time as it prepares for the American premiere of “Ibalon,” based on the beloved Bicolano legend and the love story between a warrior and a cursed princess.

The audience on Oct. 27 will be treated to a unique opportunity to see and appreciate why PBT is officially declared as the Philippines’ national dance company.

“Ibalon,” presented in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is co-presented by Philippine Airlines, Arko Foods Market (Glendale) and American Seafood Ranch Market (Cerritos). It will be a spectacular evening staged by PBT, which is also the CCP’s resident dance company, as it celebrates the country’s colorful mythology, set to original music blending contemporary and traditional Filipino elements and entrancing dances inspired by Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

CCP’s ad interim vice-chairperson Margie Moran-Floirendo said in a statement about “Ibalon”: “From brainstorming the concept to creating new choreography and music that tells the story and down to putting production design and technical requirements, it really takes a village to premiere a new ballet production. This is an innovative way to bring the Bicolano epic to the consciousness of the Filipino people.”

With the full production and dance company coming to Southern California, promising the must-see event of 2024, the audience will be treated to a night showcasing Philippine culture.

Marilou Magsaysay, PBT president, elaborated on the special evening in store for the audience at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts: “The music was composed by Paulo Zarate especially for the ballet and beautifully choreographed by Ronilo Jaynario. Ibalon is a Bicolano legend of a cursed princess, Oryol, and Handyong, the warrior who saves her from the curse of being half-woman/half-snake. This legend is celebrated in Legaspi, Albay during the Ibalong Festival in August every year.”

Rosie Chua, producer of the US show, added, “The ballet performance of ‘Ibalon’ resonates deeply with the Filipino American audience as it celebrates our rich cultural heritage through the art of ballet, offering a unique and immersive experience to our community.”

“Ibalon” earned praise on its premiere at the CCP. Tatler Asia’s Gabriel Bohol raved, “Through artistic director Ron Jaynario’s direction, and Paulo Zarate’s enchanting music, ‘Ibalon’ showed audiences a glimpse of what world-class Filipino artistry looks like. Each choreographed move was masterfully executed by the dancers and was a fine blend of traditional Filipino dance and classic ballet. Together, Jaynario and Zarate wanted to leave a lasting imprint in Philippine dance history by telling our ancestral stories through music and dance.”

Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Marge C. Enriquez wrote, “In this new work, you will not only be won over by the boyish charm of Matthew Davo as the epic hero Handyong, the expressiveness of Jessa Tangalin as the cursed princess/snake, the effortlessness of Justin Orande and the rawness of Dom Delmo, both as the hero’s buddies.

“You will also be mesmerized by the pulsating superhero score layered with traditional Filipino instruments and the teleserye/pop music sensibilities of Paulo Zarate.”

“Ibalon” is the latest production of PBT whose mission is to express, through dance, the age-old tales and culture of the Filipino people, to create and perform stories deeply rooted in the Philippines’ heritage.

PBT’s artistic director and choreographer Ronilo Jaynario focuses on the love story of Handyong (The Warrior, played by Matthew Davo) and Oryol (The Cursed Princess, portrayed by Jessa Tangalin).

Jaynario stressed that his choreography is a reimagination of a love story against a backdrop of Philippine mythology. Indulging in creative liberties, he created nuances and plot twists to make the story a powerful display of love in movement. He hopes to leave his audience captivated by enthralling dances inspired by various regions of the Philippines.

Jaynario said, “ ‘Ibalon’ started with an idea, which developed with the help of the Bicolano epic. Then, I met Paulo Zarate, who visualized musically my idea. I was so moved by his compositions and the dancers that the movements and choreography manifested naturally. From there, everything came together, and the rest is history!”

This legend will be magnificently told with original music by Paulo Zarate who explained that in creating the ballet score, his approach was an amplification of what the music might have sounded like in ancient times. Filipino instruments in that period were more percussive and rhythmic.

Zarate took this into consideration but added bold and moving melodies, incorporating details of Filipino elements that he researched on, to make the music more epic. Zarate wanted to create music that would have a theatrical or cinematic effect on the audience, pushing them to the edge of their seats in excitement and sweeping them into the love story of Handyong and Oryol.

Zarate explained, “Hearing Ron tell the story of Ibalon, and of Handyong and Oriol, helped me visualize what he wanted to portray and create music that would pull audiences into the story and make them feel the emotions of the characters. The music is Filipino in roots but also modern, relatable, and cinematic in approach which hopefully broadens this ballet’s appeal to a wider set of audience.”

Davo, Tangalin, and the entire PBT company will take Los Angeles on a voyage into the heart of the Philippine culture and history. With PBT’s rising stars, this big production reflecting our ancestral stories will come alive with music and dance. “Ibalon’s” enchanting exploration of the origin of heroes, the timeless and always riveting battle of good and evil and the power of true love await the audience on October 27.

Tickets at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $75 are available from Rosie (818) 859-3108; Gilbert (213) 458-0582; and Gerald (909) 851-6406. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts is at 18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos, California 90703.